Eurovision 2024: Israel's Chance to Shape the Narrative

Congrats to the amazingly talented Eden Golan on the huge opportunity to represent Israel at the 2024 Eurovision in Malmo, Sweden! 🇮🇱

This year it's about way more than just a song contest, with 160 million viewers worldwide it’s Israel’s most impactful opportunity to proactively tell its story since October 7th, 2023. Just like what’s happening on the ground in Gaza, Israel must approach the Eurovision – a battleground of public opinion – like a military op, with clear goals, target audience and a unifying message. Here’s what we suggest:

Goal: In years past it was just to get as many “douze point” as possible and win the contest, but this year, amidst a prolonged ground incursion and a heated online debate about Israel’s values, spirit and moral clarity, it's a rare chance to shape the global narrative! The aim must be telling our story, revealing who we are, and generating empathy.

Audience: According to the European Broacasting Union that manages the contest, most of its viewers are aged 16-34 – exactly the age-range that according to public opinion polls are most likely to view Israel critically. To connect with these Gen Z’ers and millennials and show them another side of who the Isralei people truly are, organizers of the Israeli delegation must become familiar with their core values, what motivates them and what their attitudes are about Israel, so that they can pick a song, develop a story and act in a way that will resonate with this audience.

Message: Keep it short, compelling and universal – for example, using the #WeWillDanceAgain message shared by the survivors of the Super Nova music festival massacre. Imagine photos of the beautiful young victims from that event forming part of the video art of Israel’s performance – how distinctive and powerful will that be? Whichever narrative is chosen will guide song lyrics, visuals, interview talking points etc. to powerfully share Israel's voice.

Training: Thorough media prep and practice, handling challenging questions is essential. Our singers and the accompanying troupe is prepared every year, but this year we must include storytelling professionals and pay extra attention to this aspect of the event.

Digital: We’re about to discover the song Israel is going to perform – so the clock starts ticking NOW. Israel must leverage digital platforms to expand its messaging globally and roll out a carefully crafted social media campaign, working with digital influencers and enlisting the pro-Israel online community as keyboard warriors in our quest to win over young people across Europe (and Australia)! We know the other side will do their darndest to try and tarnish Israel’s campaign, so let’s come prepared and stand with pride for Israel!

With meticulous preparation and a compelling, authentic message, Israel can make the most of this pivotal moment. Good luck!