It should come as no surprise to anyone that the ways in which the world communicates have changed dramatically in the last few years. Yes, we all know the world has gone digital, but it’s far more than digital disruption. Understanding the new normal is key to communicating effectively in the modern world.
Here are some pointers we’re encouraging our clients to think about:
Traditional media titles are becoming less relevant. This isn’t just about recent claims of ‘fake news’. Many titles over the years have cut back on the number of journalists, preferring generalists rather than industry specialists. As a result of underinvesting in journalists, there are fewer of them writing more copy across more sectors, and their copy is published as soon as it is written and edited. Gone are the days of a hack who really knew their stuff sitting down for an hour-long interview with a CEO face-to-face, and spending all day writing and researching 300 words for publication the next morning. The impact of this is inevitable. More mistakes are being made. Journalists are being leant on to churn out less insightful, more news-focussed pieces in a hurry. Frankly, a lot of business news coverage (thankfully with a few exceptions) is boring to read. Just ask anyone under 30 working in business when they last bought a newspaper, or even read a whole paper online, and you will see the problem. It’s why the advertisers – particularly those aiming at a younger audience – are deserting traditional titles in droves, favouring the measurable precision of the online world for their advertising budgets.
Mistrust in big business brands is increasing. In the good old days, sector journalists and City Editors were important guardians and supporters, and even the voice, of those corporate brands that deserved it. In a climate where fewer people are reading what journalists are writing, or trusting what is written when they do, their influence has diminished. In fact, many people’s views on corporate brands are heavily influenced by social media commentators. This is a terrifying concept given that many of these commentators are at best uninformed and at worst malicious. There’s a lot of noise out there about companies, much of which comes from people who inherently don’t like companies and are looking to attract attention by making outlandish statements. And people are heavily influenced by what they read on social media.
More than ever, companies are being challenged to define their purpose, and build and maintain trust with everyone. We live in a world where companies are increasingly being dragged into the spotlight – often unwillingly. They are challenged to define their purpose, and prove that what they say they do and what they stand for is aligned with their strategy and their way of doing business. Any dissonance between purpose and behaviour will only be emphasised on social media in an instant.
So, what does this mean for businesses? Well, in a way, it’s “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”. Savvy corporates have understood the power of digital media to communicate their corporate message – when they want and how they want – directly to their audiences. In short, we are seeing the media being pushed more and more to the margins of the conversation. Businesses can talk to their audiences directly with content amplified over social media platforms.
Welcome to the new normal.