EIC launches 2023 media survey to refine its outreach and positioning
- ›The European Innovation Council has launched a short 2023 Media Survey to inform a targeted media strategy.
- ›The survey is aimed at EIC beneficiaries, ambassadors, investors, researchers and other stakeholders and should take 5 to 10 minutes.
- ›EIC frames the exercise as a way to position itself as the investor of choice in traditional and social media.
- ›Respondents should be aware of sample and interpretation limits and of the EUSurvey platform's data handling policies.
EIC launches 2023 media survey to refine its outreach and positioning
On 25 May 2023 the European Innovation Council published a short online Media Survey described as a component of its 2023 media strategy. The stated goal is to build a targeted, data driven action plan to improve how the EIC presents itself in both traditional and social media. The survey invites responses from a range of stakeholders including EIC beneficiaries, ambassadors, investors and researchers. It is advertised as taking five to ten minutes to complete.
Who the survey targets and what it asks
The EIC is asking people with a relationship to its programmes to share how they consume relevant media. That includes frequency and preferred channels, format preferences and attitudes that could shape outreach. The stated outcome is a media strategy intended to position the EIC as an investor of choice for innovators. The online form is hosted on the EC's EUSurvey platform and was published with a short disclaimer clarifying that the announcement is for knowledge sharing and is not an official position of the European Commission or other organisations.
Logistics and how to participate
The EIC says the questionnaire should take between five and ten minutes to complete. The public link provided in the announcement is https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EICMediaSurvey2023. Participation is presented as a way to influence the EIC's social, digital and traditional media approach. The community announcement also invited comments on the EIC Community site for registered users.
How the results are positioned and what to question
The EIC frames the survey as a step toward becoming the 'investor of choice' in media coverage. That is a communications objective and not an objective that the survey can by itself deliver. A short stakeholder survey can surface useful preferences and indicate where to prioritise channels, messages and formats. It does not by itself guarantee improved media outcomes or changes in public perception. The impact of any revised media strategy will depend on resources, the quality of subsequent campaigns, and the ability to measure outcomes over time.
Methodological and privacy considerations
Short surveys have advantages in convenience and response rates. They also face common limitations. Self selection can bias results toward those already engaged with the EIC. Small or unrepresentative samples can produce misleading signals. The announcement does not publish the questionnaire or the sampling frame so respondents cannot assess question wording or representativeness before answering. The survey is hosted on EUSurvey which publishes privacy and terms documents. Respondents should review those documents to understand data retention, processing and access rules.
Topics the announcement highlights
| Topic area | Examples listed in the announcement |
| Agriculture and environment | Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries, Earth and related environmental sciences |
| Science and technology | Biotechnology, Space, Engineering and technology, Information and Communication Technology ICT |
| Industry and energy | Construction and Transport networks, Energy |
| Products and services | Consumer products and services, Food and Beverages |
| Health and society | Health, Public sector innovation, Security |
| Creative and cultural | Cultural and Creative Economy, Marketing Communication |
| Finance and business | Finance, EIC Business Acceleration Services |
What good use of the survey would look like
A rigorous approach would publish the questionnaire, report response rates and basic respondent characteristics, and explain how results will feed into an action plan with measurable objectives. Good practice would also include triangulation with media monitoring metrics, analytics from EIC digital channels and targeted qualitative interviews with journalists and ecosystem partners. Finally the EIC should set realistic, time bound indicators for media reach, sentiment and stakeholder engagement and report progress publicly.
Next steps and implications for stakeholders
For stakeholders the immediate action is simple. If you are an EIC beneficiary, ambassador, investor or researcher and you have views on how the EIC should communicate then the short survey is an easy way to register those views. For observers the announcement is a reminder that EU innovation bodies are actively shaping communications strategies to influence perceptions and attract deal flow. That is expected but it is also important to seek transparency about methods and to hold communicators to measurable outcomes.
The original announcement included a short disclaimer noting the information is shared for knowledge and should not be taken as the official view of the European Commission or other organisations. That remains a prudent caveat. If you intend to participate review the EUSurvey privacy statement and consider whether your responses should be anonymised.
Survey link and contact
Survey link provided in the EIC announcement https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EICMediaSurvey2023