Got Opinions?

Martin Lindstorm said it right when he stated “consumers are tiring of perfectly polished brands.” Consumers want to understand the brands' corporate identity, its position towards the environment and its' philosophy on social responsibility.

The corporate world has a social responsiblity to report it's stance on enviromental, social and political issues. Employees should also understand and convey the corporate position when they speak with customers and prospects.

As a communicator, it is your job to ensure that the message is consistent with the brand's core values and are truly integrated in the culture of the organizaiton. Exercising truthful disclosure can differentiate your firm from it's competitors in ways that resonate with smart consumers.

Are Wikis really the way to go?

With all of the varying options and opportunities for multi-channel marketing, there continues to be even more choices for marketers. Wikis are the new, engaging tool they are using. They are much more up-to-date and easier to use than message boards which can repeat the same information over and over and over again. Wikis allow users to add, edit, and change information while message boards are harder to follow and simply are a thing of the past.

By using Wikis, marketers can fulfill their social responsibility to the public. Requiring corporations to provide updated information on their company, its products, and related industry info are part of this responsibility.

Consumers also become fully involved with the corporation by discussing its products, asking questions and getting answers immediately. For example, Ebay has used Wikis in its customer-support section letting users collaboratively write answers to frequently asked questions. The NBA’s Dallas Mavericks announced a plan to let fans Wiki every game using the same software as Wikipedia, T-Mobile launched a Sidekick Wiki that has produced collaboratively written pieces including tips on how to pimp out the inside of the phone and a wish list of improvements the community would like to see.

Leaving free-range of opinions could destroy the corporations’ reputation or it could increase the amount of goodwill seen within the consumers’ eyes. They’ve always said no PR is bad PR but we’ll see.


Forget Message Boards. Wikis Are Where It's At

The Changing Landscape of Interactive Media

I have to admit, at first I didn't get it, what was so important about blogging? Why were corporations taking part in something that only seemed important to Gen Y? Quite simply, because they aren't the only group frequenting these blogs. ME liz Strauss said it right when she stated "blogs are the new black in corporate communications." A large portion of online consumers are using this new type of communication.

This is a simple, new method for communicating with coworkers, vendors, buyers, and management and is quickly replacing the traditional websites and corporate intranets. Corporate blogging is an interactive method for increasing your corporation's identity and culture. Blogging promotes business communications but also encourages corporate team building. It is the corporation's responsiblity to maintain these blogs and keep the public informed on their products, procedures, and policies. Blogs are relatively easy to write, post, and allow numerous relationships to form between people all over the world.

Web sites and the intranet will not disappear, but they will have to change dramatically to gain the intense exposure blogs currently hold in the market, both inside and out of the office. Internally, blogs are essential in corporate communication. With the use of blogs, teams are built and maintained and a stronger sense of corporate involvement forms. This is a great resource for corporations because of the increased rate of business communications within the organization and the stronger pride in being apart of the organization.

Blogs: The New Black in Corporate Communications