California NanoSystems Institute
Optimizing Media Outreach
As the university that graduates more startup companies than any other in the United States, UCLA takes great pride in its Magnify Incubator at CNSI, which helps early-stage technology startups grow. Knowing that the Incubator’s work can resonate with science, tech, and business communities nationwide, CNSI used Meltwater Media Relations to expand its visibility and following in the general public.
For example, when the communications team learned about a Magnify startup advancing cancer detection and care technology, it knew it had a compelling story to share. The team used Meltwater's AI-powered PR Assistant to quickly craft a compelling media pitch and get it out to the right reporters fast. Then, it used the search function to identify reporters interested in science, entrepreneurship, and commercialization. And it used the media database to conduct outreach and follow-up.
With CNSI’s careful targeting strategy, its story found a home with Voice of America, initiating a strategic relationship between the institute and the federal broadcaster. “Because of using Meltwater to share something that we thought was really important, this story has reached a huge external audience,” says Nicole Wilkins, Director of Strategic Communications for CNSI at UCLA. “It's created a very meaningful media partnership for our institute and the UCLA campus.”
“Meltwater has been a fantastic partner for our CNSI team. They're there every step of the way, making sure that we are knowledgeable about what Meltwater can do for us.”
Nicole Wilkins, Director of Strategic Communications, CNSI at UCLA
Reaching New Audiences
Along with business and tech enthusiasts, CNSI news has relevance for a wide scope of audiences, including funding agencies, government officials, California employers, and more. “We really serve a broad range of not only the campus community but our extended community through Los Angeles and Southern California,” says Wilkins. “Meltwater is a tool we use to reach all our audiences.”
The Suite’s robust search function lets the CNSI team drill down on monitoring all of the topics, industries, companies, researchers, and business leaders relevant to the institute’s work. With it, CNSI can zero in on niche topics like quantum computing and analyze the conversation to uncover insights like emerging topics and influencers. The team uses those insights to discover audiences it previously didn’t know about and land coverage in high-impact media outlets.
“Choosing Meltwater has given our team a greater level of visibility not only on our internal campus community but externally to the various audiences who care about the research coming out of UCLA or the California NanoSystems Institute,” Wilkins says. “We needed that specificity that Meltwater could give us in communicating the work that we wanted to.”
Proving Value
Without comprehensive reporting, even the best communications teams struggle to demonstrate the impact of their efforts. The CNSI communications team uses Meltwater to reliably prove its value and build trust with leadership. Dashboards offer a single source of truth that enables collaboration within the communications department. Meanwhile, shareable, easy-to-generate reports enhance transparency, giving cross-functional stakeholders and executives proof of the team’s achievements and contributions to overall business goals.
“Those reports really allow us to share something of value that is not only backing up the work that our team does, but also giving leadership insight just into how important marketing and communications is,” Wilkins says. “Before we had that data, it was like a black hole. Now, we have the numbers to show we're kicking butt here.”
