I recently took part in a debate with other PR students regarding whether social media is more important to the PR professional than any other type of communications method. An extremely controversial topic, I know! If you haven't read my posts before, you may not know that I can seriously talk! Therefore, offering an organised debate was something I was excited to get stuck into, even if I had to do it sat alone in my kitchen with my peers filling small boxes on my computer screen, I still made the most of it. I had deduced down my astronomical amount of research and notes, spread across the breakfast bar, to 3 main points.
1) Social media can damage reputation quickly and easily:
A primary concern amongst PR professionals is the reputation of an organisation. Negative opinions or false accusations can be spread easily via social media. Aka - fake news. For example, the accusation that Pepsi's CEO had told Trump supporters to "take their business elsewhere" was spread on social media, despite being totally false. This was spread via twitter.
I'm no longer in an intense debate though, so I'm not going to neglect the other side of this. In the same way false accusations can be spread quickly and easily, complaints and issues can be rapidly resolved and responded to via a range of social platforms and good news, boosting reputation, can be shared.
2) Social media denies reach to some audiences
For my age group (I just turned 20 in October) it is an easy conclusion to reach that social media is the best form of communication because I am around the age group that engages with social media the most. However, according to Statista over 75 year olds engage the least with social media.
I have an interest in the third sector so I was researching Independent Age. Their primary aim is to support the elderly, so they may need the support of other types of media like leaflets, brochures, infographics and phone calls to reach all audiences. For instance, my grandmother doesn’t have a smart phone or access to the internet, unless she asks for my help, so traditional media is crucial to ensure all audiences are reached and included.
3) Other forms of media are equally (if not more) important.
Many successful Social Media Campaigns rely on other forms of media to form the content, specifically ambient media. A prime example of this was the PrettyLittleThings Pink Taxis in London (click the link to read more about this campaign). When I last visited London, pre-pandemic, it didn't take me long to notice the iconic pink unicorns, which is part of PLT's brand expression. If you posted a photo with the taxi you could be entered into a competition to win £150 PLT voucher. They not only created awareness of PLT but in conjunction with a social media campaign, they had 4,000 entries and the campaign has had social media impressions of over 500 million. The ambient media formed a crucial part of the campaign, supporting my beliefs that social media should not be used exclusively.
Don't get me wrong, I am not disregarding the importance of social media, in fact, I'm an advocate for social media. I think it is such a useful way to communicate and gain further exposure for campaigns, organisations and can be a great type of brand expression. However, I am particularly passionate about Corporate Social Responsibility and I think we should consider community stakeholders and remember the importance of inclusivity.