Corporate communication analysis - topic ideas please.

March 18, 2015 10:58 AM

I kind of fried my brain finishing my accounting degree, and am having a very hard time thinking of topics for my corporate communication paper.

The assignment asks me to analyze an actual communication issue that has received significant media coverage within the past twelve months. Which sounds easy at first, but then I have to analyze it from the perspective of at least three stakeholders, and then come up with a communication strategy and technique that will best address the identified issue.

Due to the study workload of last year I've barely kept up with news, and the only thing I remember is J.P. Morgan Q&A twitter fiasco. I'm not sure I can analyze that with any nuance though, people were rightfully pissed off, and I can't even think of what stakeholders' perspective I can take. Any ideas of an issue that would be easy to work on, would be appreciated. Thanks!

posted by tatiana131 to Education (6 answers total)

Malaysia Airlines blundered a lot after its two big accidents last year. In addition to stifling information and making numerous contradictory claims, IIRC it went forward with an ad campaign that was totally tasteless: something like "Fly Malaysian Airlines when you don't care where you wind up" that was supposed to convey insouciant adventuresomeness but sounded like a death wish. Perspectives could include victims' family, rescuers who risked their lives searching in the wrong part of the ocean, employees who realize the company is disorganized about what matters most, the marketeers, travel agents who must deal with frightened customers, etc.
posted by carmicha at 11:15 AM on March 18, 2015

The first thing that came to mind was the Lac Megantic rail disaster, where the communications from the rail company afterward were all screwed up. It's not within the last 12 months, but is close -- not sure if you have any wiggle room on that criterion.

Starbucks is having a 'race conversation' promo right now that's caused backlash on social media. (See here)

In general there's been a lot of action in terms of entertainment companies (movies, tv, comics) figuring out how to react to fans on social media becoming more organized and vocal about e.g., diversity of characters etc, so that might be a fruitful area to look for specific cases.
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:20 AM on March 18, 2015

The NFL and Ray Rice would be interesting. Stakeholders could be the NFL, Ray Rice, and football fans. The NYPD and #myNYPD would also be interesting, as New Yorkers very much made themselves felt as stakeholders.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:03 PM on March 18, 2015

Totino's Pizza Rolls have been doing some different things on the internet lately. This progressive tweet, this Super Bowl silliness, and this wtf-ery.
posted by jabes at 1:42 PM on March 18, 2015

Starbucks just rolled out this communications shitshow of a campaign.

Three stakeholder groups here that you can consider: customers/general public (WTF Starbucks?), management/corporate (Whaddaya mean? This is a great idea!), and employees ("You will NOT believe what they told me we have to do at work today. WTF?")
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 1:23 PM on March 19, 2015

Thanks so much for all the great ideas! I'll do some research on the ones that are easiest for me to work with (I don't speak sports), and submit something for approval. You all rock!
posted by tatiana131 at 1:31 PM on March 19, 2015