1. Chapter 5: Communication Strategy
Corporate Communication:
A Guide to Theory & Practice

2. Overview The process of strategy making in corporate communication
The content of a communication strategy

3. The process of communication strategy
Communication strategies involve:
Bringing stakeholder reputations in line with the vision of the organization
Reinforcing existing reputations of stakeholders if broadly in line with how the organization wants itself to be seen
Wal-Mart

4. Strategic intent
Suggests a set of communication tactics and activities that aim to affect awareness, knowledge, reputation and behaviour of important stakeholders

5. The process of communication strategy
Paradigms on the process of strategy-making:
Rational planning mode
Intuitive or visionary
Incremental or emergent

6. Strategy formation characteristics
Visionary
Deliberate and planned
Ad hoc and spontaneous
Analytical
Bottom up
Top down

7. Strategy formation
Strategy formation consists of a combination of planned and emergent processes
Strategy involves a general direction and not simply plans or tactics
Strategy is about the organization and its environment

8. The link between corporate strategy and communication strategy
informing
translating
CORPORATE STRATEGY
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
The nested model of strategy formation
Stress the interrelationship

9. The content of communication strategy
Starts from an organization-wide assessment of the organization’s reputation in the light of its vision at a particular point in time.
Reputation-vision gap forms the basis for the formulation of a strategic intent.

10. Communicators
Communication technician: is generally not involved in strategic management decision-making and strategic decisions concerning communication strategy and programs
Communication manager: makes strategy or policy decisions and is held accountable for program success or failure
Philips

11. Strategic messaging
Organization-wide assessment of how organization is seen by stakeholders (reputation) in light of the organization's vision
The gap is the basis of strategic intent: the change or consolidation in a company’s reputation that is intended
Philips

12. Stages in formulating the content of a communication strategy
STRATEGIC INTENT
THEMED MESSAGES
MESSAGE STYLES

13. Alternative message styles
Functional orientation
Symbolic orientation
Industry orientation
Rational message style
Symbolic association message style
Generic message style
Emotional message style
Pre-emptive message style
Rational message style
Superiority claim based upon actual accomplishments or benefits delivered by the organization
Most useful when point of difference cannot be readily matched by competitors
Informational - a claim that is supported with information as the grounds for the claim.
Symbolic association message style
Claims based on psychological differentiation through symbolic association.
Best for homogeneous organizations where differences are difficult to develop or for messages around areas such as CSR or social capital that are difficult to communicate in concrete and rational terms
Transformational in the form of endowing the organization with a particular image through association with culturally shared and recognized values or symbols
Pre-emptive message style
Generic claim with suggestion of superiority
Changing industry allowing a company to take a position on an issue connected to that industry
Claim of industry-wide leadership on a relevant issue or capability