Earlier this year, I was cold-called at home by a research agency wanting to know my views on oil companies (their corporate image/reputation/behaviour/media coverage) – and of course, about one in particular.
It was a fascinating exercise to go through, given what we do, and it was interesting to think through how one’s perception of a company changes over time. I’d have loved to see the results of the research.
I’m obviously on some kind of list, because more recently I was called by a similar company wanting to know what I made of high street banks (more on that odd experience another time). It’s worth noting that the bank’s agency asked for my views on the website and the bank’s use of social media (as a customer service tool); I seem to remember that the oil company’s agency was also interested in the website.
In both cases, the agency wanted me to compare different companies in the same industry, and it is certainly true to say that what tarnishes one company’s reputation can also affect its competitors – it makes sense to consider reputation by sector.
This year’s Reputation in Oil, Gas and Mining conference will be the fourth, and, building on previous successes, Communicate have expanded it to a two-day conference – 11-12 June, 2014, in London.
Over two days, there’s obviously time for a variety of sessions, and they range from:
- re-aligning a crisis management plan
- through navigating the legal landscape
- to community and activist outreach
…though the one that first caught my eye will be about communicating the corporate ethic, in which a compliance lawyer will share her experience of working on Anglo American’s anti-corruption programme.
There will be workshops, and, as before, an interactive session in which a lawyer, a journalist, a reputation advisor, and activist, a comms head and a senior PR counsel play themselves as a (fictional) crisis takes place – always a fascinating session.
Speakers include lawyers, lecturers, CEOs, several corporate comms, brand and digital executives. It’s looking good: find out more
Lucy is Editor at Corporate Eye
