44

Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific Social Media Study

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

Burson-Marsteller report on the use of top social media platforms by Asia's leading companies (as listed in the Wall Street Journal's Asia 200 Index), across Asia-Pacific, specifically their use of social networks, corporate blogs, microblogs and video sharing channels for global and domestic corporate marketing and communications.

Citation preview

Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific is the leading consultancy for organizations communicating inAsia-Pacific and internationally. With a presence in the region dating back to 1973, Burson-MarstellerAsia-Pacific today includes 30 offices and affiliates in 16 countries integrated seamlessly into a globalnetwork operating in 98 countries. Our Evidence-Based approach to communications provides ourclients with effective, data-driven programs delivered through multiple channels and focused ontangible, measurable results. Our team of more than 600 professionals offers a powerful combinationof local knowledge, sector expertise and global communications reach. For more information, pleasevisit burson-marsteller.asia.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA STUDYHOW ASIAN COMPANIES ARE

ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS ONLINE

October 2010

Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacificburson-marsteller.asia

Burson·Marsteller

TABlf Of (ONHNT)

Introduction

Executive Summary

Methodology

Corporate Use of Social Media

MicroblogsSocial NetworksCorporate SlogsVideo Sharing Channels

Use of Social Media by Country

AustraliaChinaHong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeSouth KoreaTaiwanThailand

Approach to Corporate Social Media

Company-Country Index

Further Reading

Acknowledgements & Contacts

4

5

6

7

1315171921

2223242526272829303132

33

34

38

39

40

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 3

INTRODUCTIONSince the term 'social media' burst its way into the global collectiveconsciousness, organisations across the world have hastily had toconsider what it means for them and how it will impact their approachto their business and marketing.

As demonstrated by Burson-Marsteller's Fortune Global 100 SocialMedia Check-Up study (February 2010), the great majority of topmultinational companies have moved from questioning the rationaleof social media to implementing dedicated social media strategies,or including social media programmes within broader corporateand marketing campaigns.

This report focuses on the use of top social media platforms by Asia's leading companies (as listed inthe Wall Street Journal's Asia 200 Index), specifically their use of social networks, corporate blogs,microblogs and video sharing channels for global and domestic corporate marketing andcommunications.

It is clear that top companies across Asia-Pacific are some way behind their western peers in this area.Few companies are approaching this area strategically; most appear largely driven by short-termmarketing considerations, or are hampered by concerns about resourcing, cost or lack of control.

It is perhaps no accident that top Asian companies most aggressively using social media tend to bethose most focused on international expansion. As Asian firms turn ever more aggressively to foreignmarkets, they require deep knowledge and insight into local customer and opinion-former needs,expectations and behaviours. They are likely to have to fight harder for recognition and acceptance.

Social media is no sideshow - it is a fully mainstream activity that dominates media consumption inmany markets. Indeed, for most young people, it is a way of life. To take full advantage of this trend,top Asian companies have no option but to make social media a core component of their marketing andcommunications, both at home and abroad.

This report is the first in a series that will chart their progress. We hope you find it interesting anduseful.

Sincerely,

fdBob PickardPresident & CEOBurson-Marsteller (Asia-Pacific)Email: [email protected]: @bobpickard

fXfCUTIVf ~UMMARY

Top Asian companies have been slow to set up and use branded social media channels

• Asian companies are significantly lagging their international peers in their use ofsocial media for corporate marketing purposes. 40% of Asia's top companies areusing dedicated branded social media channels, compared to 79% of leadingglobal firms1

.

• This reluctance can be explained by a variety of factors, including concern that socialmedia results in a loss of control of messaging, timing and content, and has largelyunknown ramifications in terms of skills, resources and budgets.

Few companies have developed a long-term, sustainable social media strategy

• Of those Asian companies with branded social media profiles, some 55% of theseprofiles are inactive, suggesting that most Asian companies remain unsure how touse these channels.

• The high percentage of inactive accounts may also be explained by the short-termnature of consumer marketing. Companies more focused on building their corporatereputation over the long-term are much less likely to set up and then abandon theirsocial media channels.

• On average, only 18% of companies surveyed are promoting or have integrated theirbranded social media channels on their website homepage, implying that they aredeliberately testing social media independently of their 'core' online channels.

Companies are focused on pushing information, rather than engaging with users

• Asian companies are reluctant to use open-ended two-way communicationschannels such as corporate blogs. In Asia, corporate blogs are used by 12% ofcompanies, whereas 33% of global companies are blogging.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 5

• In most Asian countries, levels of interaction with users are low, with companiesbarely engaging with their followers. True engagement involving two-way dialogue, asmeasured by the average number of fan posts and average number of corporateresponses to their fa nslfol lowers, remains limited.

• Companies appear most comfortable using social media to communicate theirCorporate Social Responsibility activities. While this helps portray a 'softer' corporateimage, it is also less likely to invoke interaction or negative commentary.

• Of the channels covered by this study, social networks are arguably the mostintuitively conversational. However, while social networks are the most popular socialmedia channels in Asia, they are used principally for consumer marketing purposes ­their use for corporate activities is secondary in most instances.

Digital storytelling using video and multimedia remains limited

• Only 8% of leading companies in Asia have set up dedicated channels on top videosharing channels such as YouTube, Youku in China or Nico Nico Douga in Japan. Thiscompares to 50% of global companies using such channels.

• The high volume of user views of existing branded video sharing channels suggeststhat companies are missing a significant opportunity to engage users by not providingstructured access to online video and multimedia.

1. Fortune Global 100 Social Media Check-Up, Burson-Marsteller. February 2010

METHODOLOGY

This study assesses corporate marketing activity on top social media channels by 120 ofAsia's leading companies. Companies were selected from the Wall Street Journal Asia200 Index ranking Asia's leading companies, as determined by executives andprofessionals across Asia-Pacific. The top 10 companies were selected per country. A fulllist of companies surveyed is available on page 38 of this study. The countries includedAustralia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore,South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

Corporate marketing is defined as: corporate social responsibility, issues or cnslscommunications, thought leadership, leadership communications, media or influencerrelations, public policy communications.

Social media analysed were the top social networks, microblogs, video sharing andcorporate blogging platforms per country - the latter either website-based orintegrated with third-party channels. Accounts were considered 'active' if they had atleast one post by the company between July 1-31, 2010.

Data was collected between July 2010 and September 2010 by Buron-MarstellerAsia-Pacific's digital and research teams.

6 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

(ORPORAH U~f O~ ~O(IAl MmlA

With massive and accelerating use of the Internet and mobiledevices, the popularity of social media technologies and theemergence of an increasingly sophisticated and demanding set of

digital consumers, Asia is shaping, and in some cases leading, the newsocial media environment.

Social media is mainstream. Asians are enthusiastic users of social networks, whether ofinternational platforms such as Facebook or local services such as Renren in China, Orkut inIndia or South Korea's CyWorid. Indonesia, the Philippines and India now rank in Facebook'stop 10 markets".

Microblogging rates are exploding, not least in Japan, Indonesia and South Korea, whereTwitter is recording some of its heaviest user volumes worldwide. Online video is alsograbbing share of mind. Japanese Internet users spent nearly 17 hours a month watchingvideos, while their counterparts in Hong Kong and Singapore recorded 12.7 hours and lOAhours respectiveli.

Further, Asians are not just passive consumers of web-based content but are activecontributors. In China alone, there are over 221 million bloggers3• And the Chinese rankamongst the most active creators of online social content, far outstripping most westernmarkets4 .

Social media provides an opportunity for companies to communicate and buildrelationships directly with their stakeholders, gain a deeper understanding of their needsand behaviours, and to increase levels of awareness, trust and advocacy.

