Social media and corporate communications

UK politicians have had a sharp reminder this week, in case they weren’t already aware, of why it is important to take social media into account when designing a communications strategy. A campaign poster, featuring the Leader of the Opposition, has become the focus of a satirical website and online chatter which is lampooning it very effectively.

Many listed companies have, to date, been rather wary of entering the world of social media. We’ve observed on numerous occasions how this caution has often made some organisations rather vulnerable to online activity of this sort. It was interesting, therefore,to come across Centrica’s application of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube together with other forms of internet technology within the Centrica Views section of its corporate website. This type of communications activity has to be conducted with some thought. Getting it wrong may, for instance, open up organisations to the sort of online comedy (or worse) that has been a feature of British politics this week. We think Centrica have demonstrated how to get it right.