A write-up of our work with Brighton Mini Maker Faire 2011.

1. Brighton Mini Maker Faire 2011
Campaign Case Study

2. Brighton’s first Mini Maker Faire
started life as the dream of a
handful of enthusiastic makers
and geeks...

3. ...it became a major event with over
5,000 visitors and widespread regional,
national and online coverage -
including local Twitter trending status.

4. Context
• Maker Faire is an event created by O’Reilly’s Make magazine that celebrates homemade creations
across tech, science and traditional crafts. There are several regular events around the world
• Mini Maker Faires are independently organised community spin-off events, endorsed by O’Reilly
and carrying the Maker Faire brand
• Early in 2011, a group of volunteers committed to organising the first Mini Maker Faire in Brighton
• In May 2011, C&M was approached by the Mini Maker Faire committee
• We discussed the upcoming event and ways in which C&M could help promote it
• A plan was submitted to the organisers that offered a sponsorship-in-kind package whereby C&M
would manage the PR and social media for the event in return for visibility throughout the
campaign and at the event
• We also considered it an opportunity to contribute to a local community educational event

5. Campaign Goals
• The campaign to promote Brighton Mini Maker Faire was two-fold:
• Initially, to attract participants (or ‘makers’) for the event in a ‘call for
makers’ phase
• Then to draw visitors to the event on Saturday 3rd September

6. Campaign Plan
Our agreed campaign deliverables were as follows:
Media Comms
• Press releases - social media friendly releases (one for each phase)
• Media target list - including local, national and bloggers
• Online listings - including local/regional and national
Social Media
• Facebook Page - create event, engagement with other relevant pages/groups, manage Facebook ad campaign
• Twitter - follower building, set up custom HootSuite, create influencer lists, co-manage flow of content/
engagement
• YouTube/Vimeo - Create introductory video. Optimise and seed video content (created by committee).
Competition
• Run competition(s) to raise awareness of Brighton Maker Faire
Blog
• Manage blog schedule and write/edit posts. Suggest one post per week in June/July, increasing to two or three
per week in August. These will be optimised for identified keywords, in order to attract organic traffic

7. Campaign Outcomes
• 60+ maker applications to fill a possible 30 places
• 5,473 visitors to the event
• Massively engaged Twitter following, grown from zero to 700+
• Facebook Page fans grown from zero to 400
• Extensive media coverage across a wide range of media
• Overwhelmingly positive sentiment about the event

8. Key Properties: Publishing
• In the run up to the event, the • C&M also created a
Brighton Mini Maker Faire blog was Tumblr to collate third
our main publishing platform, used to party reviews and
share news about the event content after the event

9. Key Properties: Social Networking
• Facebook Page
• Facebook Event Page
• Twitter Profile

10. Campaign Assets: Video
• Welcome to Brighton Mini Maker • Supporting videos created by
Faire video created by C&M Larchmont Films, seeded by C&M
• Used on website and in online press • 3,886 combined views
release
• 1,340 views

11. Campaign Assets: Graphics
• C&M created an animated
version of the Brighton Mini
Maker Faire robot seagull
to be used as opening
cards on the Larchmont
Films videos Click to play
>>
• We also created a badge
for makers to display on
their personal/professional
blogs and web sites, to
encourage links back to
the main Brighton Mini
Maker Faire site

12. Campaign Assets: Press Releases
• Two online press releases were created - one for each phase of the campaign
• These were used in engagement with traditional media, bloggers and other
online influencers
656 views 862 views

13. Blogging
• The majority of blog content was written, optimised and published by C&M
• Additional posts were commissioned by C&M and written by third parties

14. Social Media Interactions
• A custom HootSuite was created to enable effective management of day to
day communications
• C&M was responsible for daily publishing, monitoring and responding for
both the Twitter and Facebook profiles
• Proactive interaction with identified influencers was a key part of this

15. Social Media Interactions: Twitter
• Twitter follower building was undertaken, targeting influential users in the following
communities:
• Brighton/Sussex
• Craft/making
• Tech/hacking
• Family/parenting
• Education
• As part of this process, and to enable productive interactions, we developed these
Twitter lists:
• Makers (once the maker list had been confirmed - to utilise networks of
participants)
• Media
• BMMF Team