1. CheckFacebook.com2. comScore Video Metrix, July 20103. China Internet Network Information Centre, December 20094. Forrester Research, September 2009

8 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

On the f1ipside, organizations are concerned that social media outreach result in a loss ofcontrol of messaging, timing and content (in short, their reputation), and has largelyunknown ramifications in terms of skills, resources and budgets. It can also be difficult toquantify its value.

This study shows that Asia's top companies have been hesitant to set up and use brandedchannels on top local and international social media platforms for corporate marketingand communications. Sixty percent of companies surveyed have no branded presence.

With few exceptions, they are significantly lagging their international peers in this area ­according to Burson-Marsteller's Fortune Global 100 Social Media Check-Up study(February 2010), 79% of Fortune 100 companies have at least one 'owned' or brandedsocial media channel. By contrast, only 40% of Asian companies have an equivalentbranded social media channel. (See Figure 1.)

In Asia, social networks are the preferred social media platform for corporate marketingand communications purposes, with almost a quarter of companies surveyed using aglobal (eg. Facebook) or local (eg. Renren in China) social network.

The study also finds that, unlike their global peers, top Asian companies appear lessenamoured of microblogs, with only 18% of companies using these for corporatepurposes (as opposed to 65% of global companies). Corporate blogs (12%) and videosharing platforms (8%) are even less popular with leading Asian firms. (See Figure 2.)

However, this masks considerable differences in approach across the Asia-Pacific region.Companies in South Korea are much more actively using social media, especially socialnetworks and corporate blogs. By contrast, leading companies in the Philippines,Singapore and Taiwan are barely using social media at all for corporate marketing andcommunications. (See Figure 3.)

Figure 1: Proportion of Asian Companies using Social Media

All ChannelsThree Channels \ S%

3% \

Data was collected between July 2010 and September 2010 among the Wall Street journal Asia 200 companies. Top 10 companies from12 countries in Asia-Pacific were selected. Total sample size = 120 companies.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 9

Figure 2: Proportion of Companies using Social Media Actively

20%

Microblogs Social Networks Corporate Blogs Video Sharing

Active accounts refer to companies with at least one post from each social media channel from July 1-31, 2010.

Figure 3: Use of Social Media by Countries in Asia-Pacific

• Microblogs • Social Networks _ Corporate Blogs Video Sharing

10

Thailand

Taiwan

South Korea

Singapore

Philippines

Malaysia

Japan

Indonesia

India

Hong Kong

China

Australia

BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

Inactive accounts

The study also finds that 55% of branded social media channels surveyed are inactive.These have either been registered and are being saved for future use, used only privately,or have been used and abandoned. Others are apparently being 'squatted' by third parties,presumably looking to cash in at a later date, or perhaps use the channel for negativepurposes. Some were not updated during the study research period. (See Figure 4.)

The high percentage of inactive accounts may also be explained by the relativelyshort-term nature of most consumer marketing. Social media, not least the managementof branded channels, requires long-term commitment, resources, budget and clearownership. Companies more focused on building their corporate reputation over thelong-term are much less likely to set up and then abandon their social media channels - astrong case for the PR department to be closely involved in the ongoing management ofthese channels.

The high percentage of inactive accounts strongly suggests that many companies have yetto figure out how to use these channels - in isolation, or as part of a broader social mediaor multi-channel communications strategy.

Lack of integration

Very few (18%) of companies surveyed are actively promoting their branded social mediachannels on their website homepages, or through other online channels.

The multi-disciplinary nature of many branded social media channels, which often supporta mix of communications, marketing, sales, customer service and other activities, meansthey work best when closely aligned and integrated with other business functions andchannels - both online and offline.

Figure 4: Proportion of Active and Inactive Accounts

• Active Inactive

20%

9%

Microblogs Social Networks Corporate Blogs Video Sharing

Inactive accounts refer to accounts with no activity from July 1-31, 2010.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 11

Use by Industry

The majority of companies covered by this study are from four industries: technology(consumer and 828), telecommunications, consumer goods (including retail and tobacco)and financial services. The study finds that companies in these industry sectors are usingsocial media quite differently, according to their respective sectors.

Technology companies are the most enthusiastic users of social media for corporatemarketing and communications, closely followed by telecommunications firms. Themajority of companies in both sectors are using microblogs and social networks, while atleast a third of these firms are using multiple channels. (See Figure 5.)

Online video channels are being used to a greater degree by Asia's top technology andtelecommunications firms - perhaps as they have a vested interest in being seen to walkthe data and social media talk.

Conversely, consumer goods and financial services companies across the region arehardly using social media, at least for corporate marketing purposes. Perhapsunsurprisingly, given that firms in these sectors are primarily focused on consumermarketing, the most popular channels are social networks, through which somecorporate messages are also being communicated.

Figure 5: Use of Social Media by Industry

• Microblogs _ Social Networks _ Corporate Blogs Video Sharing

60%

33%

Financial Services Telecommunications Consumer Goods Technology

Of the 120 companies surveyed, 23 of them are in financial services, 15 in telecommunications, 16 in consumer goods and 17 from the technologysector.

'2 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

MI(ROBlOG~

T his study finds that top companies across Asia-Pacific use microblogs less thanthey use social networks. Only 18% of companies use microblogs for corporatepurposes, as opposed to 6S% of global companies.

This is likely in part to be due to the late consumer adoption of microblogs in the region,relative to the u.s. and Europe. While the English-language version of Twitter has led theway across Asia-Pacific, local language versions of the platform tended only to emergelater. Equally, locally-grown microblog services such as Sina Weibo in China (where Twitteris blocked) or Ameba Now in Japan have only recently started to gain real traction.

South Korean companies are taking the lead in using microblogs for corporate purposes,posting much more actively than their peers in other Asian markets. Companies in HongKong, Indonesia, Japan and India - all markets with significant numbers of Twitter users­are also posting more actively to their microblog channels.

On the other hand, top companies in Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines are optingnot to use micro-blogs for corporate marketing purposes, largely due to their focus onconsumer marketing on these channels.

Across the region, companies are having mixed success in terms of attracting andengaging with their audiences. While Chinese, Japanese, South Korean and Indonesianfirms are gaining relatively high numbers offollowers, companies in Australia, Hong Kongand Thailand are having less success. Companies in South Korea and Indonesia are puttingmore effort into engaging with their audiences on microblog platforms, evidenced by thenumber of responses they are making to their followers.

Yet only in China and South Korea, countries with deep cultures of sharing content, arethere significant numbers of mentions and reposts of company information and views,often viewed as a measure of a company's success in engaging and activating theiraudiences on microblog channels. Companies prefer to focus on corporate socialresponsibility initiatives on microblogs, with some evidence of broader media andinfluencer relations activity.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 13

Figure 6: Level of Frequency - Average Number of Posts on Microblogs

1513

128

4312

Australia China HongKong India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand

Average number of posts from July 1-31, 2010.

Table 1: Level of Engagement on Microblogs

....IB.··_·..····· ... - .:".. . - .:-.. -. .". . - .:-.. - . - .. - .• I - ••• • '"'"- -. .

