Why Social Commitment is Gaining Renewed Attention in the PR 4.0 Era

Against the backdrop of accelerating changes in the business environment, what should public relations and PR look like in this new era of creating new "corporate value"? "Proposals for PR 4.0," which examines the future of PR from six key trends and seven perspectives you need to know now, was published in April 2024.

To coincide with the publication, a special dialogue was held between Urano Yuyo, Editor-in-Chief of "Public Relations Conference" who provided the book's afterword commentary, and Iguchi Osamu, Executive Officer at PR Consulting Dentsu Inc., representing the co-authors, on the outlook for public relations and PR entering a new stage.

In the second part, they discussed the importance of "Collective Impact" among the seven perspectives and "Social Commitment," the most crucial viewpoint for future PR.

"Proposals for PR 4.0" (released April 2024) is a book examining public relations and PR for a new era, authored by PR Consulting Dentsu Inc., which employs PR specialists. This book extracts key themes from the three-year serialization "Understanding the Future of Corporate Branding Through Data" (published monthly in "Public Relations Conference" by Sendenkaigi) by PR Consulting Dentsu Inc. from August 2020. It newly articulates the ideal form of public relations and PR in the new post-COVID era. https://dentsu-ho.com/articles/8863

 

There is no shortcut to building trust and empathy

Iguchi:In the first part, against the backdrop of the looming 2024 labor shortage crisis, we began by exploring how to approach internal branding—a topic of high interest to many companies—and then presented the key to forging the future of PR.

Urano: "Unwavering Thinking and Purpose," right? It felt like a warning that in this era of rapid change, unless we clearly define and communicate our organizational foundation—both internally and externally—and translate it into tangible actions, we risk falling behind.

Iguchi: Centennial companies have been doing precisely that all along... There are no shortcuts to building trust and empathy. In this second part, I'd like to discuss how to incorporate "Social Commitment" and "Collective Impact" – two absolutely essential perspectives – into PR and communications strategies, examining them from seven distinct viewpoints.

Even if a crisis erupts, the response becomes an opportunity to demonstrate your values

Urano: I believe there are two main moments to consider "Social Commitment." One is when a crisis occurs, such as a backlash against your company, and you feel compelled to take action toward society. The other is when a major societal event happens, like the Noto Peninsula earthquake, and you must decide how your company will act.

Regarding the former, a frequently cited positive example from 2023 involves a restaurant that issued a carefully crafted statement explaining its corporate stance in response to backlash over its free baby food service, ultimately gaining new fans. While some praised the free baby food as "appreciated," others expressed concern that increased child-accompanying customers would disrupt quiet dining, sparking a mixed reaction on social media. The statement was released after the service began. It explained the company's philosophy, its cherished values, the initiatives undertaken based on those values, and the reasoning behind launching the free baby food service. The company explained its initial silence by stating, "We were reflecting deeply on our purpose and how we should engage with societal challenges." This heartfelt communication resonated strongly and garnered widespread empathy.

Regarding the latter point, I truly admire companies and organizations that demonstrate a commitment to acting swiftly during disasters and working together as part of the local community to rebuild. The Noto Peninsula earthquake struck on New Year's Day, yet some companies immediately announced donations or the provision of free services. Companies that responded swiftly even during the New Year holidays must have solid contingency plans in place. I realized that being able to act simultaneously with communication in a crisis ultimately resonates with society.

Iguchi: It's crucial to establish your stance beforehand, rather than relying solely on manuals. By aligning actions with that stance, the path forward becomes clear—the answer emerges naturally. This book also emphasizes the importance of companies having a solid stance. By consistently articulating your stance, whether in emergencies or not, when you take action, society—including consumers—can understand your position without needing further explanation.

Urano: Declaring a company's position in front of diverse stakeholders with varied values certainly requires resolve, but it ultimately helps create an environment where people can more easily understand the company, right?

Accelerating Collective Impact Through "Relational Population"

Iguchi: I believe that regularly stating your stance also positively influences "collective impact." Precisely because you've stated it, it becomes easier to build a community of like-minded individuals. The greatest benefit, especially during crises, is the ability to immediately collaborate and take action.

I'm currently working with ETIC., an NPO supporting networking to advance "Collective Impact." When the Noto Peninsula earthquake struck, groups that had been actively considering ways to engage with disaster-affected areas took immediate action. I heard that many group members had personally experienced the hardships of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Drawing on that real-world background, they recognized what was needed now and what had the highest priority, enabling them to move faster than national or local government support.

By maintaining connections with people and organizations not just during emergencies, we can collaborate and co-create with anyone. I believe the role of the "related population" – those involved from outside the region – will be increasingly important in the future. The term "related population" encompasses not only those who donate to a region or maintain a dual-base lifestyle—people involved through hobbies or lifestyle choices—but also those who simply "have an interest" in the area. I hope such connections expand rapidly through teaming efforts across various layers, including companies and individuals.

Urano:During a discussion with two authors of a book on "public relations planning," it was pointed out that for PR professionals aiming to build better societal relationships, launching their own NPO or industry association is a powerful option. Compared to a company communicating alone, this approach makes it easier to ensure objectivity and gain media coverage. While building a collaborative framework and taking action may require PR expertise, the trend toward collaboration and co-creation is something I also sense from interviews for "PR Meetings."

