Questions & Answers

The journal Science is arguably the world’s most important scientific publication. And with over half a million readers around the world, it certainly is the largest of its kind. It is published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS, which is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science around the world.

The Brief

UP members became involved when a refresh of the identity was felt to be needed to better reflect the international scope of the association. It was also part of the brief to help place greater emphasis on the work done by the association, especially in the area of education.

The Process

Gathering findings from a series of workshops with key AAAS stakeholders, and combined with external research focused on a cross-section of the organization’s members, the team created a strategy to address the brief. Creative exploration gave birth to the “Qs & AAAs” or the Questions & Answers campaign as a brand communication platform.

The Strategy

As an idea, in combination with a new identity and guidelines, it was designed to appeal to younger scientists. It provided an excellent way to build consistency across the multiple communications platforms and channels used by the AAAS. Equally as important, it provided a way for the organization to communicate all the things it did beyond publishing the journal Science – from supporting science education and the rights of scientists around the globe, to grants and Science Careers. AAAS was Advancing Science and Serving Society, making it an organization every scientist should want to be a part of. All that needed to be done was to tell the story.

The Result

Given a vast majority of scientists are already reading their publication, the selection of media was a foregone conclusion. Science, both in print and online, provided the perfect channel for spreading the story. Other external media complimented this. With an objective of building awareness of the added value of AAAS membership the first step was to solidify the bridge between the journal Science and the AAAS. Once firmly in place, the rest of the story could be told.