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Corporate communications professionals came together online on 13-15 October 2021 to learn how to adapt their communications strategies to fit the current environment.
Change was already a constant within communications long before COVID-19 impacted the world. However, the rise of technology has led to innovative strategies such as utilising social media to reach out to audiences and applying new software that aided companies internal communications.
The arrival of the pandemic brought in massive changes that left many communications professionals feeling unprepared. Cities went under lockdown, people went into remote working, and companies shifted their priorities to keep themselves afloat.
“Like so much of last year and this year, we’ve all had to say that, after looking at the world around us, the role of communications has arguably never been more important,” Head of Corporate Affairs Bupa Chair, IABC APAC James Howe said as he opened the first day of the 7th Annual Corporate Comms Leaders Summit.
The two-day summit, run by Akolade in partnership with Meltwater, Vimeo, Stratagile and the IABC, provided the delegates with the chance to learn from one another’s experiences in communications over the last eighteen months.
It was clear that communications leaders can no longer use the blueprints they used to follow. The changes brought about in the last two years showed no sure-fire communications strategy that they could lock in and not deviate from.
“We are in a constant state of new normal; there’s no doubt about it,” Foxtel Group’s Group Director of Content Communications Jacqui Abbott said.
“I think that this year and last year has taught us that everything we thought we knew has changed. We can’t predict; we can’t plan. And when it comes to comms, there’s no doubt that we have to be agile in the way that we communicate on behalf of the businesses that we are in.”
With several forces affecting communications, leaders have had to innovate how they could connect with employees, the audience, and stakeholders while recalibrating and focusing on their company’s purpose.
Expedia Group – Singapore’s APAC Head of Communications Lavinia Rajaram said they had to change their strategies to stay above the communications crisis.
Rajaram explained that they had to bring in experts, review and update their business continuity plans and establish a new internal & external communication strategy while building trust and confidence with their audience and employees through empathy and transparency.
Corporations are now engaged with far more stakeholders due to the growth of social media and the proliferation of audiences that need to be constantly engaged. It has made it necessary for corporations to have a purpose that will benefit their shareholders and the community.
Brands have been under increasing pressure to demonstrate their positive impact on society. It was no longer just about the product you have; it’s more about what you stand for as a company.
McDonald’s Director of Corporate Communications James Rickards shared his experiences enhancing the corporation’s branding during the pandemic.
McDonald’s reputation suffered when its image was associated with the rising cases of COVID-19. To mitigate this, the communications team enhanced the corporation’s brand from just being a family framework by leveraging their relevance within society, engaging in core issues and making a genuine difference.
“You can only pivot if you have certainty in the foundations of your brand strategy,” Rickards said. “We never ran from who we were; we just escaped from that restriction of being so safe, and secure, and serious. You can only do it if you’ve determined who you are moving forward as a corporate comms team.”
Cisco’s Head of Communications and Public Relations ANZ Cori Moran explained that corporations should not only renew their purpose to become inclusive. They should also be authentic in creating a listening and feedback loop with their employees to connect them with their purpose.
“It’s been fundamental in actually engaging our employees around our purpose,” she said. “Particularly right now, when there is a lot of uncertainty and fatigue out there.”
AGL Energy’s Head of Communications Nicole Lyon also said that, as a communications professional, one should create a compelling vision of the future to align employees with the corporation.
Several speakers also stated that communications professionals should support their senior management by empowering and equipping them with the correct facts and content. As a result, they can become powerful channels for internal communications and increase employee engagement due to their trust and credibility.
Another key theme that emerged during the event was the need for more empathic and authentic communications. Adobe Asia Pacific’s Director of Communications Suzie Brady explained that dialling up empathy, establishing flexible work arrangements, and focusing on specific goals can significantly aid a corporation.
“I think that showing some vulnerability, and showing it’s okay to take time out, it’s made it okay for people to do what they need to do to get through this,” she said.
Treasury Wine Estates’ Content and Channel Manager Rachelle Bryant also stressed that one should make sure they have a process and criteria to pick the proper channels and select relevant and meaningful messages that will effectively reach the audience.
“People want connections, so having that at the back of your mind and making sure that, no matter how much noise comes through, knowing your audience and what matters to them the most will always give you a head start in cutting through the noise,” she said.
As the current environment continues to cause changes within communications, it becomes clear that communications leaders need to establish a strong foundation for storytelling, have authenticity in leadership communications, and remain aware of audience empathy.
Eliza Sayon is an experienced writer who specialises in corporate and government communications. She is the content producer for Public Spectrum, an online knowledge-based platform for and about the Australian public sector.
