The 11th century English king, Canute, had his throne carried to the water’s edge and there he ordered the waves to stop breaking. He did this to show the power of mortal kings was empty and futile. And so it is with the tide of social media … it’s futile to deny it’s happening, no matter how superficial the content may be.
Similarly, it’s pointless to ignore the timewarp speed at which the financial media is now working. It’s just not going to cut the mustard to agonise over a media release for one month – the debate will have moved on and died.
The news cycle is now travelling like Dr Who’s Tardis – moving forward, back, sideways, turning in on itself.
Opinion makers must be prepared to comment each day, not each month. And, if companies are to be seen as setting the agenda, then they must be out in the thick of battle every day, and available for comment at a moment’s notice.
It’s a war out there, and the modus operandi has changed. Fundamentally. It’s futile to yearn for the gentlemen’s rules which governed battles a century ago and to hark back to the days when horses pulled the guns into place.
The weapons now are small grenades lobbed on Twitter, and thinkpieces on LinkedIn. Or, there’s some teasing thoughts on Pinterest. That’s where the battles are being fought, and lost. Or won.
Phillipa Yelland, Story Development for Chris Hocking Strategies, a specialist SMSF and financial services public relations firm. Based in Sydney with clients across Australia.