Main Focus ofMicroblog

Corporate

Australia 1297 123 28 28 1Reputation &Responsibility,Recruitment

CorporateChina 27892 388 3126 18 899 Reputation &

Responsibility

CorporateHong Kong 2809 329 69 4 0 Reputation &

Responsibility

CorporateIndia 4349 231 76 7 12 Reputation &

Responsibility

CorporateIndonesia 6366 460 7 121 11 Reputation &

Responsibility

CorporateReputation &

Japan 10147 9998 64 73 26 Responsibility,MarketingCampaigns

Malaysia

Philippines

Singapore

CorporateReputation &

South Korea 9187 3784 1568 637 573Responsibility,

Media & InfluencerRelations, Marketing

Campaigns

Taiwan

CorporateThailand 1578 1547 0 5 0 Reputation &

Responsibility

14 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

SOCIAl NnWORK~

Social networks are Asian companies' preferred social media platforms forcorporate marketing and communications, with almost a quarter of companiessurveyed using a top global or local social network.

However, due to a mixture of cultural, technological and other factors, significantdifferences exist in how companies are using social networks across the region. Forinstance, it is clear that top firms in Malaysia, Australia and Singapore attract many morefans/followers on top social networks (in these instances, all on Facebook) than topcompanies in India, the Philippines and Thailand.

Equally, the study finds that top companies in South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia tend tobe more active in communicating with their corporate audiences in terms of the averagenumber of posts they are making to their branded channels. Despite their open-endedand conversational nature, top companies across the region prefer to view socialnetworks primarily as channels to distribute content. True engagement involvingtwo-way dialogue, as measured by the average number of fan posts and average numberof corporate responses to their fans/followers, remains limited.

Aside from consumer marketing campaigns, which form the focus of many companies'use of social networks, the preferred topics for corporate marketing tend to be related tocorporate social responsibility, alongside some broader media relations/outreachactivities and, in isolated cases, use of social networks for issues and crisiscommunication.

Meanwhile, despite enthusiastic use of social media by consumers and netizens in Chinaand Japan, firms in these countries do not use social networks for corporate purposes. InChina, this is likely to be due to the number of large, state-owned firms included in thissurvey, which tend to have less incentive to talk directly with their customers, even if theyare in relatively competitive consumer environments.

On the other hand, despite being largely consumer-facing, Japanese companies are notusing social networks for corporate marketing, even if they are using them, sometimesextensively, for consumer marketing.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 15

Figure 7: Level of Frequency - Average Number of Posts on Social Networks

80

Australia china Hong Kong India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand

Average number of posts from July 1-31, 2010.

Table 2: Level of Engagement on Social Networks

•••--:-., .-':-."-':... " ..•. • '. •• .• . t. 't •. , -

. '. ... -,

Main Focus of theSocial Networks

Australia

China

HongKong

India

Indonesia

Japan

Malaysia

Philippines

Singapore

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

22621

8867

1699

2707

42496

662

19S79

8421

67

50

3

2

9

26

2

14S8

15

25

53

86

4

11

111

o

1647

31

36

5

4.3

4.3

3.8

4

4

3.7

3.8

4

Corporate Reputation& Responsibility

Marketing Campaigns

Marketing Campaigns

Marketing Campaigns

Corporate Reputation& Responsibility

Marketing Campaigns

Corporate Reputation& Responsibility

Corporate Reputation& Responsibility,

Media & InfluencerRelations

Corporate Reputation& Responsibility

Tonality is weighed on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the most negative and 5 the most positive.

'6 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

(ORPORAH BlOG~

Few leading Asian companies are using blogs for corporate marketing andcommunications, activity being limited principally to firms in South Korea, Chinaand India, though a few companies in Japan, Hong Kong, India, the Philippinesand Thailand are also blogging.

Many of these blogs are not proactively maintained, though companies in Japan, SouthKorea and the Philippines are making a greater effort to update these channels on aregular basis, sometimes posting content several times a day.

Generally speaking, companies updating their blogs more frequently also see greaterinteraction with their users. This is particularly true of South Korea and China, wherecorporate blogs attract a high volume of user comments.

In Japan, where corporate blogs are widely used by companies of all sizes, levels of userinteraction tend to be lower. This may be explained by the reluctance of Japaneseenterprises and people to get involved in public conversations, or to question somethingopenly.

It is also notable that many Japanese firms prefer to use blog platforms principally todistribute messages and content - the ability for users to post comments is sometimeslimited or turned off.

Similar to other social media channels, companies are using them chiefly to talk aboutcorporate social responsibility-related topics. There appears little evidence of companiesusing blogs to extend and deepen their media and influencer relations, for CEO/leadershipcommunications and other corporate activities.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 17

Figure 8: Level of Frequency - Average Number of Posts on Corporate Blogs

100

Australia China HongKong India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand

Average number of posts from July 1-31, 2010.

Table 3: Level of Engagement on Corporate Blogs

CountriesAverage Number

of Commentsfrom Readers

Tone of Comments& Posts from Fans(on scale of 1-5)

Main Focus of theCorporate 810gs

'8 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

Australia

China 471 2Corporate Reputation &

Responsibility

HongKong 0 0 Marketing Campaigns

India 9 3,5Corporate Reputation &

Responsibility

Indonesia

Japan 100 5Corporate Reputation &

Responsibility

Malaysia

Stakeholder Relations,Philippines 0 0 Media & Influencer

Relations

Singapore

Corporate Reputation &South Korea 588 3.8 Responsibility, Media &

Influencer Relations

Taiwan

Corporate Reputation &Thailand 0 0 Responsibility,

Marketing Campaigns

Tonality is weighed on a scale of 1-5. with 1 being the most negative and 5 the most positive.

VlDm ~HARING (HANNH~

Few top companies across Asia-Pacific are using online video to enhance theircorporate communications; official video sharing channels for corporatemarketing and communications are less popular than social networks,microblogs and corporate blogs.

The survey (Figure 9) shows that companies in India and Japan are most proactive in termsof the number of videos they are uploading - around one per working day. Elsewhere,adding content is much less frequent, and often depends on the archived materialsavailable.

For now, corporate video channels are mostly failing to attract significant numbers ofsubscribers/followers. However, the total average volume of video views per channel isover 90,000, and notably higher in Australia, India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan,confirming the popularity of video from a user perspective and suggesting thatcompanies are failing to exploit opportunities to bring their stories to life using video (aswell as other multimedia formats).

However, dialogue on video channels remains limited in all countries. Watching video,even online, is ostensibly a 'lean back' activity. And some companies prefer to limit theability for users to comment on their video channels.

In addition to product marketing, companies are using online video channels to talk abouttheir corporate social responsibility activities, to interview senior management and relaycorporate events and announcements; some companies are also using video to supporttheir crisis and issues communications.

Few companies are using video for media and influencer relations, CEO/leadershipcommunications or corporate recruitment marketing, at least in any systematic manner.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 19

Figure 9: Level of Frequency - Average Number of Uploads on Video SharingChannels

17

Australia China Hong Kong India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Singapore South Korea Taiwan Thailand

Average number of uploads from July 1-31, 2010.

Table 4: Level of Engagement on Video Sharing Channels

CountriesAverage Nu mber of

Su bscribers PerChannel

Average Number ofVideo Views Per

Channel

Main Focus of the VideoSharing Channels

Australia 1023 427,945Corporate Reputation &

Responsibility

China

Hong Kong 0 5,678 Marketing Campaigns

Corporate SocialIndia 160 92,835 Responsibility, Marketing

Campaigns

Indonesia

Japan 5869 165,332Issues &Crisis

Communications

Malaysia

Philippines

Corporate Reputation,Singapore 3 1540 Issues &Crisis

Communications

Corporate Reputation &South Korea 154 158,359 Responsibility, Media &

Influencer Relations

Corporate Reputation &Taiwan 28,571 120,115 Responsibility, Media &

Influencer Relations

Thailand

20 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

AUSTRAliA •Stephanie AyeLead Digital StrategistEmail: [email protected]: @steph_aye

• Active Accounts _Inactive Accounts

30%

20%

Video SharingCorporate BlogsSocial NetworksMicroblogs

In general, Australian companies are focused onleveraging the perceived 'viral' potential of the socialmedia by trying to push content as far and wide aspossible. From a corporate perspective, this has meanta focus on disseminating company news on theInternet, and using video where appropriate.

