We are living in uncertain times, with challenges mounting on both the political and economic landscapes. And people know it. In this uncertain environment, authentic communications that can cut through the noise, resonate with people, and build brand trust, is paramount.
But what does authentic communication look like in turbulent times? How can it go wrong? And what role should leaders play? These are just some of the questions discussed at the recent PRWeek and Management Today roundtable, which explored the importance of authentic, human and transparent communications, and their impact on companies today.
The experts agreed that much of the time saying “no” to things – or deciding not to communicate about something – in an authentic way, is just as hard, if not harder, as ensuring authenticity is present in communications that are published. This is especially true in an environment where companies can increasingly feel the pressure to comment on every political or social issue – particularly as employees get more vocal about the issues that matter to them.
We have seen real shifts in attitudes and responses around the role that brands play. It won’t be a great surprise to know that brands are having to step in where political leaders are failing us, where maybe in the past [consumers] did put more trust in politicians and other stakeholders.
- Ruth Allchurch, regional executive managing director, EMEA, at WE Communications
According to WE Communications’ Brands in Motion global report, The Bravery Mandate: Make It Real, approximately 80% of respondents agreed that during times of high social division, businesses and organisations have a moral obligation to help bridge differences.
Ruth Allchurch, WE’s regional executive managing director, EMEA, said: “We have seen real shifts in attitudes and responses around the role that brands play. It won’t be a great surprise to know that brands are having to step in where political leaders are failing us, where maybe in the past [consumers] did put more trust in politicians and other stakeholders.”
Louise Hodges, director of international communications at Ancestry, said: “It comes down to whether it’s tokenistic or not.” One common example discussed around the table: the black squares posted in support of the Black Lives Matter campaign in the wake of the 2020 police murder of George Floyd in the United States. Many companies came under fire for posting the square without doing any accompanying work to address racism, bias or lack of diversity internally.
Kemi Akindele, director at WE Communications, said: “A lot of organisations were criticised because they posted the black square on Instagram but didn’t have a forward-looking approach or a plan for what they were going to do to make things better. That’s the issue, where people start saying, ‘you haven’t done anything for five years’.”
You’re bombarded with crises, but if you have that framework that allows you to navigate when you should and shouldn’t make a statement, that’s when you can have real influence.
- Michael Oakes, head of communications at Apeiron Investment Group
Erica Quincey, director of brand and impact partnerships at Belu Water, spoke of the importance of ensuring companies stay true to their core purpose. “Those are the areas where you are invested and focused, and where you can add useful, well informed and relevant comment. And then you can move forward and act. It can get a bit messy when there are so many things [to comment on] and you’re not clear what you believe in as a brand.”
Michael Oakes, head of communications at Apeiron Investment Group, agreed it’s best to have a north star. “You’re bombarded with crises, but if you have that framework that allows you to navigate when you should and shouldn’t make a statement, that’s when you can have real influence.”
All the experts at the dinner agreed employee activism is only likely to get more powerful, with people becoming increasingly demanding of the companies they work for and more reliant on them to do the right thing and represent the values they feel are important. Allchurch pointed out that often advocacy needs to start at home, with the need for organisations to ensure employees are on board with new initiatives and company values. “When I worked at Diageo, this was a vital lesson – everything launched externally was launched internally first.”
This doesn’t mean, though, that every announcement needs universal approval. “It’s okay not to please everyone, and you have to feel comfortable with being uncomfortable,” Allchurch added. “Before, as a leader, you could say ‘those are my key messages’. Now you’ve got to be able to face those questions. It’s a difficult balance.”
One way of ensuring a company’s culture feels authentic and transparent is for leaders to ensure the right values come from the top. Jessica David Markowski, director at Deliveroo, said the steps Deliveroo’s founder Will Shu takes to ensure an authentic culture are a good example. Shu was the company’s first rider — and still delivers food to customers. He keeps a close eye on restaurants available on the app in each area, and efforts are also made to ensure the company is diverse, reflecting the communities and neighbourhoods in which it operates.
Authenticity is a fast-evolving space, with companies still writing the rules on how best to achieve it. While there are plenty of pitfalls, those remaining true to their core purpose, with formal channels through which employees are able to feel heard, are most likely to see success.