By James Chen, AdLib Contributor-at-large
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
2011 will be a dynamic year for businesses but an even bigger challenge for clients is the need to move beyond a short term mindset, embed and deliver a strong, scalable, business focused communications strategy.
Andrew Thomas, Regional Director, SEA &MD, S’pore, is seeing clients increasingly looking to Singapore as a centre to develop regional strategies, a good antidote for a high-cost base, relative to the size of the market.
There are three big opportunities of the coming decade that PR firms must embrace. Firstly, the rise of social media is forcing the wider marketing world to embrace the concept of being “in a conversation”. The same offline traits apply in the virtual world – the ignorant bore will stand lonely at the bar. The PR industry has a better read and sensitivity toward teasing out and creating conversation than any other communications discipline. Secondly, the war for talent will continue. Employees are demanding more than a career cameo. They need to understand and buy into the company’s value proposition. Having a value proposition is a starting point, engaging employees in what it is and why it matters and what’s in it for them, is the challenge. And finally, a significant challenge for many successful CEOs – telling a corporate story that goes beyond the comfort and safety of brochure-speak to having a point of view that resonates.
AD-LIBRARY SINGAPORE 