Recently, it has become clear that social media canplay a useful role in supporting customer service,resulting in a more conversational approach to socialmedia communications in this area, not least on lessovertly conversational channels such as Twitter.

services and mining companies surveyed; it may alsobe explained by the general reluctance of companiesto commit to channels such as Facebook that arenaturally more open-ended and which can be difficultto manage, let alone control.

Qantas - Corporate Social Responsibility

On the surface, it is surprising that so few Australiancompanies have set up shop on major social networks.(In Australia, this is almost always Facebook). In part,

However, the majority of Australia's top companieshave yet to leverage social media effectively forcorporate purposes, either to drive awareness or tobuild closer relationships with their audiences. Of thoseAustralian companies that are using social media forcorporate purposes, microblogs (30%) and videosharing (20%) are the most popular options, likely dueto their relative ease of upkeep and perceived costeffectiveness.

While Australians tend to be somewhat conservative bynature, and are not natural contributors to onlinecommunities or creators of online content', consumeruse of social media in Australia is in fact amongst thehighest in the world. Australians have flocked toFacebook, Twitter, YouTube and other platforms, all ofwhich have experienced strong growth over the past 18months.

Conversely, in line with Burson-Marsteller 2009research', Australian companies only rarely usecorporate blogs, which are often seen as highlyresource-intensive. Of the few companies that areblogging (none in this study), it is noticeable that levelsof interaction and feedback with and between theirusers tend to be low.

~ Wolcome Octobor 2010IiMIIrrrrrrrr.. OMlMllt..- .. _

OAN.AI

"<Source: http://www.youtube.com/userfqantas

However, with some exceptions, judging by thegeneral reluctance of Australian companies to sticktheir toes in the social media waters as well as the lackof integration between their websites, social mediachannels and traditional communications activities,few leading Australian firms are yet prepared to leadin front of the pack, or employ a joined-up approach tothis area.

Qantas uses YouTube to provide a lively mix ofcorporate announcements, updates on CSR activitiessuch as the airline's Change for Good partnership withUNICEF (pictured), product overviews and promotions.Since it was launched early 2006, the channel hasattracted over 900,000 views.

1. Australian Adult Social Technographics Revealed, Forrester Research,November 2008

2. Social Media Use by Australia's Best Brands, Burson-Marsteller,November 2009

22 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

..-..... Zaheer NooruddinDirector, Lead Digital StrategistEmail: [email protected]: @BMDigitalChinaCHINA

40%

VideoShilringCorporate Blogs

20%

Social Networi::sMicroblogs

• Active Accounts Inactive Accounts

The surveyed companies represent some of thelargest industrial and investment companies inmainland China. Many are state-owned enterprises,and tend to be conservative in nature, which mayexplain why their use of social media is not welldeveloped.

A major upside for microblogging in Chinese is thatwith the same 140 character limit you can write 70-90words in Chinese, versus an average of 15 words inEnglish. That's a 6 fold benefit when writing inChinese.

50%

web environment (its corporate website) or,increasingly, as a stand-alone blog on a third partyblogging service platform.

The recent surge in popularity of microblogs has ledmany companies to experiment with these channels.For example, Ctrip, a highly discussed brand in theChinese social web, is using a microblog hosted on topweb portal Sina.com to update its stakeholders oncorporate news and promote special offers.

China Mobile - Telecoms Thought Leadership

Of the many social media tools available, microblogsand corporate blogs are the most often used in China.Mainland companies have been relatively quick toadopt and experiment with corporate blogging,integrating them as part of an organization's corporate

The second trend is that active blogs and microblogsare increasingly used for what might be termed 'casual'communications, in addition to more formal marketingand public relations campaigns. This indicates thatChinese companies are still experimenting with theseplatforms, and are grappling to find their own socialmedia strategies - often ones that are quite differentfrom those adopted in the west.

As has been noted" while the Internet and social mediado not yet have the reach of some traditional media,notably TV, Chinese consumers rate Internet-basedadvertising and information as more credible than TV.Two trends emerge from the study. First, manycompanies rushed to set up their social mediapresences in 2007 and 2008, but roughly half of thosedestinations have since turned inactive.

Chinese consumers have taken to the Internet, andcontinue to do so, in unprecedented numbers. They areusing the social web as a core tool forinformation-gathering, decision-making and,increasingly, as a channel to compare prices and buygoods and services. Use of social media has spiraled asusers look to social networks, video channels, onlineforums and other social platforms for word of mouthrecommendations.

.J

"f~. :~~~:;.:.::=.~~~~-_.... . _-""_..... . _._ ' _ _-_...__ '.-- ----_......- ..

Source: http://blog.sina.com.cnlcmrililbs

China Mobile regularly provides corporate news andupdates, and comments on telecommunications industrytrends through its corporate blog (pictured) andmicroblog, hosted on top web portals Sina and Sohurespectively. In so doing, it has set the standard for Chinesecompanies on how to apply these tools to communicatewith the media and other audiences.

Another issue to keep in mind is that Twitter, Facebookand YouTube are blocked in mainland China.Accordingly, global campaigns built for thoseplatforms must be re-strategized, translated intoChinese and re-posted or re-created on China'sdominant social media platforms. China's social mediaplatforms are conceptually similar to majorinternational ones, but each platform has its ownunique qualities and dynamics.

1. China's New Pragmatic Consumers, McKinsey Quarterly, October 2010

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 23

HONG KONG.K'i""I. Zaheer Nooruddin.... _n Director, Lead Digital Strategist

Email: [email protected]: @zooruddin

• Active Accounts _ Inactive Accounts

While Internet users prefer to click on videos andimages on the Internet, rather than pure text, videosharing channels have yet to be embraced in HongKong, other than for consumer and product marketingpurposes. This may be due to the relatively smallamount of externally-sharable video contentavailable, or that video sharing is seen to be only ofinterest to consumers.

Most companies in Hong Kong are still in the earlystages of assessing how to apply social media to theirbusinesses. The most popular approach for HongKong-based companies has been to set up a presenceon Facebook, which has very high local reach. Facebookis much the most popular destination on the Internet inHong Kong" with an almost 8% share of web traffic.

International companies have been the mostenthusiastic users of social media, a good examplebeing Cathay Pacific Airways, which in Hong Kong andglobally, uses Facebook pages, Twitter and other socialmedia platforms such as video and photo sharingchannels to communicate with its corporatestakeholders and its consumers, to handle generalcustomer enquiries and to drive recruitment.

However, it is not just international companies that areadopting Facebook and other channels. For example,Hong Kong's MTR Corporation has set up camps bothon Facebook and Twitter to share corporate news andinformation with journalists, bloggers, customers andrailway enthusiasts, including updates on its CorporateSocial Responsibility initiatives and programs.

Microblogs

50%

Sodal Networks Corporate Blogs Video Sharing

While Facebook and, to a lesser extent Twitter, arestarting to occupy corporate minds, corporate bloggingis almost non-existent in Hong Kong among thecompanies surveyed. In addition to concerns about thelack of internal capabilities, corporations may also findit easier to be "represented" online as an entity, ratherthan by individuals within a company.

