Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Edelman Public Engagement 20092
Edelman Public Engagement 20092
2 ENGAGEMENT
IN THE CONVERSATION AGE
EDELMAN
CONTENT
FOREWORD/FUTURE ECOLOGY: A NEW ERA OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN AN ENGAGED WORLD, LISTENING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THE SEVEN BEHAVIOURS OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THE POWER OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT. THE AGE OF PERSONAL SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY WHY ITS TIME FOR THE AD AGENCIES TO ADMIT DEFEAT EMBEDDING SUSTAINABILITY INTO BUSINESS AND BRAND: MAKING SENSE OF THE UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS PUTTING CREATIVITY FIRST ITS POLITICS, JIM, BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT SOUND BITE OR SOUND INSIGHT DEMAND DRIVEN DIALOGUE: DESIGNING DEMAND IN THE IT WORLD PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN A REGULATED ENVIRONMENT LISTENING FOR RESULTS EDELMAN TRUST BAROMETER 2010 ONE WORLD, ONE AGENCY: PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MAKES YOU THINK CONVICTION OR CONVENIENCE: IS NOW THE TIME FOR BUSINESS TO LEAD?
3 4 5 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 23 24 27
FUTURE ECOLOGY:
EDELMAN
IN AN ENGAGED WORLD
LISTEN
Listening with new intelligence is a uniquely human skill. Discerning sincerity, subtlety and emotion are all instinctive human abilities that no machine or artificial intelligence has yet mastered in spite of the countless over-marketed claims to the contrary. Technology can and must provide assistance, but at its core, listening is more art than science more a personal exercise than a computational one. The countless platforms for listening are useful for gathering together elements of the conversation that are relevant. But once gathered, real understanding only comes from immersion in the content and an in-depth understanding of the context. And real success only comes from a commitment to act on what is learned. Over the last few years, social media and similar technological changes have made the world more connected, interactive and dynamic. In short, the world is a conversation. So at its core, the imperative to become better listeners rests on a simple, human truth: We cannot join a conversation without listening to it first. Are you listening?
Public Engagement:
ADVANCING SHARED INTERESTS IN A WORLD OF CROSS-INFLUENCE
marshall.manson@edelman.com
EDELMAN
them and less than half (46%) of those questioned felt that their employer deserves their loyalty. Perhaps part of the reluctance to address this situation is due to the fact that meeting these aspirations seems so daunting. It cant be ignored that, with fast changing technologies, the immediacy of communications, and the rise of Citizen Journalism, many employers are cautious of committing to open channels of communication and true dialogue with employees. But, for those that do, the benefits can be seen well beyond loyalty and employee retention. So, what should we be engaging employees with and how do we motivate them? The result of the recent crisis has meant that conventional rewards such as pay rises and bonuses are either simply not there or perhaps, more importantly, as we return to the point of our individual and collective need for business to drive mutual responsibility, do not go far enough to drive loyalty. Sylvia Ann Hewitt, economist and member of the World Economic Forum Council on the Gender Gap and founding president of the Center for Work-Life Policy, has published research which shows that high potential employees are motivated by a desire to give back to their communities and these employees are seeking out employers that allow them to do so on the job. Traditionally, companies have viewed employee engagement in terms of corporate social / environmental responsibility programmes, such as allowing employees time off work in order to get involved in community initiatives, or encouraging
continuing education. Todays workforce, and particularly the younger generation of workers, look for personal relevance in the fabric and meaning of their jobs. A sense of personal responsibility for the state of the environment, the state of our finances and retirement options, the state of our health and education systems is increasing. Business must move beyond these traditional models of corporate responsibility to a more strategic and integrated approach based on sustainability across social, economic and environmental parameters. It must be driven from the core of the business and commitment must come from the top of the organisation. It must transform the values of the organisation into programmes that employees will be inspired to participate and engage in and ultimately engender a sense of pride and purpose in working for that organisation beyond simply taking home a salary every day, week or month. Perhaps in understanding our own personal role we can learn from Sir Winston Churchill who said We Make a Living By What We Get, We Make a Life By What We Give.
