As part of its Framework Contract with EACI, the European Union’s Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation, Gellis was tasked to conduct a Communication and Marketing Study of the Marco Polo programme.

This programme provides funding for projects using intermodal transport technologies to shift freight transport from the road to sea, rail and inland waterways.

Gellis will undertake a Target Group Classification, Situation- and Market Segmentation Analysis (including staff consultations, website assessment, stakeholder focus groups, an online survey, and interviews of various kinds), the identification of relevant events and suggestions for most-suitable contributions of EACI, the development of an Online Self-registration Tool for stakeholders – in particular potential beneficiaries – and trade journalists (resulting in a Stakeholder and Media Database), Campaign Briefs (concise work plans for concrete priority actions), and a more comprehensive and longer-term Communication Action Plan.

Gellis’ conclusions and recommendations are expected to improve the visibility of the programme and its achievements, increase the number of project proposals received by EACI and encourage projects in the area of traffic avoidance.