For any readers who are not a member of COM610 - you can read the article this discussion is based on HERE
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1. Please respond to Argenti, Howell, and Beck's (2005) characterization of communication as part of an organization's overall strategy. Do you agree or disagree? Please explain.
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Although this article is almost 8 years old, the study findings and analysis are still as relevant today as they were upon publication. The overarching umbrella of "Communications" (as a function) is absolutely critical to the success of an organization. As discussed by Argenti, Howell and Beck - communications isn't just one way, a push of generic messaging to constituents. It is a two way loop, and Communications is charged with not only collecting the feedback and commentary, but analyzing and interpreting it to make strategic recommendations for the business. All communications must be strategic in nature; designed to deepen or build relationships with key stakeholders.
Steve Halsey, Principal and MD at Gibbs & Soell writes, "CEOs must make decisions based on the context of the market, and what they can do to make it more favorable for their business. It just so happens that listening to, interpreting and influencing market context are sweet spots of communications" (Halsey, 2012).
Not only do we see the importance of strategic communications in business - but take a look around - what graduate degree are we pursuing? A new program - Integrated Marketing and Communications. The demand for communications talent with business understanding and professional expertise has even influenced academia. It's very clear to me that Argenti, Howell and Beck's research was accurate - strategic communications is a vital component of an organization's management structure.
2. How does this characterization apply to marketing, advertising, and other elements of IMC -- and even social media?
The characterization of communications as a part of the organization's overall strategy suggests that all components of IMC need to be part of an overall strategy. Different companies will organize their M&C functions depending on their leadership. As mentioned in this week's readings, Jeremiah Owyang does an excellent job of describing some of the most common communications structures. To see the diagrams, and read more about Jeremiah Owyang's work - click HERE
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The overarching point of all these articles is this - consumers are demanding transparent, two-way communications with brands. Without an IMC strategy, which includes senior leadership support, organizations are missing the opportunity to build lasting and profitable relationships with consumers.
3. How can social media play a role in an organization's overall strategy?
When I first started working in Communications, my friend Mauricio Godoy offered me some advice which I still reference to this day -
"People like brands who act like people - not people who act like brands"
Brands have the opportunity to use social media to interact with consumers on a more personal level than using traditional channels. The ability to respond quickly and concisely to complaints, questions or feedback allows organizations to develop brand personas in ways that make them relateable to consumers, and more profitable to stake holders. Take a look at this infographic outlining some of the benefits of using social media for business
4. How can we "align" each of IMC's elements and many social media channels to "enhance [our company's] strategic positioning"?
Communications needs a seat at the table - and needs to be heard.
Aligning IMC elements (which includes social media management) to support strategic positioning requires communications and marketing (depending on how your organization is structured) to be a part of executive level discussions about the future of the organization.
For example - you wouldn't hold a meeting about layoffs without the CHRO, would you? Of course not - senior leaders need the expertise of the CHRO to analyze and understand the impact of their decisions on their employees. Same practice goes for Communications/ Marketing teams.
No one can discussion Communications better than the Arthur W. Page Society. In 2007 and 2013, they conducted "The CEO View" about the impact of communications on corporate reputation / citizenship. The first of the study's key findings were -
"We see a shift in emphasis from defense to offense - CEOs in 2007 say the communications function largely as a way to fend off personal attackers and bad publicity. In 2013, they see more opportunity for our function to set agenda and build engagement across all stakeholders" (AWPageSociety, 2013).
It's clear that open communications across functions, and within senior leadership, allows for IMC to be part of strategic discussions. Based on the strategies and objectives of the organization, IMC professionals can make recommendations about which channels / messaging / content can be shared, and with whom, to help enhance the overall positioning of the company.
Sources / Citations
Arthur W. Page Society (2013) "The CEO View: The Impact of Communications on Corporate Character in a 24x7 Digital World" Arthur W. Page Society Retrieved from http://www.awpagesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/The-CEO-View-2013.pdf
Halsey, S (2012) "Should a company's communications leader report directly to the CEO?" PRWeek. Retrieved from http://www.prweekus.com/should-a-companys-communications-leader-report-directly-to-the-ceo/article/251691/
Adrienne, Great job on this post and I'm amazed at how early you posted. Let me start by saying I liked how you included the article for readers outside of the class and the pictures with links you included in the actual post.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the demand for communications with business and professional expertise has influenced academia. When I first started looking into graduate school, I could only find Corporate Communications programs. I wanted something that would enhance my PR degree, but that program wasn't it for me. I took a break from looking and when I started again, there were a number of IMC programs at NY colleges. It's he perfect program to learn how to use traditional forms of communications in an untraditional way; especially when it comes to social media.
