The session featured Kerli Peetsalu, Digital Marketing Manager at Tartu 2024, and Armas Riives, their Head of Communications. Together, they shared the highs and lows of navigating social media, engaging audiences, and handling media crises during a year when all eyes were on them.

Peetsalu opened the discussion by reflecting on the project's magnitude: “Last year was crazy for the whole team. We tried to run through the entire year, and now we’ve picked some insights and experiences we’d like to share. Maybe you can take inspiration or use something for yourself next time as well.”

Riives, who led the communications strategy, emphasized how big Tartu 2024 became. “We ran one of the biggest organic media campaigns Estonia has ever seen. A huge number of foreign media covered us, from all over Europe and beyond.”

Climbing the social media Everest

The team didn’t just rely on traditional marketing methods—they thought big. “Before the title year even started, we sent one of our own to climb to the top of Mount Everest,” said Riives. “And he did it. We were literally on top of the world.”

The opening ceremony in January 2024 was a turning point. Expectations were high, but reality exceeded even their wildest predictions. “We had planned for around 10,000 attendees,” Peetsalu recalled, “but 20,000 people showed up. It was twice as much as we expected.” The event was broadcast live across 39 different countries, and for a brief moment, everything seemed to be going perfectly.

“But if you’re at the top,” Riives pointed out, “the only way is down.”

Handling criticism and turning it into engagement

No major event is without its critics, and Tartu 2024 was no exception. As the opening night unfolded, complaints started pouring in. People were frustrated about poor visibility, freezing cold temperatures, slippery roads, and long toilet queues. “We got a lot of critics, and the loudest among them were outspoken middle-aged men,” Riives said with a laugh.

Instead of going on the defensive, the team decided to own the situation.

When a picture of a badly parked car from the event started circulating online, they saw an opportunity rather than a problem. “We shared it online and made a joke out of it,” said Peetsalu. “We apologized, but we made it fun.”

This approach to embracing criticism worked wonders. Engagement rates shot up, and the audience started playing along. Even British comedian Jimmy Carr joined in, sarcastically calling Tartu 2024 “the bottom of the list.” Rather than reacting negatively, the team used humor to their advantage. “Someone commented, ‘You do realize he’s making an insulting joke about us?’ And we replied, ‘Thanks so much for explaining! We didn’t know.’” The response received five times more likes than the original complaint.


The power of humor and self-awareness

One of the key takeaways from Tartu 2024’s approach was the ability to laugh at themselves. Peetsalu emphasized how important it was to monitor online conversations, find memes, and engage with the audience in a way that felt natural. “We didn’t hide away from them. We didn’t stop sharing things, even if the media and everyone was milking it.”

The team also took risks that most organizations wouldn’t dare to attempt. In 2022, when they had no significant announcements to make, they decided to stage an unusual stunt—making their Facebook page look like it had been hacked. “We didn’t have a program, we didn’t have any events announced… I needed people’s attention,” Peetsalu explained. Suddenly, the page was filled with cryptic messages, causing confusion and intrigue. The results were exactly what they hoped: thousands of people engaged, trying to decode the hidden message.

Reaching unexpected audiences

Beyond humor and controversy, Tartu 2024 also found creative ways to connect with audiences that might not have engaged with the event otherwise. One surprising success came through gamification.

“I was initially skeptical because I didn’t think anyone wanted to play a game… Oh, I was wrong,” Peetsalu admitted. One of their most effective campaigns was a competitive online game pitting Estonians against Latvians, where participants could race against each other.

“One person played 1,600 times. It was unbelievable.”

Another unexpected audience came from the knitting community. “We posted free knitting patterns with our logo, and suddenly we were all over yarn magazines and craft stores,” she said. This niche but highly engaged group became unexpected ambassadors for Tartu 2024.

And then there was the event that no one saw coming—a “65+ Only” party, where the only way for young people to attend was to bring an elderly family member. “It sold out in minutes,” Riives said, shaking his head in amazement.

Controversy as a strategy

One of Tartu 2024’s most debated moves was flipping the Estonian map upside down to symbolize that Tartu, not Tallinn, was the country’s cultural center. “We pissed off the entire city of Tallinn,” Peetsalu admitted. “People were NOT happy. They said, ‘You’re not the capital, just a cultural capital.’” But despite the backlash, the controversy drove enormous engagement and conversation.

Then, there was the moment when a protester interrupted a live TV broadcast. “An unknown man ran onto the stage during Conchita Wurst's performance, and we immediately realized that it was the same man who had done the same thing 10 years ago in Copenhagen,” explained Armas Riives. Instead of letting the media spin the story, the team took control. “We put out a strong comment apologizing and explaining security issues before anyone else could spin the story,” Riives explained. This preemptive approach prevented speculation from getting out of hand.

Winning media relations

Beyond social media, Tartu 2024 also mastered media relations. Instead of waiting for journalists to come to them, they built relationships well in advance. “We met with all the key editors before the year even started,” said Riives.

“We made them believe in what we were doing. And we made sure that when they had questions, they got answers immediately.”

Transparency was key. Even when things went wrong, they shared the full story. “At one point, we lost a very expensive piece of equipment underwater. Instead of hiding it, we called a TV broadcast and told them, ‘Hey, this is what’s happening. This is the reality of working in these conditions.’ The media loved it.”

Lessons for any brand or event

Reflecting on the year, Peetsalu and Riives agreed that the biggest lessons for any organization navigating social media are simple:

• Be open to humor and self-deprecation.
• Own your mistakes before someone else does.
• Engage with unexpected audiences—you never know where your biggest supporters might come from.
• Build strong media relationships and always be transparent.

“People were tired. We were all exhausted,” said Riives. “But we kept going. And in the end, it worked.”

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sTARTUp Day is turning 10 next year, and now is the perfect time to grab your super early-bird ticket at the best price! Join us in Tartu on January 28–30, 2026, for an unforgettable anniversary edition filled with inspiring speakers, game-changing networking, and next-level opportunities. Get your ticket today and be part of the celebration!