NewsWhip director of content, Benedict Nicholson, offers brands a plan for polarisation and reputation management.

In this year of global elections, managing polarisation is the biggest issue for corporate communications professionals – a fact highlighted by both the Page Society and PRovoke Media.

Working alongside Stephen Waddington, NewsWhip recently published a study that explores effective strategies for brands to address polarisation. Based on interviews conducted by Stephen with senior communications practitioners in large international companies, the report spans Europe, the UK, and the US.

Using Stephen’s extensive findings, we collaborated to create a framework for tackling the issues of purpose and polarisation.  

Foresight Framework: Managing polarising issues

Simply put, the Foresight Framework offers a practical, forward-looking guide for approaching topics of social or political controversy. It does this by setting out some key considerations when managing polarising issues. 

These instances occur either by choice or because the company has been pulled into an issue. These steps can be aided by tools and internal processes, which we highlight alongside each stage.

As for the stages themselves? They’ll be familiar to many comms professionals trying to juggle company priorities while keeping stakeholders informed of the things that truly matter. 

Stage one: Set your company priorities and benchmark them

Every company faces headwinds and tailwinds that can impact brand reputation and performance. 

The first mitigating step is identifying and agreeing on these potential challenges and opportunities at the management level. These defined benchmarks are essential for that all-important stakeholder alignment.

After attaining the Holy Grail, the second step involves leveraging historical data to establish baseline levels of coverage and engagement, both within your company and across the broader landscape.

Stage two: Fast and slow reporting

Once you've defined a "normal day" for your brand via your created benchmarks, you can monitor for changes. 

When a story breaks, the focus should shift to issues management. This combines fast reporting for early risk detection and predictive analysis, gauging the impact of narratives on the public. In turn, this allows for either informed responses – or strategic silence. 

Consider this threefold process:

Active Insights. If you feel the need to be "always on", then digests can be particularly helpful. They collate high-level topics that align with your benchmarks, which you can then send to stakeholders. 

Fast Reporting. Most comms teams can feel an issue brewing, and real-time alerts will notify you when issues go public. Consider it an early detection system to back up your instinct.

Predictive Analysis. Using predictive interactions during live issues will help you assess potential story impact and guide your next steps.

Stage three: Reputation management

All of this feeds into our final stage – proactive reputation management. It involves taking your collected data and using it to positively shape and influence how any issues related to your brand unfold.

Done well, this approach should safeguard and elevate your brand’s reputation. It entails collaborating with your comms colleagues to leverage earned media, skillful wording, and empathy when determining whether and how to respond.

Have a plan for polarisation

As we move through this pivotal year, and considering the potential for heightened polarisation and the need for brand responses, ensuring you’re 2024-ready is key. 

Having concrete steps in place and being prepped before your brand becomes enmeshed in a conversation is crucial. Given its practical approach, The Foresight Framework is a good place to start. 

With that in mind, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank Stephen, and the report’s participants, for helping us devise this framework for the comms community.