Can you think of an organization that seems to have a great IMC strategy? Why do you think it works so well?
I think there are a lot of companies with great IMC strategies - many of which we have studied in this program. As we have defined - IMC is basically the unification of marketing & communications strategies and tactics to ensure favorable brand positioning. This includes relationship building, sales etc.
ReplyDeleteOne particularly strong strategy is the one managed by Red Bull - they have a very strong brand voice and image - their logos and commericals are easily identifiable. Additionally, their support of extreme athletes plays well into supporting their "alternative" image. They use social media extensively to carry out brand messaging, along with partnering with colleges and peer influencer groups with similar demographics as their consumer base. This ensures that the messaging is shared in a channels that the consumers choose, and want to engage in.
Red Bull consistently engages with their consumers through multiple channels, and optimizes the platforms that they have to build lasting relationships, increasing the lifetime consumer value.
It's clear that the IMC program Red Bull has put into place is working, in 2013, "Red Bull posted a brand value of $10.6 billion, up 6% from 2013", and "Red Bull moved ahead of Pepsi as the third most valuable brand in the category (Schroeder, 2013)"
Citations -
Schroder, E (2013) "Coca-Cola, Red Bull prop up beverage brand value" Food Business News. Retrieved from http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/news_home/Consumer_Trends/2013/06/Coca-Cola_Red_Bull_prop_up_bev.aspx?ID=%7BFC0E8BD0-D851-4561-9F24-0702585DBA4E%7D&cck=1
Red Bull was a great example. I figured Red Bull was valued highly, but I didn not think it was $10.6 billion worth. For them to move ahead of Pepsi is major. Red Bull definitely is definitely an organization that uses social media and other activities to their advantages.
ReplyDeleteAdrienne,
ReplyDelete"People like brands who act like people - not people who act like brands." What a great quote; it effectively communicates why brands with proper strategy have benefit from using social media to reach their audiences.
A member of my team, Amanda, brought up Starbucks as an example of a brand with a strong social media presence. Your example of Red Bull is great, too. While these two brands have opposite personalities, their voice matches their audience expectations, which is one of the reasons they are so successful. Can you think of any brands that still need some help in the social media strategy department, or that have committed reputation-damaging blunders in the past?
Kait
Hi Kait - glad you like the quote :)
DeleteThe one that comes most quickly to mind - JC Penney. Tweeting with Mittens.. during a 40 degree weather Super Bowl? We've all studied JCP's short comings in other classes, but while this isn't as offensive as some other companies social media blunders - it's edvidence of the fact that JCP is totally out of touch with not only it's consumers in store, but online.
Hi Kait, what comes to mind for me is McDonald's 2012 Twitter campaign where they used the hashtag #Mcdstories in hopes that customers would tweet about their great experiences with McDonalds. However, many consumers used that hashtag to bash the business. It was promoted for only two hours because of the wrong turn it took.
DeleteBoth great examples!
DeleteAdrienne, I really disliked the tweeting with mittens blunder. It was 100% purely a stunt, which would work better if it were in line with their brand messaging and values. You're absolutely right: JCPenney is out of touch.
Andrea, that #McDStories is definitely one of the biggest brand fails that comes to mind. McDonald's certainly seems like they can use some help lately. Their #CheersToSochi hashtag was taken over by LGBT activists protesting the anti-gay laws in Russia, so that campaign was over soon after it started, too.
Adrienne,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Kait about that quote “People like brands who act like people - not people who act like brands.” I think that is probably the most important lesson in figuring out how to communicate through social media. People are bombarded by ads every day but what makes communicating through social media different is the opportunity to create an interactive brand personality to sit alongside other IMC initiatives.
