Building a comms strategy that thrives amid a rapidly changing media environment

The media landscape has undergone nothing short of a revolution in recent years, with a dizzying array of technological advancements, evolving consumer behaviours, and shifting regulatory environments converging to transform the way brands communicate. This essay will argue that external drivers of change have heavily influenced the way communications plans are developed and implemented, forcing communications professionals to adapt or risk being left behind. It will highlight how these changes have brought both opportunities and limitations yet posit that the core principles that make a communications plan effective remain unchanged.

How communications plans evolve with the times

External drivers in the media landscape have significantly reshaped the way communications plans are developed and delivered today. Like the rest of the world, the communications landscape has been profoundly impacted by the digital revolution and the rapid pace of technological advancements in recent years (Binet and Field, 2017). The speed and scale of change have been breathtaking. In just a few decades, the rise of the internet, social media, big data, and advanced technologies has transformed how people consume information and make purchasing decisions. This has disrupted traditional business models, consumer behaviours, and the very mechanics of how brands engage with their audiences. Marketers have been forced to rethink every aspect of their craft – from campaign ideation and channel selection to measurement, optimisation, and delivery.

Whilst change has been thrust upon them, these advancements present significant opportunities for communicators. An upcoming public health campaign aimed at reducing the risks posed by extreme weather events perfectly illustrates how technological innovation can influence communications planning for the better. The ability to use real-time macro triggers such as weather data to activate campaigns has enabled the precise scheduling of messages when certain meteorological conditions occur. This data-led approach will allow governments to deliver timely, contextual communications during future extreme weather events, warning the public about risks associated with floods, droughts, or extreme heat when it matters most. This level of adaptive, data-driven planning can make communications plans incredibly efficient, significantly reducing wastage and maximising relevance by leveraging new tools to reach audiences precisely at the right time.

Complying with regulatory changes

However, while some external drivers of change present opportunities, others bring limitations. It’s not only digital technologies driving evolution in communications; new laws and regulations surrounding data privacy and consumer protections have also had a significant impact, forcing brands to recalibrate their comms planning to comply with regulatory changes.

An example of regulatory restrictions shaping communications planning is the recent update to Meta’s recruitment advertising targeting restrictions. These new restrictions prohibit targeting job ads by demographic characteristics like age or gender, a move by Meta to ensure fairness and inclusivity in hiring practices as well as alignment with UK recruitment law advice. This presented a challenge for the Welsh Government’s annual apprenticeships campaign, as they aimed to reach 16-24-year-olds to reduce rates of young people not in education, employment, or training. To overcome this restriction, the communications plan had to evolve. Instead of relying on age-based targeting to find and reach their audience, their new strategy used data and insights to tailor the campaign plan and creative idea to align to the channels young people favoured, the content they consumed, and the influencers they trusted. This way, the campaign was able to reach and relate to young people, without the need for precise age-targeting.

Overall, while external drivers can sometimes bring limitations to communications planning, they also present immense opportunities for marketers. Ultimately, the communications industry has no choice but to evolve with the times. Standing still is not an option in the face of such seismic change. By embracing external drivers, whether they be new technologies, shifting regulations, or evolving audience behaviours, communicators can overcome the challenges and capitalise on the possibilities. After all, the next great revolution – Artificial Intelligence - is already beginning to reshape the landscape. As AI continues to revolutionise media planning through more sophisticated data analysis and automation, the communications plans of the future will need to adapt or risk being left behind (Whitehead, 2024).

Characteristics of an Effective Communications Plan

Regardless of the external forces shaping the media landscape, certain core characteristics still define an effective communications plan. Three key principles stand out, each fundamental to delivering a successful campaign:

1. Focus

Firstly, an effective plan must remain laser-focused. It should have a clear set of objectives and a blueprint for measuring success across each channel (Binet and Field, 2007), ensuring alignment among all partners involved. This focus extends beyond setting objectives; it requires careful consideration of how each channel will contribute to the overall goal. Every element of the plan should ladder up to the core objectives, with clear metrics for success and a strategic rationale for each channel choice. This focused approach helps optimise budget efficiency while ensuring all communications work in concert toward the same goal.

2. Actionable insights

Secondly, an effective plan is built on deep, actionable insights. Modern communications planning requires a sophisticated understanding of audience behaviour, backed by robust data analysis and continuous learning. This means going beyond basic demographic data to understand how audiences interact with different media channels, when they are most receptive to messages, and what drives their decision-making (Boyle, 2024). Moreover, effective plans must be dynamic, using real-time data and performance metrics to optimise and adjust course as needed, ensuring the plan remains relevant and impactful.

3. Creativity

Finally, the most effective communications plans are inherently creative in their approach to media and message delivery. While creativity is often associated with the campaign idea itself, it is equally important in how that message is deployed across channels (Abou-Zeid, 2023). This creativity manifests in how different channels are combined, how context is leveraged, and how media partnerships are activated. The most successful plans find innovative ways to make their messages stand out, whether through clever channel selection, unexpected media combinations, or innovative uses of technology. They recognise that in today’s cluttered media environment, how you deliver your message can be just as important as the message itself.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the communications industry has had no choice but to adapt and evolve its planning processes in response to a steady drumbeat of external disruptions. From new data privacy laws to the rise of AI-powered media optimisation, the goalposts are constantly shifting, forcing brands to stay nimble and innovative. However, while the tactical execution of communications plans may have transformed, the core characteristics of effective planning - being focused, insight-driven, and creatively compelling - remain steadfast. By embracing change while adhering to these fundamental principles, brands can develop communications strategies that thrive in the media environment of today and tomorrow.

Paula Torres Moneu is a Senior Strategist at Golley Slater. This essay was awarded a Distinction as part of the Advanced Certificate in Communications Planning.

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The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and were submitted in accordance with the IPA terms and conditions regarding the uploading and contribution of content to the IPA newsletters, IPA website, or other IPA media, and should not be interpreted as representing the opinion of the IPA.