During the period of full-scale war, many companies suffered reputational losses due to the poor use of context and symbols in their communications. The question ‘What can companies say publicly, and what is better to keep silent?’ constantly relevant, because during the war the agenda changes very quickly. And that is why what stakeholders approved yesterday may lose its relevance today or shift to a negative plane. What to communicate – read below.
War is our new normal
The ongoing war in Ukraine creates conditions in which companies need to continue to communicate, work on reputation and marketing in order to continue operating. This is especially true in the field of business services. For this, the primary condition is an understanding of the context and its perception at a certain moment in time.
In addition to the standard indicators of company recognition and its products and services, the emotional perception of the advertising block and its assessment for compliance with society’s requirements for wartime ethics, whether the context is acceptable, or the appropriate use of symbols, such as mentioning the Armed Forces, volunteers, demonstrations of celebrations, entertainment, jokes or happy families, is of great importance.
Change in the companies’ communication during the war
The communication of companies is aimed at increasing recognition, increasing trust and changing the behavior of potential customers. However, trust has become a priority for Ukrainian market participants.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainians have been trying to eradicate everything russian from their lives. This also applies to international companies that continue to work on the territory of the aggressor country. Therefore, monitoring of the political position of businesses has become frequent.
If Ukrainians see support from certain companies, they become much more grateful and loyal to the brands they empathize with. And therefore, they are chosen to provide services. We constantly thank the Armed Forces, volunteers, doctors, rescuers, other countries and each other for help. This appreciation also extends to brands. Helping is the reason for growing loyalty to a company, even if it does not directly help a specific person.
Businesses that actively carry out social work receive a flow of orders and profits as a bonus. Through their socially responsible activities, they form a positive impression of themselves and increase trust, and therefore, more often become a choice among competitors. Of course, under the condition of decent quality of services and professional staff.
