The last six months has seen drastic changes to the way we work and communicate. opr Agency’s latest report The Future of Communications predicts we are about to experience even more change.

CEO of opr Agency Richard Brett explains the factors contributing to the shifting landscape. 

The Trust Divide
Businesses are facing increasing pressure from the investor community and employees to take a stand on issues such as climate change and, more recently, Black Lives Matter. The report says there is both a need and an opportunity to transform the corporate or master brand.

“What we're seeing around the world is essentially the culture wars on steroids. You've only got to look at what's been happening the last few weeks with George Floyd and Black Lives Matter to see how in many societies in the world we are splitting into sort of two camps.

“On one side, we have got more populist, protectionist views led more by fear and an ideal of the past that people want to return to, and it's more polarising, more authoritarian, more protectionist. On the other side, we've then still got people who are agitating for change, but it's slightly more optimistic. So it's still being driven by institutional mistrust, but it's more activism-focused with activist employees, young people who are protesting and driving change. People are seeing technology as an opportunity to change some of the problems that we're facing such as climate change,” Richard said. 

The Liar’s Dividend
The rise of fake news and conspiracy theories, previously just a problem for politicians, is now also providing challenges for companies trying to build trust. The report points to an increasing high-tech battle between fake news technology such as FakeApp and the technology that eliminates bots and fake accounts such as Voice.

“This is really about how fake news and conspiracy theories are challenging the previous rules and paradigm around communications. One of the biggest challenges that the industry faces is how do you deliver trustworthy, believable messages? What are the tools and techniques that you need to have in place, from the kinds of spokespeople that you're using, the way that they're talking, through to the technology that you can use to remove fake news or fake accounts that are talking about your organisation?” Richard said.

Technology changing the way we tell stories
Advancements in technology are changing the way news is consumed at a rapid rate. The report revealed that between 2009 and 2018 the share of teenagers who read newspapers declined from around 60 per cent to close to 20 per cent. Increasingly, people are getting their news from social media, and it’s being told in more visual forms.

“Over the last 20 years the Internet has massively disrupted the world. It's massively impacted communication. But we're now seeing communications increasingly live on platforms, live on social media. Now, I'm not one of these people that believe that newspapers and traditional linear TV is going to go away. They're here to stay. But increasingly, especially the young people are turning to social media to get their news. Again, that is rapidly impacting the types of communication and the techniques that we need to employ to deliver effective campaigns.

“The way that young people are consuming media is very visual. They’re consuming GIFS, memes, and video, and it has humour to it. It’s often delivered by an internet-personality they can relate to and connect with,” Richard said.

So what? 
The changes to the communications industry were already happening at a rapid pace prior to COVID-19, with the way we consume news changing in line with advancing technology. But the recent events mean many of the changes that were on the horizon are here now. Communicators are going to have to constantly up-skill and challenge their current operating models to keep up.

Do you have thoughts and opinions to contribute on this topic? Get in touch at bphillips@telummedia.com