The Wikimedia Foundation is working with Wikimedians across India to increase awareness of Wikipedia. Our goals are to improve recognition of Wikipedia and understanding of its uses.
This project began withCommunity consultation. From December 2016 to January 2017, Wikimedia volunteers across India were invited to share how they explain Wikipedia and what approaches should be used in India to promote Wikipedia.
According to Indian community respondents,Wikipedia is a vast source of knowledge.
It is anencyclopedia and filled withknowledge
It acts like awise, generous, know-it-all.
It isideal for school work,free, andin Indic languages.
Itlooks like a library, filled with books, and it ismade by society, for society.
Wikipediashould be promoted in schools andwith social media posts.
TV advertisements andgovernment partnerships are also recommended as ways to introduce and promote Wikipedia to Indians.
Internet users in India (with focus on Hindi language)
Deliverables
Strategic Marketing approach
Web video that explains Wikipedia to new Indian audiences
KPIs
Positive change in “Have heard of Wikipedia” annual phone surveying India (from benchmark 25% have heard of Wikipedia in 2016) Increased unique devices accessing Wikipedia content in India
To support our awareness work in India, we are working with an organization calledHappy mcgarrybowen. Happy mcgarrybowen specializes in video production, digital design, and marketing, with an office in Bangalore. They will guide creative development for this project, offering experienced perspectives on how to appeal to our target audience and how to produce appealing video content. They’ll also collaborate on channel approaches, developing a strategic overview of digital media platforms where we can share videos to reach people who are unfamiliar with Wikipedia. Happy will lead all video production in this project.
We chose to work with Happy based on their expertise in social media and video marketing, and their appreciation for the values of the Wikimedia movement. They are committed to working with our Community team to ensure the creative materials reflect the work and needs of our volunteers in India.
Finalized community team with self-nominated volunteers
Hosted communitykick-off meeting and aligned on student audience focus
Community team reviewed first draft of script proposed by Happy
Project paused for 1 week to discuss concerns and questions about Hindi community consultation (past and current), survey data that directed this project pilot, and need for fuller Hindi user group discussions. Hindi Community representatives committed to making choice on project continuity or permanent suspension by August 4, 2017.
August
Hindi community representatives responded on August 4, 2017 with further details on community concerns, and request for more time to make final decision.
Wikimedia Foundation reps answered multiple rounds of questions from Hindi community and committed to improve collaboration process
September
Project approved to resume by Hindi Wikimedians
Community team reviewed second draft of script proposed by Happy
October
Community team reviewed third draft of script proposed by Happy
November
Script finalized by Happy and approved by community for production
December
Video shoot took place in Mumbai on 9 December
January
First review of video draft took place on 9 January
Community feedback requested:
More prominence of "Wikipedia" branding to make the site easier to identify
Clarification of relationship between Grandmother and Wikipedia
Use of Hindi Wikipedia logo and hi.wikipedia.org as the destination URL
February
Second and final review of video took place on 12 February
Foundation Legal team approved video
Community requested adjustments:
Color grading (to be integrated)
Darkening of type on final screens (to be integrated)
Voiceover (not to be integrated because it is out of scope)
Consideration of new tagline (to be integrated only with specific community recommendation)
Pre-campaign phone surveys conducted in Madhya Pradesh to set awareness baseline
Clip from completed ad
March
Video completed
Campaign launch day set
Key social media promotion platforms choosen
Facebook (potential audience of students in Madhya Pradesh = 5.7 million)
Please add a comment on the Talk page here to share your thoughts. You can also email Project leadZachary McCune at zmccune [at] wikimedia [dot] org to discuss the project.
