From the Nominator

"The goal of this ongoing COVID-19 communications strategy is to support and promote the research and medical advances of Canada’s Global Nexus for Pandemics and Biological Threats, a McMaster-based hub that brings together international experts, researchers, industry partners, and government. 

This strategy includes: 

• Highlighting important pandemic-related research through media campaigns, social media, and content marketing.
• Guiding key researchers in writing and placing opinion and analysis pieces, which strategically highlighted the work underway at McMaster and provided critical guidance to the public. 
• Supporting the work of our Public Affairs colleagues to ensure research is highlighted in key publications read by government advisors and officials (for example, Toronto Star, Hill Times). 
• Promoting our experts to comment on COVID-19-related issues in the media, which resulted in a number of media-savvy superstars who are regularly called upon for their analysis, including for international outlets such as Reuters, NBC, and other American news services. 
• Targeting our media pitching to specific national and international reporters over many months to build new relationships and create awareness about our research and our scientists (The New York Times, Reuters, NBC, CNN, CBC, G & M, Toronto Star, National Post, Canadian Press, and others). 
• Doubling down on our efforts as pandemic-weariness set in and the media slowly moved onto other issues. 

This work has culminated in millions of dollars in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for Nexus-related research, including the most recent funding for Phase 2 human trials."

From the Judges

We liked the strong collaborative framework that utilized the pandemic to showcase research. There was a strategic use of media relations to highlight strengths during a turbulent and dynamic period of time. We felt that this could be a model for other institutions that are interested in sharing their narratives of success with broad audiences.