pamela.fieldhouse@edelman.com
EDELMAN
grated into existing TV shows. But we know from the US experience that this is a weak alternative, accepted from a position of financial stress and where creative delivery is often compromised by commercial pressure, leaving neither partner satisfied. However, what the production company really wants is brand relevant partnerships that can take their content and build it online, instore, in media, via downloads and on new influencer platforms with new consumer experiences beyond the TV screen and the money they will accept for access and exploiting exclusive content is not that expensive. This approach is way beyond product placement, bumpers or name checks more intelligent, more integrated, more shared. And it builds audience, loyalty and revenue for the brand and the networks, and is a new model for working that can replace the ad agency relationship. A consumer brand recently paid 500k to sponsor a TV broadcast film but the deal allowed the film to be released in weekly 10 minute segments for 9 weeks, airing the entire film at 10 weeks. After only 2 weeks, the film was nailing an audience of 5 million. The online power of garnering audiences before a programme airs traditionally (or instead of) is immense. Networks will kill for this. And brands enjoy audiences that positively replace the centre breaks of old, and add value to the consumer experience. The time has come for corporations and brands to have the belief and vision to make the leap and break out of the marketing silos of old and embrace an opportunity that allows them to play on the screens of their target influencers in a way that is multi platform, multiexperience, driving loyalty and participation
that is priceless. The time for commercial selling and dubious product claims are over audiences expect companies to interact with authenticity and transparency. Companies need engagement. Both will only achieve these if driven by compelling content that courts, plays and engages with credibility and professionalism. As Peter Whitehead wrote in the FT ...Web 2.0 is a world in which anyone can have a go at generating content; Web 3.0 is where professionals take the lead in shaping that content. And those professionals are the production experts and the multichannel, multimedia engagement experts. A new world, needing a new marketing offer. Its all for the taking...
david.fine@edelman.com
EDELMAN
10
anne.augustine@edelman.com
11
EDELMAN
12
measurement tools to go head-to-head with the traditional advertising measurement models used by media buying agencies. With a fast-moving communication climate and this complex network of cross-influence, the challenge is now to keep up with these rapid changes and measure accordingly. And fast they are. According to new insights, teenagers apparently reject advertising, particularly digital, as well as sites such as Twitter (Morgan Stanleys How Teenagers Consume Media Report). Research from AdWeekMedia and Harris Interactive back this up and show that 46% of US net users ignore banner ads. Its clear therefore that fresh thinking is required to reach the brands key demographic especially when it comes to creating online momentum. Furthermore, with AVE falling rapidly, marketing budgets being cut and consumer behaviour changing when it comes to how they receive information, the time is right for the bold and adventurous marketing teams to harness the opportunity. So for all those brand and marketing managers wanting to make a real difference, and be known for creating that one memorable campaign... whats the advice for the advent of Brand Bravery? Talk about channels in a different way the new era of public engagement relies on a complex web of influencers. Challenge agencies to see if they truly understand how to layer a campaign effectively to create bottom up dialogue and conversation. Explore and encourage creativity use your agencies effectively and efficiently and regularly develop creative
ideas... free yourselves from the shackles of prescriptive marketing models and media buying agency channel plans. Let your creative agencies (and not just the ad team) lead the way here and throw the gauntlet down to them. You might be surprised. Forget the money at the idea stage much creativity and idea development is constrained by talk of money at the brainstorm stage, and also the fight between the agencies for their slice of the pie. Start with the position of the skys the limit it will pay dividends and will enable you to assess true value for money when youve developed the concept. Marketing is not an exact science predicting a success is virtually impossible. Whatever happened to gut feeling and risk? Who would have thought that the meerkats for confused. com would build a brand profile and position the comparison site at the top of the nations mind? After all, we are all consumers. The best marketers instinctively know when something will work. And its based on their instinct. The new world order of public engagement requires marketers to be brave, so take the leap of faith it might just work! Emma Nicholson Director
Emma heads up the Leisure & Lifestyle team in Edelmans consumer division, JCPR. She has been creating consumer campaigns for leading UK and international fmcg, retail and service brands for the past 15 years.
emma_nicholson@jcpr.com
13
EDELMAN
14
nothing more than an election gimmick, the collapse of top down communications, the fragmentation of the media, the empowerment of the voter via the web (digital democracy) and the rise of consumer politics mean that any Party that adopts a strategy that sees an election manifesto emerge from on high and expects it to excite and engage the voter is surely a strategy doomed to failure. Empowered citizens will expect, if not demand, an ability to help shape and influence the content of any manifesto. While political parties will no longer be able to count on the reach of traditional media to communicate their policies, they will need to use the principles of public engagement to reach out and engage the voter. So there you have it. Four trends for what the changing communications landscape means for political parties and any future General Election campaigns. However, its not just the parties who will have to adapt, change and embrace this new reality if they are to survive and prosper. The political system itself will also need to change or face a crisis of confidence more traumatic than the recent expenses scandal. Its a new world in which transparency and accountability are central. The democratising power of digital means that citizens will no longer tolerate advice being kept secret or decisions being taken behind closed doors. Indeed, one only needs to look at the increasing demands for independent inquiries across a broad range of issues and incidents to gauge the mood of an increasingly sceptical public when it comes to believing what they are told by Government.
