Writing for Ad Age, Michael Bush looks at a growing trend among major companies bypassing traditional PR and press outreach to communicate directly with their consumers. The trend is seen as a strategy shift coming as mass media outlets shrink while social media facilitates another kind of corporate communication. Bush cites a figure by web site Paper Cuts that shows 30,000 journalists have left the media profession since 2008. With fewer outlets and reporters to pitch, companies have turned to YouTube and Twitter to broadcast their messaging, and they’ve found success.
Bush covers notable efforts by major brands such as Best Buy, Procter & Gamble and Mastercard. The most drastic about-face might be Mastercard’s strategy. Where once the company would’ve have reached out to reporters to present expert commentary, it now creates YouTube videos of executives commenting on issues. Only after the videos are posted does it Tweet the media with links to notify them that the company has made public statements. Brave new world, indeed.
Read more at Ad Age {link no longer active}.
