„Media tablets are poised for strong growth with worldwide end user sales projected to total 54.8 million units in 2011, up 181 percent from 2010, and surpass 208 million units in 2014.” (Gartner) According to same analysts the total number of sold smart phones worldwide is expected to surpass 875 million in 2014 from “only” 267 million in 2010. The number of downloads is expected to almost double in 2011, reaching 18.1 billion from 9.5 in 2010, according to IHS Screen Digest. The expected figure for 2014 is 33 billion.
This is a very powerful base for reaching tech savvy young people wherever they are. But it is still underused due to lack of information and experience. The project consortium believes that there are synergies that can be explored by cross-fertilizing regular channels with those innovative ones for promoting European citizenship rights to young Europeans.
UPDATE aims to develop a genuine comics book, explaining to the young people in an interesting and understandable way their basic EU rights and how they can appeal to the European Ombudsman, and to adapt it to the world of mobile devices using AppStore platform as a pilot as it holds 75% of that market. The comics book will be promoted offline, through regular people-to-people public awareness raising activities, and online through a shared Internet marketing campaign.
The developed comics book will be disseminated in at least 16 local actions in four different EU Member States. During the project we will train 80 volunteers, involve 2 400 direct participants and reach more than 24 000 indirectly.
The project is based mainly on the developed capacity in the field of awareness raising campaigns and developing high-tech applications, built by the HEROES project (an EAHC co-funded initiative cross-fertilizing road safety, alcohol, drugs and AIDS prevention messages) and “European citizenship… not only words but concrete rights” campaign (a DG JLS funded communication campaign in Bulgaria).