The MPs expenses were a painful example of this new era of transparency and accountability but this is just the beginning. Soon, the public sector will be forced to reveal the detail and value of its contracts and another bout of soul searching will begin and questions will be asked about how the body politic can regain trust. The new Speaker and some enlightened thinkers from both sides of the House of Commons have begun to talk about how Parliament and the wider political system needs to change. However, none has yet grasped, or perhaps even fully understood, the magnitude of how society is changing, brought on by the rise of new technology, the empowerment of the citizen and the thirst for transparency and accountability.
alex.bigg@edelman.com
15
EDELMAN
16
should we be looking for opportunities to open up discussion? Perhaps we should even get perspectives from other groups that we might not normally reach. Our audiences might traditionally be a closed group of professionals, but the principles of public engagement apply to them as much as any other group something that can sometimes be overlooked in order just to continue the churn of data. At BioScience Communications Edelmans specialist medical communications group we believe that the principles of public engagement that we apply across the Edelman business to audiences of all types do also apply fully to doctors and scientists in health-care. The value of true engagement with our audiences can be impactful for pharmaceutical companies, such as: profiling the organisations willingness to open up findings for discussion and critique demonstrating openness and transparency seeding debate that can provide valuable customer insights potentially exposing the data to a wider audience through ongoing debate These might seem very obvious points to make, but in order to increase the levels of transparency in the communication of medical data, engaging with, and listening to, audiences is critical. Ultimately this will begin to increase the levels of trust in the pharmaceutical industry the reputation of which has suffered in the wake of a number of poorly managed drug failures and issues around clinical trials in recent years much of which has been due to lack of debate and the apparent lack of willingness from the industry to engage in discussion.
Now what I am not suggesting based on my comparison with politicians is that we dumb down medical communications to a few sound bites clearly key messages need to be communicated around the therapeutic value of a drug, but sound bites should never replace real insight about the benefits of the drug, its place in clinical practice and the difference it could make to patients. Broadening our world view to engaging with audiences beyond our immediate community of physicians also provides an opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to demonstrate a responsible attitude towards patient education and a commitment to engage. We have to acknowledge that medical communications is something of a conservative discipline, but perhaps the time has come to move forward confidently and invest in opportunities that provide clients with the most important return on their investment in a medical communications programme a high profile for their brand through genuine engagement with their target audiences and, importantly, with a broader audience than they might be used to. Now that would be a real innovation for medical communications.
david.noble@bioscicom.net
17
EDELMAN
The growing impact that the internet and the current economic climate are having on the attitudes and behaviours of all users of modern technology is not in doubt. In maturing markets, where products are becoming more commoditised, customer groups are fragmenting into communities which share common values and idea. For those of us selling technology it means traditional sales techniques are insufficient, because these groups are emboldened to demand more from vendors.
priorities and interests. This can be conducted even before a product exists, or can be used to help a company entering a new market to understand how it can marry its offering with the needs of the market. This process should be seen as a way to refine traditional marketing techniques. By giving greater access to information, the internet enables companies to be more precise in their assessment of and engagement with key influencers the individuals who crucially will help to make marketing events more enticing to customers and prospects. The Demand Driven Dialogue model follows four stages, which are split into two parts. Phase one (Stages One and Two) is about designing demand for a product or service. Phase two (Stages Three and Four) is about driving demand. PHASE ONE DESIGNING DEMAND Stage One Understand the Conversation and Identify the Influencers: Others have written elsewhere about the importance of listening with new intelligence in a world of cross-influence. Identifying the most important conversations and who is having them, where, is a critical starting point for companies because (even though some IT companies still believe it) most customers do not spend their entire time talking about their products. Stage two Engage the Influencers and Build the Conversation: Influencers range from producers of content to commentators and sharers, as well as watchers, who simply want to understand what is being said. The key group at the
18
cairbre.sugrue@edelman.com
19
EDELMAN
20
This brings us back to where we started. How can the pharmaceutical industry realistically hope to engage with its publics, such as patients, in the face of the strict regulatory landscape? The answer partially lies in a fundamental rethink of what constitutes successful messaging. In todays environment, separate messages for separate audiences do not work; peer-to-peer communication leaves companies that continue to do this looking manipulative and untrustworthy. All types of stakeholders have the potential to be opinion formers for brands and they will seek validation from a wide range of sources before the information provided by companies is validated. In todays world, the role of public engagement is to be the facilitator and creator of a central narrative, joining the pieces together to ensure the company and stakeholder can engage in a meaningful way which is mutually beneficial and builds trust and ultimately equity for the brands and company. This can be done without broad communication about brands; indeed, the days of being entirely reliant on carefully worded brand key messages are over. It is of course fine for companies to convey their point of view, but it should be aligned to what the market and individual stakeholders want, and should always be transparent. Brand building still exists but the context in which it occurs has changed; first we must understand environments and then interact with them to convey our point of view and forward a mutually advantageous proposition to advance shared interests. External communication will always be curtailed for the pharmaceutical industry to a certain extent and this is necessary, but it does not mean the industry cannot listen to, and participate in, the conversation. It is our job to help the
pharmaceutical industry to truly engage with its stakeholders in respectful ongoing relationships which will help companies to tell a story that is heard, believed and has resonance with the communities they want to reach. Public engagement in a regulated industry isnt the challenge it first appears to be; if the industry is prepared to look forward and understand this new environment, the opportunities far outweigh the disadvantages of engaging.