16. Twitter Competition
• To increase the online buzz
on in the final weeks
leading up to the event, we 100+ entries
ran a simple Twitter re-
tweet competition, giving
away ten copies of Make
magazine

17. Social Media Interactions: Twitter
• Links shared via the
@MakerFaireBTN profile generated
1142 total clicks
• 70% of clicks came from UK users

18. Social Media Interactions: Twitter
• This chart shows Twitter activity around Brighton Mini Maker Faire before, during and after the event
• As expected, there was a massive spike on the day of the event
• Other spikes appeared around the publishing of new blog posts and other content (e.g. photo sets),
indicating that a regular flow of content helped maintain conversation and interest on social platforms
• 89.5% of Twitter
followers are UK based
• Total reach of Twitter
output: 2.2 million
Time period: 15th August to 14th September
Source: TopsyLabs

19. Twitter Highlights
Follower count Follower count
13k 2.6k
1.3k 5k
6k 1k
1.3k 21k
3.5k 4k
10k 10.5k
1.7k 6.6k
6.8k 1.9k

20. Social Media Interactions: Makers
• The personal networks of makers and the committee were instrumental in enhancing the reach of
the campaign
• This was facilitated by pro-active outreach from C&M, that included a social media checklist for
the makers:
1) Invite all your Facebook friends to the Facebook event page and ask them to pass it onto their friends: http://ow.ly/67qKb
2) Tweet about the event, using the #bmmf hashtag and @MakerFaireBTN
3) Add photos of your makes to the Flickr pool: http://www.flickr.com/groups/bmmf/ and post them to the Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/BrightonMakerFaire
4) Post a link to the web site on your LinkedIn profile feed: http://www.makerfairebrighton.com/
5) Write about it on your blog/Tumblr/Facebook page
6) Display a 'Find Me at Maker Faire' badge on your blog or web site. Here's the code to use:
<a href="http://www.makerfairebrighton.com/"><img src="http://www.makerfairebrighton.com/wp-content/uploads/
2011/08/blog-logo_v2_small-1.png" img alt="Brighton Mini Maker Faire"/></a>
Or you can get the image to host yourself at: http://www.makerfairebrighton.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/blog-
logo_v2_small-1.png
7) Display a PicBadge on your Facebook and/or Twitter profile pic: http://www.picbadges.com/brighton-mini-maker-faire
8) And the old school one - email add your friends and contacts to tell them about it
9) Ask any journalists/media contacts you have if they can write/broadcast about it

21. Social Media Interactions: Live Support
• As well as our work in the build up to the
event, C&M attended in the capacity of
media liaison and social media manager on
the day
• Live tweeting and live blogging was
undertaken throughout the day to stimulate
conversations and enhance existing buzz
• We produced a poster to display at the
event, detailing relevant profiles and
hashtags, to encourage visitors to contribute
to the conversation, with a view to
increasing footfall throughout the day
• This was also an opportunity to make
visitors aware of all aspects of the event and
drive people into other areas of the venue

23. Social Media Interactions: Event Highlights
• On the day of the event, we achieved local trending status, with
‘@MakerFaireBrighton’ being the second most mentioned word on Twitter
that day, after ‘Brighton’ itself
• A week after the event, we maintained our position as most popular local
profile according to Twitaholic.com, based on the number of mentions of, and
interactions with, the profile, during and subsequent to the event
•

24. Social Interactions: Facebook
• An overwhelming majority of the acquired Facebook fans are UK based, indicating a
relevant user-base
• It was also encouraging to see a fairly even split between male and female fans, most of
which are in the 25-44 age bracket that fits with the family nature of the event