The shift from "competitive strategy" to "co-creation strategy" brought about by the open resourceization of talent

Iguchi: At one company participating in the consortium launched by ETIC., once employees have acquired a certain level of technical skills and knowledge within the company, they are strongly encouraged to leverage these assets and expand their sphere of activity beyond the company. They've even established internal mechanisms to support this. This corporate policy aims to expand employees' potential and provide them with more opportunities to contribute to society. Consequently, employees resonate with this approach, develop a strong affinity for their company, and actively share this positive sentiment with others. ETIC. has gathered numerous companies that possess robust systems actively encouraging employees' external activities.

Until now, open innovation seemed led by third parties raising their voices. But now, I feel we're entering a new world where ordinary for-profit companies are actively opening up their technologies and knowledge to society, saying, "Please use them freely to build a better society."

By moving away from walled-garden strategies like patents and trademarks and opening up outward, companies gain more connected partners, which in turn fuels their own growth. The very nature of corporate survival and expansion might undergo a 180-degree shift—from "competitive strategy" to "co-creation strategy."

Urano: Conversely, companies still clinging to enclosure will be perceived as holding that stance... Opening your company's technology and knowledge to the world attracts allies. This, in turn, gains the empathy of employees and observers, boosting worker motivation and accelerating innovation. Creating such a virtuous cycle would be ideal.

Iguchi: In that sense, I believe the importance of "social commitment" is growing. "Social commitment" is an old yet new term, an indispensable keyword in the PR 4.0 era. Whether a company can clearly define its stance within society and gain resonance for that stance will significantly impact building a community and the company's future growth. I think it will be key to whether a company succeeds going forward.

Being a "solo PR" is demanding, but it's also a position of authority. The PR 4.0 perspective should be vital here too.

Iguchi: Finally, I'd like to ask Urano one more thing.

From a practical standpoint, I feel the number of companies struggling with overwhelming workloads due to having just one PR person has increased significantly in recent years. There are even how-to books out there claiming you can manage as a solo PR person. While I dislike the idea of reverting to superficial efficiency-focused approaches, what do you think the future holds for the "solo PR" model?

Urano: PR will play an increasingly vital role in a company's sustainable growth. So fundamentally, I think the direction is toward organizing PR functions. However, a PR person from a startup we interviewed for "PR Meetings" said something like this: "'One-person PR' doesn't mean 'alone.'" I thought, "Oh, that's true." The "one" in solo PR may be numerically one person, but it's never lonely. You can work alongside collaborators inside and outside the company. Being alone can also mean moving quickly or being better able to grasp the founder's vision.

I think taking steps toward establishing a dedicated PR department is important. But I don't think there's any need to lament being a one-person PR team. As mentioned in the "Proposals for PR 4.0," when considering PR tactics to bridge the gap between the current state and the ideal, there are strategies like seeking support from external partners for tasks your company's resources can't handle, or leveraging the strength of being agile and nimble.

Iguchi: I see. That's a great perspective. Indeed, the core philosophy for "solo PR" should be something like "collective impact." While physically busy with tasks, leveraging networking—including external connections—enables more flexible PR. Above all, the strength lies in being able to work closely with top management. I hope you solidify your company's stance and actively incorporate the PR 4.0 perspective and mindset.

Urano: To achieve these seven perspectives, I believe we must dedicate significant time to considering the essence and strategy of PR itself. This requires collaborating with external partners on strategy, leveraging AI to streamline operations, and making a greater shift in mindset than ever before. This book offers many valuable insights.

Iguchi: Internal collaboration is just as essential as external partnerships. This isn't just about "solo PR" roles, but companies stuck in silos end up with fragmented messaging—a real waste. If PR, advertising, business units, HR, and others can effectively centralize and collaborate, the synergistic impact could triple or even quintuple. When each department communicates based solely on their own priorities, it might even backfire.

Urano: While marketing and PR often collaborate, the department we should be working with now is HR. Amidst discussions about human capital management, labor shortages, and building diverse organizations, simply announcing "we've implemented a new HR system" won't gain buy-in or take root. If PR professionals with an objective perspective can bring their expertise to this, the communication around it will transform significantly. This directly relates to the very survival of the company. As media, we also want to watch how organizations change through the collaboration of PR and HR.

(Postscript)
The book "Proposals for PR 4.0," which served as the basis for this discussion, indicates that an era is coming where companies and brands must embrace change and drive transformation themselves, rather than clinging to old ways.

Amidst a rapidly changing business environment, to earn society's trust and empathy, companies must maintain consistent thinking and a clear purpose, continuously demonstrating this stance both internally and externally. PR and communications strategies focused on brand activism, social commitment, and collective impact will be key to deepening companies' relationships with society and growing together. Even if it's a "one-person PR" team, PR must integrate with business strategy and play a vital role in shaping the company's future.

The case studies and recommendations discussed in this dialogue may offer valuable insights not only for PR professionals but for all businesspeople across departments and divisions. By aligning your company's position with your own stance and consistently communicating this both internally and externally, like-minded individuals will gather, enabling you to become a member of a co-creative society.

(Text: Ikuyo Nakagawa, PR Consulting Dentsu Inc.)

For "Proposals for PR 4.0," click here