50+ thinkers and planners within MSLGROUP share and discuss inspiring projects on corporate citizenship, crowdsourcing and storytelling on the MSLGROUP Insights Network. Every week, we pick up one project and do a deep dive into conversations around it -- on the MSLGROUP Insights Network itself but also on the broader social web -- to distill insights and foresights. We share these insights and foresights with you on our People’s Insights blog and compile the best insights from the network and the blog in the iPad-friendly People’s Lab Quarterly Magazine, as a showcase of our capabilities. This week, our topic is @MarsCuriosity. For more, see: http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

1. crowdsourcing | storytelling | citizenship
People‟s Insights: Volume 1, Issue 29
@MarsCuriosity

2. What is @MarsCuriosity?
NASA‟s latest robot rover, Mars Curiosity, shot into the spotlight as a
NASA social media team live tweeted the end of its eight-month journey
to the red planet and its successful landing in August 2012.
twitter.com/marscuriosityIllustration of Curiosity‟s rock-blasting laser in action
(photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

3. Transmedia storytelling
The story grew with daily chronological updates on Twitter
(@MarsCuriosity) and Facebook, enriched with transmedia: links to
mission reports, photos from Mars and NASA HQ, live streams.
1) twitter.com/marscuriosity
2) ustream.tv/nasajpl

4. Storytelling in real-time
NASA has been covering the story of the $2.5 billion rover on Twitter
since November 2008. The story will continue as Curiosity embarks on
its two-year mission to find life on Mars.
“
“Tomorrow we‟re going to start exploring Mars. And next week and next
month and next year, we‟ll be bringing new discoveries every day, every
week, to all of you.
- Dr. Charles Elachi, Director, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, NYTimes

5. Importance for NASA
To increase public support and federal funding, it is crucial for NASA to
communicate achievements and benefits, and to build an emotional
bond with the public. Storytelling plays a huge role in this.
1) latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-mars-curiosity-nasa-budget-20120805,0,
3468758.story
2) vator.tv/news/2012-08-06-twitter-excitement-bubbles-up-crowd-sourcing-nasa-idea

6. Telling the story from outer space
Fitted with 17 cameras, a science lab and a space transponder,
Curiosity sends photos and data to Earth via two NASA Mars Orbiters,
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Odyssey.
nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/malin-4.html

7. Storytelling to simplify science
NASA ensured that the project would be accessible to the layman,
and entertaining too, by merging storytelling tactics, sound effects
and graphics with science in its videos.
“7 minutes of Terror” video created by NASA‟s Jet Propulsion Lab
jpl.nasa.gov/video/index.cfm?id=1090

8. Involving more people
NASA appealed to students and children through a vote-based contest
to name the next Mars Rover, and with „Tweeters and Trekkies‟ by
roping in William Shatner and Will Wheaton, of „Star Wars‟ fame.
1) marsrovername.jpl.nasa.gov/
2) wsfa.com/story/19148990/william-shatner-and-wil-wheaton-narrate-new-nasa-mars-
curiosity-rover-video

9. Coverage of the landing
On August 5, 2012, Americans gathered to view a special broadcast
from NASA Mission Control in science centres, museums and Times
Square. @MarsCuriosity live tweeted the landing.
New Yorkers gather to view the broadcast of Mission
Control at Times Square. (Photo credit: MSNBC)
NASA Mission Control team celebrates the successful
landing. (Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

10. The landing was covered by global media, trended on Twitter, was
featured on the daily Google Doodle, and inspired new memes.
@MarsCuriosity added half a million followers within the first 24 hours.
Amplification of the story
Flight Director Bobak’s mohawk made him an instant
celebrity (via Instagram)
mashable.com/2012/08/06/curiosity-lands

11. Emotional impact
The landing marked a milestone in US space exploration. More
importantly, the event helped revive the country‟s passion for space
exploration and dreams of landing a man on Mars.
“
“[The successful landing of Curiosity – the most sophisticated roving
laboratory ever to land on another planet – marks an unprecedented feat of
technology that will stand as a point of national pride far into the future.
- Barack Obama, President USA (White House release)
facebook.com/marscuriosity

12. More People’s Insights Weekly reports
For more reports, visit: peopleslab.mslgroup.com/peoplesinsights/
Every week, we dive into one topic for discussion on the MSLGROUP
Insight’s Network and discuss insights and foresights, in three key
areas: crowdsourcing, storytelling and citizenship.
Crowdsourcing
Mahindra Spark the Rise
Storytelling:
@MarsCuriosity
Citizenship
#Kony2012

13. Read People’s Lab insights and foresights
The People’s Lab team shares the insights and foresights from the
MSLGROUP Insights Network on the People’s Insights weekly blog and
the People’s Insights Quarterly magazine.
MSLGROUP Insights
Network
50+ MSLGROUP planners
share and discuss inspiring
projects on corporate
citizenship, crowdsourcing and
storytelling.
People’s Insights
weekly blog
We deep dive into
conversations around one
project -- on the MSLGROUP
Insights Network itself but also
on the broader social web -- to
distill insights and foresights.
People’s Insights
Quarterly magazine
Every quarter, we will compile
the best insights from the
network and the blog in the
iPad-friendly magazine, as a
showcase of our capabilities.
For more, visit http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

14. Coming soon: People‟s Insights Annual
Report
In early January 2013 we will publish the People‟s Insights Annual
Report, in which we synthesize our insights from throughout 2012 and
provide foresights for business leaders and change-makers for 2013.

15. People’s Lab: Crowdsourcing Insights &
Innovation
People’s Lab is MSLGROUP’s proprietary crowdsourcing platform and
approach that helps organizations tap into people’s insight for
innovation, storytelling and change.
For more, visit http://peopleslab.mslgroup.com

16. For People’s Lab
solutions, contact
pascal.beucler@mslgroup.com