25. Social Interactions: Facebook Highlights

26. Media Highlights: Phase One
007_LS531_newsphilmills_editorial 16/06/2011 17:35 Page 3
latest brighton the digital capital of europe
LATEST NEWS 07
L7 News latest inbox
7
comment@thelatest.co.uk
days of headlines Teen Spirit, LS529
I’’ve always been the type to
with Phil Mills leisure and other activities across
not socialise much unless you
include studying with friends.
Society nowadays seems like
Brighton & Hove. Those who provide they make university the most
A call to decriminalise personal use of drugs; regular care, unpaid help or support secure option but really, many
to people –– often relatives, friends or of my friends, though they’’re
benefit cheats fined; a salute to carers & dads neighbours –– who have a disability, studying at the university, will
mental health problem or long-term take a semester off to do a
some of the poor souls who die every illness can now get a Carers Card. marine biology internship or
year from overdoses and bad drugs. It’’s a joint initiative between study abroad, or whatever they
The former governor’’s voice, the council, local charity Amaze and feel like doing and then return
predictably, was lost in the political the city’’s Carers Centre, and gives back to school and to me, that
wind and there are fears these discounts at places including sounds like SUCH an exciting
latest calls will quickly Brighton Bowlplex, Duke of York’’s option! You’’re getting the best of
fade away. Meanwhile, Cinema, ZT Fitness, City College’’s both worlds. The way you’’re
while Mr Bartlett has Gallery Restaurant, their Hair and planning your future seems
vowed to continue Beauty Salon, and the Dome, amazing and it seems like you’’ll
upholding the law as it Komedia and Brighton Theatre Royal. get more out of it. So with every
B righton Pavilion
MP Caroline
Lucas caused
a storm with a call to
decriminalise
stands, Ms Lucas has
promised to get the best
experts in the business to
debate the issues and
options locally.
Young carers will get discounts on a
range of local activities including
Funplex, Westow’’s World of Play
and the Sea Life Centre. Go to
accesspoint@brighton-hove.gov.uk
hope, I wish you good luck!
Rahie, via
www.thelatest.co.uk/7
Brighton’s First Maker Faire
personal use of drugs At least Brighton and Good luck to Hove mum and I'm part of the volunteer team
and she cited the Hove is talking. What do former Channel 4 Big Breakfast organising the first ever Maker
city’’s police chief you think? Email fitness adviser Livia O’’Toole who Faire in Brighton this September
Chief Superintendent comment@thelatest.co.uk has launched a business tailored (www.makerfairebrighton.co.uk).
Graham Bartlett as a sympathiser. Staying with crime, the City to helping mums shift their ““baby The Maker Faire is a DIY/craft
Bold and brave stands they may Council has been cracking down on bellies””. She’’s giving a talk on 29 festival, all about bringing
be but they are unlikely to sway a benefit cheats. A Hove photographer June at Park Cafe in Dyke Road. people's workshop/garage/living
vote-scared Commons. who failed to declare an inheritance For more information contact room projects out into public to
Twenty years ago a former of £89,000 fraudulently claimed louise@coalition-comms.com inspire and educate others.
governor of Ford Prison in £15,795 in housing benefit and £524 And just so we don’’t forget dads –– We're calling for anyone with a
Littlehampton told this reporter: Council Tax benefit. He was given an this is Dads’’ Week, organised by project to share to come forward
““I want to tell you why prohibition eight-week suspended sentence, Fiveways Early Years Cluster Group and apply to exhibit at the Dome
has failed, that it turns users into ordered to do 200 hours unpaid and aimed at dads and male carers in Brighton on 3 September. We're
criminals to finance their habits, work, and was made to pay back all who play their part bringing up trying to attract as wide a range
that it wastes hundreds of millions the benefits with £930 costs. children. Events include: Poems for of makers as possible –– from
of taxpayers' pounds on police Meanwhile, a Brighton man who Dads at the Park View pub; Book amateur electronics enthusiasts,
raids, court proceedings, probation, claimed more than £26,000 Nook Story Session at Hertford hackers and digital artists to
prison and rehabilitation.”” benefits while he was living in Infant School, and Dads Do Tea at extreme knitters, paper
He said then that the money –– and Egypt was caught following an the Hollingdean community centre engineers and beyond.
a lot less would be needed –– would anonymous tip-off to council on Thompson Road. Email Applications close on 30 June.
be better spent on improved health officers. He failed to tell anyone of dadsweek@hotmail.co.uk or phone You can find out more about
provision and education for users, if his move abroad and continued to Hertford school on 01273 552931. Brighton Maker Faire on
for no other reason than to save claim housing and pension benefits. Lets’’s hear it for the parents! http://pitch.pe/152405
He was given a 10-week Rowan Stanfield, volunteer,
suspended prison sentence, ordered via email
to carry out 300 hours of unpaid What do you think of the call
to decriminalise the personal
work, and to pay back all benefits use of drugs? You can also write to Letters,
owed along with £930 court costs. Latest Homes, Unit 1, Level 5 North,
There was good news for the comment@thelatest.co.uk New England House, New England
unsung heroes –– a new free card Street, Brighton, BN1 4GH
follow me on twitter latest7news
giving carers discounts on a range of

