2020 had a profound impact on the way we work and communicate. The year put the spotlight on communicators to embrace the powers of agility, adaptation and digital to navigate their organisations through the crisis while maintaining stakeholder engagement.

What are the lessons that we can take from this challenging year and what are the priorities for 2021?

We have drawn together insights from the Paradigm team based on the work we are doing with clients in the UK, Hong Kong and mainland China. As we plan for the year ahead, here are the top five communications priorities we see for 2021:

1.    The importance of a compelling ESG narrative (Tim Nicholls, Managing Director)

At the end of last year, we conducted an interview series on ESG communications with experts from various industries. A consistent message from these was the importance of having a clear sustainability strategy and the value it creates for stakeholder engagement. Equally important was the idea that developing a clear ESG narrative would not only differentiate a firm but also support long-term profitability.

This requires not only adapting communications to effectively showcase both the more visible ‘Environmental’ and ‘Social’ impact the company is making, but also building strong corporate governance and ensuring that messaging is consistent across all levels of seniority within an organisation.

Paradigm can help your company shape its ESG narrative. You can contact us here to start the discussion.

2.    Rethinking content (Ellen Chan, Managing Director)

With so much diversity of content instantly available it can be difficult for a brand to stand out. Communicators need to refine their approach to content with greater consideration to context, authenticity and purpose. It is essentially about timing content so that it is relevant as well as adding the most value to its audience. Ensuring your content is authentic and reflects the purpose of your organisation will inform your audience in a way that builds trust.

It is also becoming increasingly important to focus on content that visualises your key messages, as social media channels continue to grow and more events migrate online. Social posts with engaging images or videos often generate significantly more traffic than text-only posts, meaning investing in well-produced visual content will help strengthen your company’s brand awareness.

Paradigm has worked with international and local companies on their strategic content plans in multiple languages. Contact us to find out more.

3.    Crisis communications has changed (Helen Lam, Managing Director)

2020 reshaped the way we look at crisis communications and response. It put the focus on the threats of misinformation and disinformation and the speed at which false narratives can permeate. Stakeholders are expecting brands to be the credible voice that makes sense of it all by keeping them informed in a timely manner throughout a crisis.

To that end, having a clear cross-functional strategy and response process is now more crucial than ever. Organisations must ensure they always maintain control of the narrative playing out in the public domain, and this requires closely monitoring media platforms, swift decision making and strong execution.   

Paradigm can help you audit your crisis plans and work with decision-makers to prepare for possible scenarios.

4.     Timely, accurate and personable stakeholder engagement (Jane Hodgskin, Communications Director)

Many of the issues that made 2020 a challenging year – COVID-19, trade tensions, climate change and social unrest - are not going away. Stakeholder engagement through effective communications strategies will continue to be an invaluable trust-creator and business-critical process.   

Organisations have realised the benefits of greater listening and connecting with employees on a more personal level. As businesses are either forced or choose to maintain a degree of working-from-home and given the economic uncertainty, communicating with employees will continue to be paramount.  

In addition to being more vigilant about narrative control, organisations will also need to focus on ensuring their external stakeholders remain engaged and on board with the strategic direction of the company. This will require planning a 2021 communications strategy that is capable of providing timely messaging, data presentations and content that is both accurate and informative for stakeholders.  

The team is happy to discuss your own stakeholder engagement and share with you more examples of how other firms are approaching this.

5.     Navigating the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) (Reed Li, Director, Client Advisory)

The fourth quarter of 2020 marked an increased focus on the GBA as development continued to accelerate following China’s lockdown from the pandemic and the central government’s announcement of its 14th Five-Year Plan.

Companies doing business with and operating in the GBA, or looking to establish a foothold in any of the cities in the region, will have to carefully consider the intricacies of communications with the regional media. They need to have an understanding of the latest developments and policy initiatives in the region, a clear idea of what their business proposition is for the GBA and a robust plan to communicate it to the media.

The style of media consumption in mainland China also differs compared to Hong Kong and international media. Communications efforts in the GBA will need to account for mainland Chinese reading habits and content preferences.

Paradigm has expertise working with international and local firms operating the GBA and can help you with media relations as well as developing your positioning and narrative in the region.

Develop the capabilities of your communications for the future

As we begin the new year, we see a tough but manageable road ahead. Planning well and remaining adaptable in your communications will be key, and we hope the above list will help you stay focused for the months ahead.