A perfect team: our learning agency and the Senckenberg Society
Our aim? To present science in a way that’s not only easy to understand, but also exciting and entertaining. In this post, you’ll find out how we’ve worked together to develop the podcast further, to make it accessible to even more people.
- Learning Agency: Senckenberg / Weird Species podcast
- Winter Semester 2024/25, 3rd semester
- Prof. Dr Patricia Bliemeister, Dr Jochen Robes
Why are podcasts so important today?
Podcasts have long since become more than just a trend. They have become an integral part of the media landscape and offer the opportunity to convey even complex topics, such as scientific research, in a personal and accessible way. They can be listened to whilst on the move, whether on the way to work, at the gym or at home on the sofa. This flexibility makes them an ideal medium for reaching people who are interested in science but do not always have the time or opportunity to engage with it in depth.
What did we hope to achieve with Weird Species?
Right from the start, it was clear to us that the podcast should reach even more people and inspire a passion for science. We had three key objectives:
- To attract an international audience: these fascinating stories should captivate listeners not just in Germany, but worldwide.
- To build a loyal community: We wanted to encourage people to tune in regularly and engage actively with the podcast.
- To encourage more interaction: more comments, social media engagement and a lively exchange with our listeners.
How did we go about it?
To achieve these goals, we started with a clear strategy:
- Benchmarking: We analysed successful science podcasts to identify best practices and potential sources of inspiration.
- Competitor analysis: Which formats work for similar projects? Where is there still potential?
- Target audience analysis: We identified which topics and content particularly appeal to potential listeners.
What concepts have we developed?
Based on our analyses, we have developed various creative approaches to raise the profile of the podcast and the Senckenberg Society’s messages:
- Live event concept: We came up with the idea of an interactive podcast recording in front of a live audience, featuring a live Q&A session. This would allow people to experience science first-hand.
- Social media presence: To engage younger target audiences on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, we created posts about the latest news about the episodes.
- Print media: We aimed to generate attention in the offline world with creative posters, stickers and postcards. The idea was to use an eye-catching design that would make people want to find out more and discover the podcast.
An insight into the world of agencies
Working with the Senckenberg Society was a really exciting experience for all of us. Our team, our supervising professors Patricia Bliemeister and Jochen Robes, and the team at Senckenberg – everyone was motivated and keen to work together to achieve something worthwhile. It was particularly exciting to gain a real insight into the day-to-day workings of an agency: deadlines, brainstorming sessions, creative highs (and the occasional creative crisis) – we experienced it all. In the end, we could look back with pride on our results: engaging social media posts, print materials and an event idea that rounded off our concept. Of course, not everything went smoothly. Dividing up the work within the group was sometimes a challenge – who does what, and above all, when? Despite all the hurdles, we managed to complete the project to our full satisfaction and gained a wealth of experience for our practical semester.
If you’d like to find out more about extraordinary creatures and dive into the world of Weird Species, then be sure to have a listen to the podcast! 🎧Click here to go straight to ‘Weird Species’ on Spotify.
Be inspired, share your favourite creature from the podcast, and join us in making science accessible.