27. Media Highlights: Phase One

28. Media Highlights: Phase One

29. Media Highlights: Phase One

30. Media Highlights: Phase Two
theargus.co.uk/theguide The Guide Daily The Argus, Saturday, September 3, 2011 23
Things to make and do
JUMBLE SALE
stage Items for sale, St Luke’s Church,
Queen’s Park Road, Brighton,
KRATER COMEDY CLUB 01273 691862. Free, 10am
Award-winning comedy as three
PLUMPTON BEER AND
top stand-ups and a leading MC
BLUES FESTIVAL
entertain you, 7pm and 10.30pm,
Ales, perrys and ciders, bands play
by DUNCAN HALL Sunday at 8pm, Komedia,
event The results have been impressive.
“We thought we would have about
Gardner Street, Brighton,
blues, ska and folk, bouncy castle,
arts tent, face painting, magician,
call 0845 2938480. £6-£25
FOR some, the idea of building 25 stands in the venue,” says Pountney. also Sunday, The Plough, Station
their own electronic gadgets is Digital Festival: “We’re up to about 45 stands now.
The response has been incredible.
ANDY THOMAS
One-man comedy show against
Road, Plumpton, 01273 890311.
£20/£35, starts 11.30am
a pipe dream.
But Brighton’s first Mini Maker Mini Maker Faire We will have stalls in the foyer bar, the streets, Upstairs At Three DIPLOCKS MARKET
Faire is set to prove that the dads of the Founders Room and the corridors And Ten, Steine Street, Brighton, Hand-made and hand-picked
the 21st century can produce the Brighton Dome Foyer and in the Dome complex – anywhere that 07800 983290. £8/£6, 8pm items from local artisans,
same sort of wonders as our fathers Founders Room, Church Street, isn’t the auditorium. Brighton Farm Market, North
did for us, despite the ever-increasing Brighton, today, 10am to 5pm, SEE HOW THEY RUN
“We have tried to cover the Do It Road, Brighton, Free, 9.30am
advances in technology. Philip King’s 1945 farcical gem
free, 01273 709709 Yourself culture as much as we could, sees a sequence of dog-collared
“Our focus is on doing rather than but we do have some stands with BALLROOM DANCING
looking,” says Mike Pountney, co- strangers turn a homely wartime Also sequence dancing, bring
Pountney, who confesses this will be inventions like the self-balancing vicarage upside down, Devonshire
director of Build Brighton, which is the first he has attended. electric skateboard and an underwater own refreshments, Saltdean
organising the first Brighton event. Park Theatre, Compton Street, Lido, Saltdean Park Road,
“After the Newcastle event, which mini ROV [built from plumbing and Eastbourne, 01323 412000.
“We have a big soldering and was a ways away, Build Brighton had drainage pipe and electric motors] Saltdean, £5, 7.30pm
electronics workshop and a lot of £10-£18, starts 7.45pm
a meeting with O’Reilly Media to which I’m quite fascinated by.”
craft stands with a focus on ‘here’s
how you do this’ rather than ‘here’s
talk about getting one here. They have
a hands-off approach, so the Maker
Among the other attractions are SUMMER ICE SPECTACULAR film
a chance to find out more about 3D Ice skaters become gliding
something we made’. Faires are organised by local makers, performers, Congress Theatre,
“Electronics have become very printing, craftwork in yarn, paper APOLLO 18 (15)
with their support and branding.” and gingerbread, and how to make Carlisle Road, Eastbourne, 01323 Mock documentary mission
accessible. We can now do things that Pountney’s Build Brighton co-directors home-designed computer games. 412000. £16-£25, 2.30pm Cineworld Brighton: 3.10pm,
used to be extremely expensive, as are bringing in their experiences of
the price of components comes down. What’s most amazing about the NOT NOW DARLING 5.20pm, 7.30pm and 9.40pm
visiting other Maker Faires around event is the fact that it is all free. Odeon Brighton: 2.20pm,
“Really all it takes is someone the world – Toby Cole attended one of A madcap British farce set in a