Cathay Pacific - Media Be Influencer Relations

Source:http://blog.cathaypacific.coml

Cathay Pacfiic use a mix of social media channels,including a corporate blog (pictured), to tell the Cathaycorporate story, as well as to announce product newsand promotions, and answer customer questions. Cathayalso encourage users to share their Cathay experienceswith other customers using videos and photos.

24 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

The relatively large number of inactive social networkpages suggest that that many Hong Kong companieshave yet to decide how best to sustain their socialcommunications and engagement strategies beyondthe relatively simple and straight-forward first step ofchannel creation.

While Cathay Pacific and MTR are both proactivelyencouraging users to share experiences in the form ofvideos, photos and posts, most of the companiessurveyed are primarily using social media to "push"corporate-related information, much of it text-based,and have not reached the stage of activating audienceengagement and through building onlinecommunities of stakeholders through social mediachannels.

Going forward, Hong Kong's companies should usesocial media to bring to life their brands and makethem truly engaging for their audiences. They can alsoestablish real dialogue between their brands,stakeholders and customers.

1. HitWise Hong Kong. September 2010

INDIAPalin NingthoujamDigital StrategistEmail: [email protected]: @palinn

communicate with their many stakeholders, bothdomestically as well as in other English languagemarkets. Corporate blogs are also seen as a usefulmeans of getting your message directed to theaudience rather than having to communicate throughintermediaries such as journalists.

Partly given their international focus, Indiantechnology giants such as Infosys and Wipro areactively blogging. Infosys has a wide range of blogs,mostly focused on its products, categories andpartnerships, but also highlighting and analysingtrends around innovation and leadership. Wipro's blogdiscusses technology trends and the firm'ssustainability initiatives, amongst other topics.

• Active Accounts _Inactive Accounts

Video SharingCorporate Blogs

40%

Social Networks

40%

Mitroblogs

Yet companies in other sectors are also jumping on thesocial media bandwagon, including FMCG companies,whose product brands are generally active in the socialmedia space, and banks such as ICICI and HDFC. Thelatter are mostly focused on providing customer servicesupport and product promotions.

It is not all Facebook and Twitter. Corporate blogs areseen as a good way for Indian companies to

Given the low user penetration, combined with apatchy telecoms infrastructure, Indian companies havemoved relatively fast in response to the opportunitiesafforded by social media. Many top Indian corporatessurveyed are either experimenting or already haveactive accounts on Facebook and Twitter.

Hardly surprisingly, India's top technology companiesare proactively using social media of all types for bothcorporate and consumer outreach.

Facebook and Google's Orkut social networks are bothhighly popular in India; India is a major engine ofgrowth for Linkedln. Meantime, Twitter's popularityamong politicians, celebritites, film stars andsportsmen has given the microblog massive publicity.

At 6.9%\ Internet penetration in India remainsrelatively low, yet social media use is swelling as evergreater numbers of people flock to social media tonetwork and voice their opinions.

Infosys - Business Thought Leadership

Leadenti

lbo ..,....-.._ ........ u .......?p_..-_...

Using video to tell the corporate story is also gainingground in India. Here, companies are using YouTube(and increasingly Facebook) to host interviews andspeeches by senior management and promote events,in addition to supporting broader marketingcampaigns.

In addition to a slew of blogs on its products andpartnerships, management and experts at IT firmInfosys tackle topics from global economics and businessregulation to innovation, leadership and employeemotivation and retention on their Flat Earth andLeaderati blogs (pictured).

~~§~:.~~~~~~::=....-._-----_.._--_ .._-_._ .._-------_ _.._--------'.._-_ _..._,,--_...._--_._---_.._.._..-.---_0..._.._.._....._--_..._..-----------------_.._..- ..._..._._----_.__ ...._.._----._----------Source http://www.infosysblog!>.(omI

t.--.=::-"='"-._.._.._-

Indian companies still put great emphasis on theirwebsites. But only a small minority has sought tointegrate their websites and activities on third partysocial media platforms. While Indian companiesappear relatively comfortable with corporate blogs,most companies are still experimenting withFacebook and are not yet ready to join their variousonline channels at the hip.

1. InlernelWorldSlales, November 2008

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 25

INDONf~IANatashia JayaAssociateEmail: [email protected]: @natsiii

• Active Accounts _Inactive Accounts

50%

Nonetheless, telecommunications companies areamongst the most active adopters of social mediachannels in Indonesia. Both Indosat and TelkomIndonesia are using Facebook and Twitter, on whichthey have built substantial communities.

20%

Video SharingCorporate BlogsSocial NetworksMicroblogs

Video for corporate communication has yet to take offin Indonesia. This is most likely due to the country'spoor telecoms infrastructure and high commercialand retail broadband prices. And while smartphonesare increasingly widely used, the fashion is forBlackberries, which are less suited to viewing videothan other smartphones.

Engagement and interaction with stakeholders andcustomers does not seem to be the main objective.Rather, top Indonesian companies are looking at socialmedia primarily to disseminate content and driveawareness. Interestingly, the little interactionbetween companies and users is mostly on Twitter ­perhaps due to the microblog's relative ease of usefrom a corporate perspective.Kalbe Farma - Healthcare Thought Leadership

Despite this, Indonesian companies have been generallyslow to use social media for corporate communicationand marketing, and are largely still in experimentationmode, restricting their activities to social networks andmicroblogs, specifically Facebook and Twitter, whichthey use largely to distribute company news and to talkabout their Corporate Social Responsibilityprogrammes.

Furthermore, Indonesian journalists, analysts and otherinfluencers are highly active on both Facebook andTwitter, using these channels to track trends, researchstories and discuss issues with their friends andprofessional networks.

Indonesians have only taken to social media relativelyrecently. But the growth rates have been extraordinary,fueled in part by high mobile and 3G penetration rates,combined with widespread enthusiasm for mobilecommunication and social networking.

While the country's Internet penetration rate remainslow, some 28m' Indonesians have registered to useFacebook, the second highest number worldwide. AndJakarta is now labeled the 'Twitter Capital of Asia'based on its high share of global Twitter users'.

The impact of such enthusiasm for social media hasbeen immediate. Aside from sharing personalexperiences, Indonesians are using these technologiesto bring about societal change. The role of social mediain helping resolve the reported misdiagnosis andsubsequent mistreatment of Prita Mulyasari3 at aJakarta hospital has been well documented, and thereare many other examples.

Pharmaceutical company Kalbe Farma uses Facebook tohighlight industry research into Alzheimer's, cancer andother illnesses (pictured). The page also highlights healthworkshops the company holds for local communities,and the Research and Technology-Kalbe Science Awards(RKSA) that it holds beinnially to reward Indonesianresearchers for their achievements.

~ KALB£

blbe f",maa IUSTEX-KAL8E SCJEHa AWAAI) 2011)' R.ec.ognwng SOeolIfie"UAdllevemenl,24~20101lttp://bll·~fdYllo.l:

.000lOt>o:rlht7:~ ..... Sclo<~TOIftllleo--.ntl.loe

QI>e fanM Wortsnop "tlutJltlOMl Support to( c.anc... ""Milt"' KOllo\S VI POLtAl. Malof'lg,29Stpttm!lef2(l10http://bLIy/bplSg\V

.0Ct<JbIr12.t7"O"""'_~1_ISCoImlenlUoo

Ka!befanu)rel COngtessrJThe PACTlUMS (I'6tt-As>onCOrnmltteefO(I.U TrNlmt'nt al'ld FlnurdllnM~ Sdtrosis) ~://b'A.Iy/elTJt.o

.OC!Dbe'12at7:0,," ... SeledWT"'l'f!I·ee..-.tu..

