#COMMSTRANSFORMATION - Humanizing brands
University education on Public Relations should be itself a true reflection of the latest trends with the greatest impact in the sector, for its proper management as a tool that humanizes the brand. Here are some of the most relevant tools in this regard:
Digital communication and social media management
Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Reputation
Events as brand activation and user experience
Influencers and celebrities as brand ambassadors
Branded content and storytelling
Let's start with the digital transformation that we are experiencing at all levels of our life. Digitization was already a fact, but with the pandemic caused by COVID-19, it has accelerated exponentially, forcing us to train and update ourselves to take advantage of all the opportunities that are presented to us. The training offered by the university is key to know how to meet profit and turn into an opportunity what at first might seem quite challenging. Today, the customer feedback that a brand receives related to digital platforms, happens in real time, this is no longer a one-way communication channel, since yesterday´s communication way does not longer exist. In case of an inappropriate management of social media is carried out, a communication crisis may happen which can seriously impact on the good reputation that has taken so many years to build (https://bit.ly/3tAuAme). Therefore, a good Community Manager should never forget assumptions such as bidirectionality, immediacy and respect for the final user. Accordingly, the management of digital communication must be a true reflection of the general communication strategy of the brand.
Following criteria based on prioritization, we continue with corporate social responsibility (CSR), as one of the values that strategic brand communication should lead. Firms that implement their CSR as a business philosophy and not as a marketing strategy are the ones that can achieve a good reputation in the market. This involves the identification of the brand values through its CSR policy, which will be turned itself on the basis of the general communication strategy. The current audience rewards strategies that are sensitive to the environment that surrounds us, but not only in the field of PR, but of all actions that encompass the marketing plans and internal and external communication of the company. It is about joining synergies between the different communication actions, always taking as a reference the CSR policy established by the management. Only in this way will the values and principles of the entity be transmitted in the appropriate way, reinforcing its image and achieving a good reputation sustained over time.
Another trend with great impact in the PR sector is the Below The Line -BTL- shares, which, according to the Annual Investment Study in BTL- 2019, (https://bit.ly/3qXUC0V) count every time with greater relevance for brands. BTL strategies such as the organization of events, brand activations or user experiences, allow to generate much more impact and notoriety than any traditional advertising tool. Primary objectives in any PR strategy, such as improving engagement or converting the customer into a brand prescriber, can be achieved in a much more effective way by impacting a specific event, and creating moments in which the user can interact with the brand and the product in an original and close way.
Continuing with the "human" part of brands and the tools that make it possible, storytelling and branded content are fundamental. Today, firms need to create stories -storytelling- beyond the advantages and benefits of their products and services. The PR strategy should be based on a story that the target audience can relate to. What's more, we should go one step further by making this storytelling the common thread of the communication strategy in general, and of the event in particular. For this, the brand should create content that allows a close and transparent interaction with the user, to connect with him in the way that is needed today.
And to achieve these objectives more effectively, influencers position themselves as the current opinion leaders for a large part of society: they have a high capacity for influence and great ability to communicate and interact. Often, they become the great ambassadors of a certain brand, doing content viral, and impacting many more people than could be reached through traditional advertising. That is why, it is essential to identify the values of the brand with which the influencer represents, as well as the closeness, naturalness and interaction of this with its target audience.
All these communication tools and actions must be strategically planned to achieve synergies around a good image and brand reputation. For this reason, it is essential that university training is updated in accordance with these and other challenges presented by the sector. Subjects related to digitization, CSR, writing and relationship with the media, or professional skills, are some of those that will provide the student with the knowledge and professional skills necessary to properly manage the PR of any organization.
Elena Borau Boira
Professor and PhD in Communication
Director of the master's degree in organization and management of events
Nebrija University
Any thoughts or opinions expressed are that of the author and not of Global Alliance.