Red Bull is an excellent example of a company effectively implementing an IMC strategy across all channels, especially social media. One company that jumped to the front of my mind that has used social media as an incredibly effective marketing tool is Taco Bell. The effectiveness of their social media presence has a lot to do with them being able to effectively getting consumers to interact with the brand across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The reason I believe that Taco Bell is so effective in its use of social media is because it communicates exactly the kind of brand attitude that is displayed in advertisements and other communications that the company takes part in from design to marketing. It is all targeted to “the 18-34 age group, which is by far their strongest customer demographic. This allows the company to dig in and become part of the community, instead of trying to please everyone. The result is a voice that sounds more like one of your friends than it does a major American corporation.” (Parent, 2013)
Their IMC strategy clearly works because as a brand Taco Bell knows exactly what they are, how their consumers think and talk about them, and why people frequent their establishment. With this knowledge in mind and without trying to force the brand into something its not, they are able to communicate effectively with their consumer base, especially on social media, in a way that excites and attracts customers.
Works Cited
Parent, J. (2013, November 12). 5 Ways Taco Bell is Killing It With Social Media . Retrieved from Policy Mic: http://www.policymic.com/articles/73129/5-ways-taco-bell-is-killing-it-with-social-media
Nashrid, nice example of Taco Bell. Besides having a great social media presence they are always introducing something new to the menu, keeping their target audience interested and eager to try the new items.
ReplyDeleteDo you all think there is a such thing as too much social media for a business?
Andrea & Nash - I actually brought up the same point on Nash's and our group-mate Nicole Valerio's blog. The danger of social media (and information) overload.
DeleteAs we get more information, more opportunities to connect, more content shared - it's my opinion - that the connections get less useful. Technology is moving faster than our brains are able to adopt - and we're not able to process the amont of content that is being shared with us.
Adrienne, I agree, our brings are able to process the amount of content that is being shared with us with too much social media. Also, with too much I think that people start to get tired of seeing the company, reading about the company and hearing about the company. This could possibly result in the consumer wanting to have nothing to do with the company or deciding to try a similar product/service from a different brand.
ReplyDeleteCan you think of a brand whose social media efforts have annoyed you?
I find the “two-way loop” to be one of the biggest contributions of social media. Messaging is no longer a one-way street. I like your emphasis on the importance of analyzing and interpreting the feedback and commentary. To ignore the feedback would be to forgo this essential component of social media. It is important to keep in mind, however, “social media based feedback programs should be designed such that they give you the information you need without telegraphing your strategy” (Ostrow, 2009, para. 12).
ReplyDeleteYou mention that “strategic communications is a vital component of an organization's management structure.” When you ponder the necessary elements of successful relationships in general, isn’t communication at the top of your list? It would follow logically, then, that communications would be integral to any business strategy involving relationships with customers, employees and all other shareholders.
I like your emphasis on transparency as well. Largely as a result of the information the internet provides, consumers are extremely knowledgeable and savvy. They are not easily deceived. I believe a truthful presentation on the part of companies will encourage brand loyalty. “Always tell the truth—as much of it as the public needs to be informed” (Syme, 2013, para 6).
You hit on two additional, unique aspects of social media. 1. It offers the ability to be more personal and 2. faster than other marketing efforts. These are two increasingly important demands of consumers. They want more personalization and they want everything quickly.
References:
Ostrow, A. (2009, September 28). How to: gather feedback with social media [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2009/09/28/social-media-feedback/
Syme, C. (2013, October 21). Social Media Crisis Strategy [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://socialmediatoday.com/chrissyme/1844061/social-media-crisis-strategy-transparency
Susan, customers definitely want more personalization, it makes customers feel as if the spending of their money is appreciated and they are valued as a customer. Also, everyone loves to receive things quickly, instant gratification.
ReplyDeleteI particularly like the service Jet Blue provides on Twitter. They use it to market promotions and concerts, and they try to resolve customer issues and flight questions quickly. The customer service they provide, make for happy customers, loyal customers and new customers.
Can you think of a company that provides excellent customer service through social media?
Hi Andrea-
ReplyDeleteNike and Comcast take advantage of Twitter as well.
Sue
Susan, wonderful job this week. I will be posting the final post in the iLearn forum tonight.
ReplyDelete