KoIlber;lnn<lHartp.an~ru~Voksln~Ilttp://bIt.Iy/bkVYvg

loUt • 0<_12I!J:«cro.~~1_l:f;·e-1 Uoo

£)S"".... lU'If..,,-.Source: http://www.facebook.com/KalbeFarma.Tbk

From the high percentage of inactive social mediaaccounts in Indonesia, it is clear that Indonesiancompanies are mostly still taking a short-termapproach. We expect this to change as the Internetand social media expand their reach beyond the urbanareas, broadband becomes more pervasive andcompanies develop a greater understanding of theneed to build close relationships with theirsta keholders.

1. CheckFacebook.com, October 20102. Sysomos, January 20103. http'!/en.wikipedia.org/wikilPrita_Mulyasari

26 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

JAPAN 00Cindy LowSenior AssociateEmail: [email protected]

On the surface, social media and the Japanese are notnatural bedfellows. For westerners, social media isabout networking and dialogue, an opportunity forindividuals to promote themselves as topic experts. InJapan, blogging is mostly done for oneself, and is rarelypromoted. Social networks are used largely to reinforceexisting relationships, not develop new ones.

• Active Accounts Inactive Accounts

30%

20%

corporate blogs and video channels, it is striking thatno companies in this study are using major Japanese(such as Mixi or Gree) or international social networksto communicate with journalists and other corporatestakeholders.

From a corporate point of view, social media demands atransparent and conversational approach tocommunications that does not come naturally toJapanese organizations prone to bureaucracy andhierarchy.

Yet after a hesitant start, Japanese people have takento social media with some gusto. Microblogs, especiallyTwitter, are proving highly popular, and while socialnetworks such as Mixi have struggled to advancebeyond the 20 million user mark, social gaming, thelatest big hit, looks likely to last the distance.

Microblogs Social Networks Corporate Blogs Video Sharing

Source: http://twitter.com/'!/nissan

Nissan - Media 8c Influencer Relations

-- ..a.')-7'l'7" .... :.-JtJIIIJQ.V". ::1-:'-U1:~.1.:~6Q•• ~.MI:P-J--..ull :.=.::.=-=.::.==-

1. Global Social Media Check-Up, Burson-Marsteller, February 2010

Strikingly, neither are companies using corporateblogs, apparently contradicting Burson-Marstellerresearch' that found that corporate blogs are used bya number of leading Japanese firms (none of which arecovered in this study). Yet the bulk of these blogs weretargeted at specific markets - mostly the US - asopposed to global or local Japanese channels.

Furthermore, Japanese companies often review blogposts before they are posted, or turn off the ability forusers to comment, thereby limiting open dialogue andturning the channel more into another contentdistribution arm.

It is also apparent that major Japanese companies arenot taking advantage of the Japanese love of videoand the country's high speed 3G networks to tell theirstory, opting instead to host videos on their ownwebsites, and then mostly to support their consumermarketing programmes.

While large Japanese companies may not beaggressive users of social media, this does not meanthat they are not paying attention to trends in mediaconsumption nor to the requirements and behavioursof their stakeholders and customers. Strong demandfor social media monitoring services in Japan isevidence of this interest.

=-::.,:.- \\1---

............. ...- ---HISSAH J• ....~"""'-"'-0.:1""~ ___b_...._~......------ ..lll....I:;"('S.')-7>t7., :.-J!tlIIIlUl••7l"...,.. ~.-a"".c~o:~~'.t..ltl IP'B~1J~__10:7771.0 ,...---

Ofthose companies that are actively using social mediawhile there is some experimentation with microblogs,

Of the companies surveyed, there is a high proportionof inactive accounts. Why? Most likely as Japaneseenterprises are still feeling their way in this area, andare sitting on their channels until they have decidedhow to move forward in a systematic manner.

Drawing on press conferences, trade shows and otherevents, Nissan communicates its corporate activities,including environmental and community programs, usingits website, Twitter and live video streaming service,USTREAM. Aimed principally at the Japanese market fornow, such an approach can help Nissan to extend itscorporate reach to other markets.

Unlike many small businesses, which see the Internetand social media as a cost-effective way to cut throughthe consumer clutter, Japan's top companies have beenmore wary, using social media sparingly forconsumer/product marketing, and little as a means tobuild their corporate reputation.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 27

MAlAYSIAFelix HeinimannGroup Managing DirectiorEssence CommunicationsEmail: [email protected]: @TechatEssence

20%

_Active Accounts _Inactive Accounts

30%

Video Sharing

10%

Corporate Blogs

~Socia! NetworksMicroblogs

Nevertheless, both corporations and governmentinstitutions are starting to realise that the benefits ofa direct and interactive approach outweigh thechallenges and risks. This is especially true ofconsumer-focused sectors, such astelecommunications, consumer technology, andtourism and travel.

opportunity, as video can be a highly engaging way totell one's corporate story, whether it is to bringmanagement closer to the customer, to explain thebackground and meaning of key corporateannouncements, or to illustrate corporateresponsibility and community programmes.

Amongst the companies surveyed, DiGiTelecommunications showed the highest level ofactivity, using Facebook and Twitter to makeannouncements and as channels to address consumercomplaints quickly. While DiGi's Twitter-stream is fastbecoming an avenue for customers to air theirgrievances publicly, the company moves fast torespond, with its posts also shared on Facebook. Thisprovides transparency whilst building good corporateimage by depicting itself as a company that cares.DiGi

DiGi • Corporate Social Responsibility

Neither are local companies exploiting Malaysians'appetite for online video. This appears to be a missed

Despite the rapid adoption of social media channels bythe Malaysian general public - social networks nowhave almost 75% reach in the country, and Malays areamongst the heaviest users of online video inAsia-Pacific' - Malaysian companies tend to see socialmedia as a double-edged sword. For some it is a direct,dynamic and interactive avenue for stakeholdercommunication, for others it is an all too easy way toget exposed to negative feedback.

A similar approach is practiced by the majority ofcompanies surveyed, who are using social media asadditional channels for product promotions and toannounce corporate updates. Almost all companies shyaway from the core purpose of these platforms - directinteraction with their users. It is striking that nocompanies in the study are using blogs, at least forcorporate purposes.

An essentially conservative and non-confrontationalculture, the most trusted form of communication inMalaysia is through face-to-face interaction and wordof mouth. Accordingly, top companies are mainly usingsocial media to distribute company news and facts,rather than as a tool to connect and engage with theirstakeholders.

For example, Malaysia's Employee's Provident Fund (notcovered in this study) recently launched new Facebookand Twitter channels, though the company has statedthat both platforms will only be used forannouncements.

DiGi's Deep Green programme set out the company'sgoals and activities to reduce its carbon footprint. Unlikemost CSR programmes, set out in brochure format,online and in print, DiGi is encouraging users to shareand vote on green ideas and is running Challenge forChange, in which contestants submit c1eantech andsocial enterprise ideas online and via video.

Though not covered by this study, the proactive use ofFacebook, Twitter and corporate blogging by TonyFernandes, CEO of Air Asia, as well as by Malaysia'sPrime Minister and a large number of other politicians(of all persuasions), have brought them closer to thepublic and are clearing a path for those unsure how tomove forward.

1. State of the Internet with a Focus on Asia-Pacific, comScore, July 2010

28 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

PHlliPPINf~ :DIllJinny JacariaAccount Group DirectorStrategic Edge, IncEmail: [email protected]

Despite a relatively poor telecoms infrastructure, andInternet penetration only 30%" suddenly people aretalking of the Philippines as the new social media posterboy. Philippine use of Facebook has surged to 17.6musers, and the country boasts one of the highestTwitter penetration rates in the world'.

