WonkComms Breakfast Club: Influencing The Influencers

WonkComms Breakfast Club: Influencing the Influencers – Lessons for Think Tank Communicators

An in person event at: Bertelsmann Foundation: Werderscher Markt 6, 10117 Berlin, Germany

When? Wednesday, October 29th, 2025, 9:00–10:00 a.m. (CET) followed by an optional (but highly encouraged!) 30 minutes networking time.

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News consumption has made a decisive shift to social media in recent years but think tank comms departments (not to mention think tank leaders and funders) still behave as if traditional media is dominant.

And with the rise of social media has come the rise of the influencers – many of them with plenty to say about policy and politics.

Why aren't think tanks working with them?

WonkComms Breakfast Clubs is a series of informal events which bring together think tank comms professionals to discuss issues of common interest.

In this event, we’ll be thinking about ways that working with influencers can strengthen democratic dialogue and lead to positive policy impact. We’ll hear about practical examples of campaigns working with influencers on policy issues. And we’ll be asking whether researchers and think tank leaders should adopt an influencer model in their own communications…

Our conversation will be kickstarted by Dr. Katja Muñoz, who will discuss her recent report on Influencers, Disinformation and Democracy in the Digital Age; and Adrian Rosenthal who will outline examples from MSL’s work with influencers on behalf of the Bertelsmann Foundation.

Coffee, croissants and comms—what could be a better start to your morning?

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Speakers

• : Research Fellow, Center for Geopolitics, Geoeconomics, and Technology, DGAP

• : Head of Digital and Social Media, MSL Germany

Moderator: Head of Communications, DGAP

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About WonkComms Breakfast Clubs: WonkComms is a global network of think tank communications professionals who share ideas and best practices. Launched in the UK in 2013, the community now stretches across the USA, Latin America and Germany. Our Breakfast Clubs are informal events on issues that matter to comms professionals like you —always practical, always useful and always with coffee. The WonkComms Breakfast Club Berlin is organized by Soapbox and the Think Tank Lab.

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