to show you that it’s easy and you “We decided early on that we would London fur salon, with Damian 4.30pm, 6.50pm and 9pm
the American Maker Faires in the Bay
can do it.” prefer it to be a low-budget event,” Williams, Connaught Theatre, COWBOYS AND ALIENS (12A)
Area, while Andrew Sleigh went
The first Maker Faire was held in to Newcastle – while blending the says Pountney. “Making it free makes Union Place, Worthing, call 01903 Genre-bending sci-fi Western
California’s San Mateo in 2006 by event with previous workshops they it totally accessible to everyone, and 206206 for prices. 7.30pm Cineworld Brighton: 3.40pm only
MAKE magazine and O’Reilly Media. have organised. means we can get as many people FINAL DESTINATION 5 (15)
Since then the events have expanded They invited makers from the in the building as possible.” THE DEEP BLUE SEA
3D smash-hit horror continuation
to Detroit and New York, and crossed Newcastle event and people they knew Terrence Rattigan play
duncan.hall@theargus.co.uk Cineworld Brighton: 9pm only
the pond to Newcastle. from the maker scene in Brighton, anatomising the devastating
“We have been keen to get a Maker before getting the word out as far as n For more information visit emotional effects of a one-way FRIGHT NIGHT (15)
Faire down here for a while,” says possible using Twitter. www.makerfairebrighton.com relationship, Festival Theatre, Vampire comedy-horror thriller
Oaklands Park, Chichester, 01243 Cineworld Brighton: 1.20pm,
781312. £13-£35, 7.30pm 3.50pm, 6.20pm and 8.50pm
Photo by Mitch Altman
Odeon Brighton: 1.20pm,
VITA AND VIRGINIA 3.50pm, 6.20pm and 8.50pm
Tells of the relationship between
HARRY POTTER AND THE
Vita Sackville-West and Virginia DEATHLY HALLOWS (12A)
Wolfe, also Sunday, All Saints The adventure concludes
Arts Centre, Friars Walk, Lewes, Cineworld Brighton:
07890 287456. £10, 7.30pm 2D: 3pm only
SOUTH DOWNS AND Odeon Brighton: 3D: 2.15pm
THE BROWNING VERSION and 8.20pm. 2D: 5.15pm only
Two one-act plays; South Downs ONE DAY (12A)
by David Hare is a meditation on Love story spanning 20 years
learning, faith and teenage friend- Cineworld Brighton: 12.50pm,
ship; The Browning Version by 3.20pm, 5.50pm and 8.20pm
Terence Rattigan explores the Odeon Brighton:
complexity of the human heart, 3pm, 5.30pm and 8pm
until October 8, Minerva Theatre, RISE OF THE PLANET
Oaklands Park, Chichester, call OF THE APES (12A)
01243 781312. £28.50, 7.45pm Apes declare war on humans
Cineworld Brighton:

31. Media Highlights: Phase Two

32. Media Highlights: Phase Two
We ran a competition with local listings magazine
Latest7, to give away a boxed set of Make magazines

33. Media Highlights: Phase Two

34. Media Highlights: Phase Two

35. Media Highlights: Phase Two

36. Media Highlights: Phase Two

37. Media Highlights: Phase Two

38. Media Highlights: Phase Two

39. Post Event Coverage

40. Post Event Coverage

41. Post Event Coverage

42. Conclusions
• The ultimate goal of generating visitors to the event exceeded all expectations, leading to
discussions of a bigger venue for next year
• C&M’s work before and during the event can be credited with sustaining a substantial buzz
across traditional and online/social media and driving footfall, right up to and during the
event
• We now have relevant, engaged followings that can be revisited and built upon for future
events
• In order to keep growing the event with a view to filling a larger space next year, it would
be worth considering:
• Earlier announcement of maker list, to capitalise on longer lead media
• More investment in Facebook advertising and a longer ad campaign in order to fully
harness the potential of that network

43. makerfairebrighton.com
twitter.com/makerfairebtn
facebook.com/brightonmakerfaire
Photos © rowanstanfield.com