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of the fake news being put out.
The brand opportunity:
becoming a trusted source
of information
The Edelman Trust Barometer describes a
new behavior with regard to information:
people do not trust traditional media
anymore and turn to other sources of
information which they consider more
reliable. Accordingly if they think a
piece of information is trustworthy, it is
not important any longer which source
it comes from. People still look for the
truth, but now they use different, non-
conventional sources, and they are more
likely to trust their personal experience
than institutions.
Disintermediation therefore becomes
a huge opportunity for corporate
communication. Instead of relying on
media that are distrusted, brands can
become media themselves, directly
giving their audience the information it
needs, and positioning themselves as an
interesting, relevant, and credible source.
This vision started with Tom Foremski’s
well-known formula EC=MC (every
company is a media company), an idea
Wedding Services
which few people understood, much less
appreciated in 2005. Well, it is now an
axiom in disintermediated communication. their beliefs, will wield unbelievable
influence over their audience by reaching
them directly.
First and foremost, becoming a media
company means knowing your audience:
“If brands want to be relevant, they need
to stop interrupting what consumers are
interested in and become what they are
interested in,” says David Beebe, one of
the most renowned content production
and marketing experts. The same technology that enabled
individuals to become influencers has
enabled brands to skip traditional media
channels, speak directly to their target
audiences, and in turn take control of their
narrative.
Seth Godin’s permission marketing brings
this out clearly: “The privilege (not the
right) of delivering anticipated, personal
and relevant messages to people who
actually want to get them.” Brands must
earn this privilege by distinguishing
themselves from the purveyors of fake
news.
As Content Marketing Institute’s founder,
Joe Pulizzi, claims, to become the trusted
source for their audience, brands need to
start avoiding clickbait titles and listicles
and focus instead on the real and accurate
news.
We’re working through a time of
widespread distrust of the news media, so
brands that stand for something, and have
the authority to create content around
Event Management
Brands who invest in creating content that
aligns with their customer’s values and
beliefs, and empowers them to achieve
their goals will ultimately win the most
valuable prize there is today in marketing -
brand loyalty. I believe a brand reputation
can be built or broken by fake news. As a
PR professional, you choose how to deal
with any situation head-on and roll with
it.
Irene Mbonge is a Communications
Expert and a current affairs
enthusiast. She is the interim
Chair, CIPR-Kenya chapter. You
can commune with her on this or
related issues via mail at: Mbonge.
[e-mail].
Marketing & Branding
P. O. Box 88930 - 80100 Mombasa - Kenya
Tel: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]