Today’s digital transparency and connectivity means there’s nowhere for brands to hide. When it comes to negative situations brands have trouble preventing them becoming public interest. The chance that a secret or any kind of news staying within a company is becoming smaller and smaller due to constant connectivity with social media. As seen in multiple cases of crisis communication where companies try to hide problematic topics despite after a while appearing in the public domain anyway. Brands must work even harder to create and implement an authentic image to avoid these situations.
After years of self-education and bad experiences users as well as consumers have developed a healthy dose of scepticism; especially when it comes to branded commercial stories and overpromises. Many businesses start their brand building processes and communication with an ‘authentic’ approach. Authenticity helps fuel success in today’s over-traded markets, as consumers search for greater meaning and sincerity from the brands they choose, with a desire to feel safe, certain and unambiguous. After delivering a strong and respectful service or product clients will consider you as a real authentic brand.
If this teaches us anything it’s to keep it real, or as at Skout we like to call it Natural Storytelling. As a B2B PR agency we encourage our clients to use real authentic stories, rather than attempting to pull off a crazy PR stunt. Understanding the kind of communication that really matters and engages to today’s audience is key as well as creating a brand image that’s built on trust and reliability.
Frieda Pries loves blogging in at least two languages.