• Active Accounts _Inactive Accounts

30%

20%

Meantime, most Philippine companies remain inwebsite mode. Having spent sometimes largeamounts of money relatively recently on thesechannels, they are keen to see a return on theirinvestment.

Instead, the great majority are hanging back until theytrain their communications teams, have the necessaryinvestment to sustain the relevance and interest intheir social channels and are satisfied of the legalimplications of sharing company information andviews on the Internet and in social media.

Philippine companies are also concerned about how tomeasure the success of social media as a platform forcorporate marketing. It is perhaps only whencompanies are able to see the real value of socialmedia engagement in their broader marketing effortsthat they will be able to justify it as a corporatemarketing tool.

Video Sharing

10%

Corporate BlogsSocial NetworksMicroblogs

Even the top local banks, insurance and other financialservices companies are experimenting with Facebook(though not with microblogs, video sharing, corporateblogs and other forms of social media). Yet it is mostlyexperimentation - the majority of accounts wereinactive during the period of research for this study.

A good example is mobile company Globe Telecom,which actively uses Facebook and Twitter to increaseawareness of its products and get closer to itscustomers. And with some success - the company nowcounts over 230,000 fans on Facebook and 35,000followers on Twitter.

Meantime, few Philippine companies have begun to usesocial media for corporate marketing andcommunications and, where it exists, it is mostly tohighlight corporate citizenship activities. A notableexception is the Ayala Corporation conglomerate,which maintains an active Facebook page, a corporateblog and a YouTube channel.

Local companies are now playing catch-up, with thegreat majority focused on exploiting consumeropportunities - typified by a multitude of contests,discounts, promotions and product launches - and anincreasing focus on customer service. Most activity ison Facebook.

Ayala Corporation - Leadership Communica-

Source:~~iiwwwJaccl;;~~i~ugustozobel

Ayala Corporation Chairman and CEO of Philippineconglomerate Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala usesFacebook to communicate the progress of his companiesand corporate initiatives concerning sustainability andcorporate governance, and to serve as a platform to sharehis views on philanthropy and other public issues.

This is a missed opportunity. Web traffic in thePhilippines is already dominated by search enginesand social media, and traffic to company websitesoften in decline as people spend more in socialnetworks and other media.

More important, companies must understand thatcustomers now have more choice, and power, thanever before. Staying away from social media simplylessens their ability to influence stakeholder behavior.

1. Internetworldstats.com, October 20102. Market Insight Social Networking in the Asia-Pacific Region, Gartner,

October 2010

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 29

~INGAPORf ~Jonathan HoelDigital StrategistEmail: [email protected]: @jon_hoel

Based on its strong trading economy, business-friendlyregulatory environment and strong broadband and 3Gmobile infrastructures, Singapore is rated as one of themost advanced digital economies in the world ' .

• Active Accounts _Inactive Accounts

40%

30%

One Singapore company - Starhub - is actively usingFacebook and other channels, though primarily tocommunicate product promotions and discounts andto provide customer service support. The firm's use ofsocial media for corporate marketing andcommunications appears to remain a low priority.

While Singaporean companies have been holding backon the use of social media for corporate purposes,those that are experimenting in this area are mostlyfocused on 'warmer' topics such as corporateresponsibility, which are arguably less likely to becontentious. An example is OCBC Bank's annual CycleSingapore campaign, which uses Facebook and,latterly, Twitter to build awareness and increaseparticipation.

Video SharingCorporateBlogsSodal Networks

10%

MicroblogsIt is also apparent in the relative lack of two-wayinteraction with users. Most Singaporean companiesprefer to take a 'push' approach to social media, usingFacebook and other channels largely to disseminatepress releases and other corporate statements.

DBS Bank - Issues & Crisis Communications

This is not to say that Singapore's top companies arewholly shying away from two-way communications.

This 'push' approach comes at the expense of two-wayonline interaction between companies and their users;few companies are giving the impression that they areactively listening to their stakeholders' requirementsand opinions. The dearth of corporate blogs used bySingaporean companies in this study, as well as morebroadly, is instructive in this regard.

While Singapore has the makings of a truly world-classdigital economy, its leading companies are in theexperimental phase when it comes to corporate use ofsocial media. This is most evident in the high proportionof inactive accounts, especially on Facebook andYouTube - the top social network and video sharingchannel respectively in the island state.

@dbsbank08$""',

Read a personal message from Piyush, ourCEO, about last week's service disruption.http://www.dbs.com/sg/pagesjannouncement.aspx

Retweeled by vi)eshkk and 4 othENs

It,i'l!l .aSoufce:http://twitter.com/dbsbank

DBS Bank uses Twitter to field customer service enquiries.This proved a useful tool in a much publicised ATMdisruption in July 2010 (pictured), during which customerenquiries were fielded and updates and links to furtherinformation where communicated regularly to customersand other stakeholders.

Companies also realise social media can be a usefultool when faced with an issue or crisis. During an ATMservice interruption in July 2010, Singapore-based DBSBank used Twitter to communicate updates to itscustomers. Once the issue was resolved, DBS hascontinued to use the account to answer broaderenquiries about its products and service.

Incidents such as the above can serve as a catalyst formore structured and proactive use of social mediachannels.

1. Digital Economy Rankings 2010, Economist Intelligence Unit

30 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

~OUTH KORfAMargaret KeyMarket LeaderEmail: [email protected]: @MargaretKey

Koreans are hungry for social media. A garrulouspeople, social media helps them meet, talk andorganize during the working day and beyond. Socialmedia also plays an increasingly important role inpublic life, for instance helping Koreans organize andrun protests against US beef imports. Korea's Presidenthas taken to Twitter' .

Koreans are also fortunate to benefit from the fastestbroadband infrastructure in the world'. Catching up onthe latest sporting highlights or gaming with yourfriends is almost as simple as updating your socialnetworking profile or sending an email on yoursmartphone.

• Active Accounts • Inactive Accounts

so%

1. httpd/twitter.com/#!/BluehouseKorea2. State of the Internet Report Ql 2010. Akamai Technologies

that can benefit, or damage, an organisation'slonger-term reputation.

There is also the volatile nature of the Koreanblogosphere to contend with, made no easier by awidespread culture of anonymous contributions and awillingness to discuss issues that can make otherinternet cultures appear tame.

Video SharingCorporate BlogsSocial NetworksMicroblogs

Despite the excellent telecoms infrastructure, Koreancompanies have yet to start using video in anysubstantive way to illustrate their activities. In thisarea, PR departments have yet to learn the storytellingskills of their marketing colleagues. As such, it is aspace to watch.

Social networks are also proving popular, and not justfor consumer campaigns. Korean companies are usingFacebook and Twitter to draw attention to the latestcorporate news and to provide a better service morefinely attuned to the evolving needs of journalists,bloggers, analysts and other influencers. Corporatesocial responsibility programmes are widelycommunicated through social media.

It is equally little surprise then that microblogs aretoday's preferred social media option. Increasinglypopular, easy to use, open and trustworthy for theuser, Korean companies figure it is a good way tocommunicate direct to local and internationalstakeholders at little cost, while maintainingreasonable control over the message.

LG Electronics launched a CSR campaign to highlight itscommitment to hemophiliac sufferers using a corporateblog and Twitter. Users were encouraged to showphotos of their blood donations via Twitter, and talkabout them on the blog, with LG promising to donatedirect to a charity.

Local Internet companies have been quick to rise to thechallenge, providing users with a slew of innovativeservices. Top local portal/search engine Naver's highlysuccessful Knowledge iN Q&A service provided theinspiration for Yahoo! Answers; both Naver and rivalDaum have launched real-time social media searchservices.

