With the increased scrutiny in the internal workings of corporations among the general public primarily due to their being an intrinsic part of virtually every aspect of an individual's life, it has become essential for the top management to communicate frequently and effectively to its constituents through the existing and emerging media channels of communication.
No longer are the days when companies used to provide goods and services with little or no answerability or accountability about their operations to its customers or the public. The changes have been influenced by various corporate scandals, bankruptcies etc. causing severe financial and emotional losses forcing governments to enforce stringent regulations on companies about publishing the details of their workings from time to time. Also, a key factor in increased public awareness is the increased levels of exposure to various print and electronic media providing a plethora of information. People are beginning to realize the importance of being educated about a company's products or services in order to make informed choices about using them and differentiating them from those offered by competitors.
This has tremendously increased the role of media relations in the overall corporate strategy framework. Companies are beginning to realize the importance of having a robust media relations team equipped with seasoned and outgoing personnel empowered with the latest communication technologies to ensure clear, prompt and speedy flow of communication to the right target constituencies. Also, at the same time encouraging constituencies with user-friendly means to provide feedback and respond positively or negatively to company's decisions and fostering innovation and improvisation in their product and service offerings.
However, due to the immense size of the various constituencies, corporations have to work continuously and communicate seamlessly and effectively with various electronic and print media that provide content for mass consumption in the form of newspapers, documentaries, advertisements, blogs, forums, websites, television shows, videos etc. They also have to rely heavily on these media networks to communicate any important events within the organization or perform damage control in the event of any operational or service failure/s as these networks have immense power to sway public opinion based on their methods and styles of presenting information to various constituencies. This can only be successful if corporations and media networks build long term relationships and work towards understanding each others' roles within the communities and how their interactions with each other decide on the quality of the content being provided to the constituencies served by the corporations. These changing times also require the senior leadership of the companies to take on a more proactive role in communication to the various constituencies rather than a defensive or passive one. It also mandates the need for awareness and adaptability of the latest forms of communication media tools among the top management.
One of the examples that comes to mind for making an effective use of the latest media communications technology is Pepsi. The company's website http://www.pepsi.com/ has been designed to cater to its key constituents, mostly consumers who are in their teens, young adults and adults. It has a very user-friendly interface and makes an effective use of the latest media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc. Pepsi not only provides the updated corporate information through these platforms but also build loyalty and repeat site visits among its constituents. It also allows website users to volunteer and participate in its community activities and interacts with constituencies beyond its immediate customer base. With a youthful feel to its website, it launches and funds various projects in the communities through "Pepsi Refresh Project" (http://www.refresheverything.com/) it serves by letting its website users vote for specific projects which Pepsi can fund to make a meaningful difference. It also encourages user participation by means of website blogs and facilitates discussions over a new product launch, its quality or any corporate news. It also collects data from customers through these channels which helps in providing inputs in the form of market research data at a fractional cost than those of traditional market research sources.
I agree with how you discuss that people are now more informed and using various types of media to access information about companies. As people become more informed and interested in companies, the harder companies have to work to make sure their media relations are in order and done effectively.
ReplyDeleteYour example of Pepsi's website is a perfect example of effective media relations. They are using that site to get information out to users of the Internet, which is a high number these days. Users are able read and get involved in various aspects of the Pepsi Cola company. While this is an effective way of media relations they must also be just as consistent with other forms of media to reach other constituents.