By Steve Thomas, Senior Communications Advisor

One of the themes explored in the Institute for Public Relations recent report, The 2021 IPR Future of Communications in Asia, is the impact of the exponential growth of technology in the region. The report highlights Asia’s global leadership in terms of technological transformation. It also acknowledges that Asia remains highly diverse and that while some Asian markets are spearheading the creation of digitally advanced societies, others are working to catch up. Indeed, the use of a fax machine was referenced by one participant in the study!

Faxes aside, the waves of technological advancement across the region provide significant opportunities for corporate communications. From a holistic perspective, although the ability to execute corporate communications is more complex than in the past, the value the communications function can provide is greater than ever. The reality is that communications at many Asian corporates has traditionally been seen as a tactical function - a team to issue press releases at the end of a project or the like. PR has been the poor cousin to other corporate functions such as legal or finance. Times are changing - rapidly and forever. In a world interconnected by technology, characterised by intense transparency, rapid change and shifting societal expectations, there is a new seat at the head table for communicators.

More specifically, executives in this study discussed how Asia’s mobile-first society continues to change the way their companies communicate with stakeholders. Communicators across the region continue to tailor content to the smartphone. In part, this means investing more in personalised content. There is less and less excuse to produce content that does not cater to the specific mindsets of stakeholders, and indeed, that reflects the wide spectrum of cultures around the region. Although there is still very much a place for earned media, communications executives noted they are relying more heavily on owned and shared media as well as online influencers.

Digital platforms differ vastly from one market to another in Asia, and communications professionals working in multiple geographic roles must use different platforms to reach both internal and external stakeholders. A corporate affairs director at an e-commerce company discussed how her communications teams now have online news platforms with separate sites in Mainland China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia and Thailand.

Participants noted that while advances such as machine learning, robotic process automation and drones will increasingly impact their organisations, these advancements are slow to be incorporated in the communications function. Executives discussed how new technology, such as AI, blockchain and virtual reality will influence their communications functions in the future. Participants can see the potential benefits. They predicted that AI will be used for writing news releases and annual reports, converting text into video, analysing social media conversations and conducting media research. The challenge now is for in-house communicators to step up and advocate the value of investment in such technologies will bring to the organisation.

Each country in Asia has its own mix of economic development, technology adoption and culture. This makes the work facing the regional corporate communicator in Asia different from that practised in the West. As technology continues to be embedded even deeper into daily life, as societal expectations evolve and considering the dramatic diversity of Asia, the stage is set. The time is now for the communications function in Asia to consolidate its position as a strategic function with crucial insights to lend to any organisation’s sustained success.