Communicating the benefits of Superfast Broadband to the Welsh public

The Welsh Government awarded Freshwater a two-year contract to organise a bilingual roadshow across Wales as part of a public information campaign outlining the benefits of fast fibre broadband.

Freshwater created a strategic engagement plan, managed all pre-event logistics and produced an all-weather event structure. We also managed activity at each of the 62 events pan-Wales, communicating vital information to the general public, gathered feedback and reported results.

Freshwater was appointed by the Welsh Government to deliver a roadshow of 62 events pan-Wales, to highlight the benefits of fast fibre broadband across Welsh Government intervention areas. The aim of the project was to help consumers understand their broadband choices and decide whether fast fibre broadband would benefit them.

At the outset of the project, we developed an engagement plan which identified suitable high footfall locations and events within key target areas. We managed all pre-event logistics, secured the spaces and ensured the environment was suitable for our event structure.

Freshwater designed and produced a large, eye-catching inflatable structure for engagement in all weather conditions. We also commissioned a range of event materials to entice members of the public to the stand. To help engage families, we ensured our giveaways were child-friendly, producing Superfast Broadband branded frisbees, activity sheets and stickers.

The at-event engagement activity included managing and staffing 62 events in multiple diverse locations pan-Wales, including town centres, shopping centres and at larger annual events, such as the Hay Festival.

Our bilingual events team was able to measure conversations and comments by using an iPad to collate responses in real-time. We provided a report after each event that included how many people we had engaged with, how many entered their postcode, and how many people now intended to get Superfast Broadband.

At the end of the two-year contract, our team had communicated the benefits of Superfast Broadband at a total of 62 events pan-Wales, through a structured roadshow. Our events team engaged with 5,957 members of the public and interviewed 2,811 people about their internet usage. This provided the Welsh Government with a robust understanding of how the population used the internet, while raising awareness of the benefits of fast fibre broadband and its availability across 96% of Wales thanks to Welsh Government intervention.