Communications in Times of Uncertainty Webinar Highlights by Luisa Tam, Senior Editor, South China Morning Post

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered a wave of unprecedented changes in the communications industry, from event cancellations to remote working arrangements. These changes have prompted a range of responses from APAC companies in their communications with the public and media. Some companies have been ramping up their corporate social responsibility initiatives and offering their services, while others have kept a low profile.

PR Newswire is organising a series of Communications in Uncertain Times webinars in APAC to gather views and insights from communications and media professionals during this challenging period. Earlier this week, we started the series in Hong Kong, where we invited Luisa Tam, Senior Editor of South China Morning Post to share her views on how brands can position themselves in the COVID-19-dominated news cycle. One way is through sharing authentic human interest stories that show a more personal and approachable side of brands. Tam also shared what is on her news agenda and the challenges of reporting on the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation.

Here are the key takeaways from the webinar.

1. It is a challenging time for journalists, who are struggling to keep up with the rapid developments of COVID-19 with lean resources 

Over the past two months, some newsrooms in APAC have been operating on split shifts and journalists are attending fewer events, as a health precaution. Likewise, Tam has been working from home for almost a month – attending online daily editorial meetings and writing lifestyle and culture articles that are related to COVID-19.

While it is important for a news organisation to get ahead of the news, she pointed out that this is not possible now as most journalists are not working on the ground. Instead, the SCMP editorial team’s current focus is to present a true picture of what is happening in Hong Kong and around the world to audiences. She added that journalists have adapted their news-gathering practices by conducting interviews via phone and video calls, which can also be used as video content.

Another challenge of reporting amid the pandemic is verifying the accuracy of the information that is circulating around, especially in private channels such as WhatsApp. Tam said: “Now, we have limited ways to fact-check information, but at the same time, we need to get the news out quickly.”

2. Step into the shoes of consumers when crafting news angles 

Many brands and companies have stepped up their corporate social responsibility initiatives such as donating money or medical equipment. Tam cited a tangible example of how luxury goods giant LVMH has converted their perfume production facilities to produce hand sanitizers and distributed them free of charge to hospitals in France.

She added that contributions from smaller companies, which are offering their services within their capacity, also matter. Examples include companies that are providing free medical supplies or food coupons to underprivileged communities in Hong Kong. “Extending kind gestures is not about how grand they are,” she said. “If you cannot do big, do it well, so that people think that it is a wonderful gesture.”

At this juncture, it is paramount for brands to stay relevant and keep tabs of the COVID-19 situation, and be visible in the right context. One way of staying relevant is to craft news angles that resonate with journalists. Tam suggested that PR professionals should put themselves in the shoes of consumers on what they would like to see from media outlets. She added: “They can ask themselves what they would like to know from a brand and its services during this period.”

3. Look within your brand for organic and authentic human interest stories 

With the news cycle saturated with grim COVID-19 developments, what other story angles can appeal to journalists? Tam shared that she is looking out for human interest stories and public relations professionals should start looking for such opportunities within their brands. “Stories do not always have to be about people suffering, they can be about heroes in our lives,” she said. “Put a human face to this outbreak by sharing survival stories on what people are doing to help one another. Being organic and authentic is the most important thing.”

Examples of COVID-19-related human interest stories include how companies are supporting staff through employee welfare initiatives, how businesses are dealing with supply chain disruptions and the CEO can share about the experience of coping with this crisis. She added that sharing good company gestures can help build a positive brand reputation in the long run. She said: “These stories can go a long way as people will remember what brands have done during difficult times.”

4. Start planning for post-COVID-19 media opportunities

If your company does not have relevant stories in the current news cycle, it is fine. Tam advised that brands should not “force an angle” that could be seen as exploitative. Instead, they should monitor the developing situation to see how they can play a part.

Companies can start planning media opportunities for the next news cycle – when the magnitude of the crisis begins to wane. This is when audiences are interested to read about lessons learnt by companies who have survived the crisis. She said: “People still want to know what will happen to companies in a few months and what their services can do down the road, so they have to position themselves to be ready for that.”

Click here to watch the full webinar

This blog post is written by Kenneth Goh, Senior Marketing Executive at PR Newswire. A former journalist, he relishes keeping track of breaking news as much as telling stories with trends and data. Connect with him via Linkedin.