ross.williams@edelman.com
21
EDELMAN
laurence.evans@strategyone.net
22
EDELMAN
Twelve months ago, a number of us argued that this would be a good recession for PR. Advertising monies seemed set to migrate towards the more engaging and relevant of the two disciplines. Marketers began to realise that, to borrow from Lord Levers famous phrase, a lot more than half their monies was simply being wasted in a world of continuous partial attention, where social media had entered the mainstream.
of the peer, the employee and the customer has confirmed the shift from a shareholder to stakeholder society, there are just certain parts that advertising and other old disciplines cannot reach. The urgent need to Act and Tell demands a mix of policy and communications skills; digital outreach and content development; a new kind of intelligence and insight altogether. Communications firms today must be able to embrace the regulatory, government, employee and NGO agendas with equal and balanced aptitude. It is no longer a simple issue of customers, consumers and consumption (if it ever was). This, fundamentally, is where the current ad agency model falls woefully short. Third, because the myths of advertising have been exposed by this enforced new age of austerity. What started as an inquisition over total cost has thankfully evolved into a more rigorous questioning of the role of advertising itself. Sure, this is not un-connected with Point 1 above but some of the mythology around agency supremacy has been properly laid bare. The One Agency Solution will indeed emerge in the next five years but it will be content, conversation and influence-led and not by those insistent on producing a 30-second film at any cost and simply calling themselves the agency. Right must start with Insight, Planning and Strategy and no one discipline or agency, properly constructed, holds the monopoly here.
24
Fourth, no client should afford the luxury of multiple agency partners. In one world of cross-influence, why on earth are clients paying for five (advertising, PR, Media, CRM, Digital) agencies, five teams, five programmes etc? Holistic working is nothing more than a buzzword reflection of companies trying to stitch together their own silos and inefficient corporate structures. We should be giving clients best advice. And the best advice is that reform needs to start from within the client organisation as well as from within the agency itself. It is not merely a question of reducing spend; it is about finding efficiencies and building future-facing communications teams that are multi-skilled, not expensively and silo/ discipline/ audience focussed. Planners and Creatives are available to all. Production is easily outsourced and can be more competitively partnered and priced. The ad industry has hidden behind a certain mythology for years. We know we can all create and co-create content. So, the model is already there in the making. The symbolism of the global financial crisis should not be lost on the Communications sector. Living on the luxury of Wants Not Needs was one of the reasons we all ended up in this
mess. Too much was taken for granted; not enough questions asked. We sleepwalked into disaster. Real reform has to start here and now if we are to evolve with the new ecology of influence and interests. PR firms have to re-consider their own structure and purpose, to re-configure as vociferous leaders and champions for what we are calling Public Engagement. This will require adding new skills and changing working practices, for sure. We must do this with speed and with relish. The alternative is to sit tight, pretend the moment will pass and behave like smug dinosaurs at the centre of a rapidly changing ecology. And we all know what happened to them.
robert.phillips@edelman.com
25
Proud of our people Proud of our independence Want to join the family?
If youd like to have a chat, please contact Jodi McLaren for New Business: jodi.mclaren@edelman.com Rebecca Hall for Talent: rebecca.hall@edelman.com +44 (0)20 3047 2000 www.edelman.co.uk
Daniel J Edelman Inc. is the worlds largest independent PR agency
CONVICTION OR CONVENIENCE:
is how we interpret the data and work with clients to address the most urgent issues of our times. Can PR really change its traditional mandate and, wearing the new clothes of Public Engagement, step into the historical domain of management consultants and accountants engaging, modeling and planning, rather than just broadcasting and storytelling? In an evolved form of Public Relations, my personal belief is that we can step forward and lead. But we must acquire new skills; and our own industry leaders must work with the Mayfields and the Abberleys to confront change. Together, we can shape a new business and communications ecology which, to paraphrase Danones CEO Franck Riboud, should serve as both a social and an economic project. Profit can be maximized and used in active partnership for common good as we embrace Schamas monstrous moment and step into a more powerful and exciting future.
27
Edelman | Southside | 105 Victoria Street | London SW1E 6QT | +44 20 3047 2000 | www.edelman.co.uk