Edelman Corporate Affairs: A Guide to Leading the Dialogue Edelman Corporate & Public Affairs 1500 Broadway New York, NY 10036 212-768-0550 www.edelman.com nycpa@edelman.com This brochure is printed on paper that is manufactured using pulp that is 100% derived from post-consumer recycled paper. Building Relationships | Pioneer Thinking The paper and paper mill are both certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
Leading the Dialogue Gone are the days when pushing out a set of buzzword-based messages was an effective communications strategy. To lead a compelling dialogue with stakeholders, a company must define a master narrative that captures what it is doing, where it is going, what it values and why. A master narrative is the most important story a company wants to tell—expressed in an elevator pitch, stump speech and supporting message architecture. The master narrative is also the basis for a communications toolkit that includes a playbook, media storylines and a range of multi-channel content. It guides management and employees in how to articulate the company’s story and respond to both the seemingly easiest and toughest questions. For a company to credibly lead a dialogue, it must also demonstrate leadership through action. Empty words are not sufficient to drive the firm’s perceptual momentum. While communications don’t dictate action, they can inform the kind of behavioral leadership that enables corporations to excel. Figure 1. Master Narrative Toolkit Master Narrative Elevator Pitch Stump Speech Message Architecture Message Platform Message Platform Message Platform catch phrase, examples, catch phrase, examples, catch phrase, examples, statistics, anecdotes, statistics, anecdotes, statistics, anecdotes, analogies, stories analogies, stories analogies, stories Media Playbook Multi-Channel Storylines Content 3 Edelman 3 Edelman Corporate Affairs 1
Elements of a Company Story Figure 2. Master Narrative: Annotated As the old saying goes, “Everyone loves a good story.” Why is this so? A story works on two levels: It imparts information Master Narrative about the subject or events at hand and it engages a listener emotionally, through suspense, conflict and other elements. The Elevator Pitch: Message Architecture: This ability to forge a gut connection is critical for any narrative to truly reach stakeholders today. Let’s examine some of the A short oral narrative Elevator Pitch Stump Speech Three to five message (50-75 words) that channels key components of a compelling master narrative. platforms supported by the most compelling element proof-points—the “reasons of a company’s story. Back Story: The company is your narrative’s main character. Where did the company come from? What enduring char- Message Architecture to believe” in a company’s Message Platform Message Platform Message Platform acteristics are still guiding it today? Or, what of its past is being abandoned for a fresh start? The Stump Speech: story—organized as a quick catch phrase, examples, catch phrase, examples, catch phrase, examples, A one-page narrative reference guide. statistics, anecdotes, statistics, anecdotes, statistics, anecdotes, analogies, stories analogies, stories analogies, stories Complication & Struggle: Like any hero, the company must overcome barriers and challenges. What is happening (250-350 words) that dimensionalizes in its business or regulatory environment that may keep the company from achieving its goal? What societal pressures a company’s current are forcing the company to recalibrate the way it does business? What are the obstacles that stand in the way of defining story. success—tough competitors, marketplace turmoil, or disruptive technologies? What is the “inciting incident”? Media Playbook Multi-Channel Storylines Content Stakes: What is at stake for the company, its employees, its industry and society at large? Future Promise: Unlike a traditional story, the resolution in this case is necessarily open-ended. Which of the solutions, Media Storylines: A cadence of headlines that maps the Multi-Channel Content: The content and focus—including processes, or activities the company is engaged in are charting its path to success? master narrative over time. audio, video, and images—that are reflected in the company’s annual report, corporate website, external and employee Payoff: After a stakeholder hears the company’s story, what are the key takeaways and calls to action that should stand communications, and corporate advertising Playbook: A guide for engaging in dialogue around core out? How will the story prompt dialogue and behavior changes that the company needs in order to achieve its goals? questions (easiest and toughest) and for setting the agenda in everyday interactions. Even with all of these elements in Figure 4. Finding the Right Context place, a good story alone is not enough; it must take into account the Working Backwards most pressing issues or opportunities The purpose of most positioning initiatives is to change an outdated, uninspired, or shallow understanding of an facing the organization. Finding the organization to one that is fresh, energized and consistent among multiple constituents. For communications to effect Global & Societal appropriate context is crucial to change, a company must first have a firm grasp of both current perceptions and how it wants to be viewed in the future. (“All of Us”) choosing which story to tell. The master narrative process—identifying drivers of and barriers to stakeholders’ perceptions and then aligning the story For some, the narrative is about with company actions—can be a powerful tool for building trust and ultimately changing stakeholder behavior. the company and its transition. For Figure 3. Change Map others, it is about changing industry Company & Business Today Desired Future or creating a new market. And for (“Us & Them”) still others, it is about the company’s impact on society as a whole. In all Current perceptions Directed perceptions cases, a master narrative aligns a company’s story with its aspirations Company Master Narrative Toolkit Stakeholder concerns Stakeholder understanding (“Us”) Company Actions Expectations Belief/Trust 2 Edelman Corporate Affairs 3
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