Digitalisation, influencers, change

Digitalisation

The communications industry is changing at an ever-increasing pace:

2009: An aeroplane lands in New York’s Hudson River: users of the short-message service Twitter reported the news before the New York Times or CNN…

2011: Allianz launches a corporate newsroom to communicate with around 20 million customers and just under 30,000 employees

2012: Gruner und Jahr discontinues the Financial Times Deutschland

2017: It is said that Kim Kardashian (then with 9.4 million Instagram followers) can charge up to $500,000 for a post

We speak to our Managing Directors Philipp Nieberle and Christina Heinickel about their observations on developments and trends in communication.

You have both been working in press and public relations, and product and corporate communications, for over ten years now. What has changed during that time?

Nieberle: Communication has lost its linearity. That may sound negative, but it is meant entirely positively, because at the same time it has gained in flexibility and dynamism. A look at our industry: ten years ago, we worked on client accounts separately for product or corporate communications – today we advise our clients on a 360° basis, always keeping the communication objective and thus the target audiences in mind. The same development has been evident in journalism for some time now; key terms include ‘newsroom’ and ‘cross-media’.

The effects of digitalisation can be seen everywhere. What is the right way to deal with it?

Nieberle: In the past, the increasing digitalisation of communication was evident, for example, in the triumph of online over print, then of social media over traditional channels; today, digital communication is everywhere, the tools are available and established, and what is changing above all is the focus of their application. I see a significant rise in the importance of communication disciplines that manage the organisational implications of digitalisation. Internal communication and change communication are now much higher on the agenda than they used to be.

Have certain practices lost or gained significance as a result of digitalisation?

Nieberle: Topic-oriented work has gained in importance and is becoming increasingly prevalent. To put it another way: the focus is now more than ever on the topic itself, rather than the communication channel. You have a topic and consider, across all channels – in an integrated manner – how and when to communicate it. What has changed? No more silo thinking; faster, leaner working in open-plan offices.

Stakeholders can now be reached more directly through various channels. Does this entail any disadvantages for corporate communications and PR?

Heinickel: Communication does indeed take place more directly via the target groups themselves. Whether in dialogue with the public, for example in energy projects, or in word-of-mouth campaigns where end consumers test products themselves and report on them. Furthermore, it is becoming less and less about simply describing features; it is about good storytelling and evoking emotion. This does not entail any disadvantages, but makes it even more exciting. A prerequisite, of course, is a good monitoring system that covers all channels so as not to lose track of the big picture. Quick but well-considered responses across the individual channels are essential. 

The shift towards ever-increasing communication possibilities is ongoing. What does the future hold?

Heinickel: “Innovate or die”. We have to reinvent ourselves to some extent every year – both companies and us as an agency – in order to provide the best possible advice on the latest trends. In the coming years, communication will certainly be even more closely aligned with the customer’s journey. The topic of ‘voice’, i.e. voice-based messaging à la Alexa, could also become a trend in communication. Here, it is important to master the new formats and how they work, and to assess whether your own target groups can be effectively reached through them.

Do you have any tips you can share?

Heinickel: The most important thing remains an overarching corporate strategy. What are the goals to be achieved? Who are the target groups? Based on these, campaigns and the communication mix can be optimally defined.

Nieberle: As mentioned, internal communication within companies is regaining importance in the context of digitalisation. Here, it is crucial to involve employees in change processes at an early stage. ‘Participatory projects’ can charmingly foster identification with the brand and the company in this context.

Heinickel: Social media offers valuable feedback – listen and harness the potential of earned media. This is how you can identify what your stakeholders think about you, your products and your topics.

Nieberle: Last but not least, measuring results (monitoring) is becoming increasingly important, as ROI in communication must be guaranteed now more than ever.