O "o!hIIlll~"~"''jI''uwaJfR~·::::::::::7.::;-'::'''-··-·

LG ••• 1:1 ~~lli!l.IiIiIiiI;liiII---_._--.... ...._- ..::;::="_-::..------_.""--- --- .. __ .._._-

Source: http://blog.lge.comJ

Generally conservative by nature, Korean companiesare keen to be seen as innovative, but would prefer tobe innovative without taking on the associated risks.There is also a tendency to view social networks andother social channels as marketing tools to reach out tocustomers rather than as public relations platforms

So it may come as little surprise to many that topKorean companies - including a good smattering ofhousehold name chaebol such as LG, Samsung, Hyundai- are leading the social media charge in Asia. However, ithas not been plain sailing.

LG Electronics· Corporate Social Responsibility

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 31

TAIWANLuna ChiangGroup DirectorCompass Public RelationsEmail: [email protected]

While many top Taiwanese companies are aware of thesocial media phenomenon, and are considering how toapproach this area, most are staying clear of socialmedia for corporate marketing purposes, at least fornow.

Why are Taiwanese companies so reluctant?

First, many firms are grappling with the valueproposition of social media. How can their activities bemeasured and financial value evaluated? Culturallyconservative, the need to attach tangible value tobusiness activities is regarded as critically important.

• Active Accounts • Inactive Accounts

20%

10%

If Taiwanese companies need local inspiration, theywould do well to look at phone manufacturer HTCCorporation. HTC uses a combination of Facebook,Twitter and YouTube in English language to highlightand showcase latest products globally, leveragephysical events such as press conferences and productlaunches on the Internet, and build relationships withcustomers, bloggers and other opinion-formers.

A second factor is the nature of media outreach inTaiwan, which is often stymied by the lack of in-housecommunications teams. Basic media enquiries tend togo through the company PR person, with spokespersonduties handled by the CFO - again, a reflection of theimportance attached to financial and operationalperformance - and not well suited to the demands ofsocial media, from initiating and responding todiscussions, to ongoing channel management.

Microblogs Social Networks Corporate Blogs Video Sharing

Third, while a number of major Taiwanese companiesare active in social media, they are using these channelsalmost exclusively for consumer marketing and productpromotions. These channels are localised to meet therequirements and behaviours of consumers in specificmarkets - a global approach is rare.

HTC - Media & Influencer Relations

..._-....... ..,.

._~--~---_.~--_._--

Source: http-;'www.youtube.comtwatchhzyai2u3nVlN4

HTC is steadily building its profile on the Internet, usingsocial media to communicate and engage withcustomers and opinion-formers. The company regularlyuploads coverage of its press conferences to YouTube,Facebook and its website, resulting in hundreds ofthousands of views, and has posted material telling the'Quietly Brilliant' HTC corporate story (pictured).

32 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

It is perhaps little accident that HTC, along with othertop consumer technology players such as Acer, regardthemselves as global companies with globalambitions. To reach today's consumer technologybuyers in all parts of the world, HTC understands ithas little option other than to be online, and be wheretheir consumers increasingly are - in social media.

However, to stay the long course, even the moreglobal Taiwanese companies will need to movebeyond product marketing and look to build trusted,long-term relationships with all manner ofstakeholders, and proactively look to build a goodcorporate reputation .

In the future, we expect to see Taiwan's moreprogressive companies use corporate marketing in amore substantive way, and with social media at itsheart. It is surely a question of when, not if.

THAilANDJeremy PlotnickKnowledge DirectorAziam Burson-MarstellerEmail: [email protected]

Source: http://www.(p<lII~.com.l.Iome/blog.itsplC

CP ALL - Business Thought Leadership

Likewise, companies have been hesitant to adopt thesenew channels and, when they do, generally followconsumer trends in opting for social networks such asFacebook and HiS, as well as Twitter, while largelysteering clear of blogs and video sharing.

Video SharingCorporClte Blogs

70%

Social NetworksMkroblogs

1. Checkfacebook.com, October 20102. http.llwww.facebook.com/Abhisit.M.Vejjajiva

Top Thai firms are not yet exploiting theconversational opportunities of social media.Bumrungrad Hospital, for instance, actively usesTwitter but almost exclusively as a one-way channel toprovide health tips and information about hospitalservices.

• Active Accounts Inactive Accounts

reputation management topics and focus 'feel good'CSR stories or promotions.

And while anecdotal reports indicate that Thaiconsumers, especially young people, are becomingactive users of online video, local companies havestayed clear. Possible reasons: Thailand's weaktechnical infrastructure with limited broadband andalmost non-existent 3G wireless access. Anotherreason: YouTube's checkered history in the country,with the government closing access to the platform anumber of times due to claims of material deemedoffensive to the Thai monarchy.

Corporate blogging is used by only one company inthe survey, for a mix of corporate marketing and toenable company executives to share their thoughts ona range of social and cultural topics. The lack ofinterest in blogging is in line with overall consumertrends as well as with marketing practice in Thailand,which stresses the use of visual imagery rather thanthe written word.

_ --_--~-

_....... - ­--_.....--~--

-- ---_......_...._-=:---

:: -_..-- ..... ---·1

~,gJJ :':::•••

Thai conglomerate CP All uses its corporate blog to talkabout a number of issues important to its business,including sharing anecdotes and best practices fromfranchises of its 7-Eleven stores: previous histories ofstore owners, how and why they started doing businesswith CP All, how they dealt with problems, the key to theirsuccess.

While most Thai companies surveyed have a brandedpresence on at least one of the main social mediaplatforms, there appears to be a lack of strategicrationale and organizational commitment to theirendeavors. Social media is all too rarely integrated intoa comprehensive corporate marketing platform; ratherthey serve as largely standalone communicationschannels or at best are linked to the corporate websitein a hub and spoke system. There are also many inactiveor under-utilized channels; others are usurped bycustomers and/or employees to discuss topicsunrelated to the company or its business.

The Thai translation of 'usage' of social media is to 'play'- that is, an individual will 'play Facebook' - and theconnotation of fun seems to have carried over into thecorporate arena, manifested in companies' apparentreluctance to address serious corporate marketing or

Social media has been relatively slow in reaching criticalmass in Thailand, though the political disturbancesearlier in 2010 led to a spurt in the use of Facebook(now counting S.gm users') and Twitter by both citizensand politicians. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajivanow counts over 480,000 followers on Facebook'.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 33

AN ApPROACH TO

(ORPORAH ~OCIAl MfDlA

Some key considerations for organisations when developing and implementing acorporate social media strategy:

o

II

II

II

II

Monitor ContinuouslyDiscussions online don't conveniently take place during work hours - they canhappen anytime, on any channel and any topic. Make sure you are trackingtop influencers, forums and other online channels in order to identifypotential issues early and proactively enter into relevant conversations.

Clarify ObjectivesMany organizations stray into social media without a clear idea of what theyare looking to achieve, and using rudimentary metrics and tools to evaluatetheir performance. Having a clear set of objectives will make the programmemore effective, easier to sell and simpler to evaluate.

Get Management Buy-InEncourage senior management to be aware of - and, optimally, participate insocial media - in order to foster appropriate participation by employees onbehalf of the company. Setting a positive example is the best method ofsocial media leadership.

Align MessagesUntil recently, different stakeholders could be treated separately usingdifferent sets of messages and materials; the internet now gives all audiencesaccess to much the same information. The need for consistent messaging toall audiences and across all channels is becoming increasingly important.

Connect the DotsYour stakeholders may have a different view of your company than you do,and can voice these opinions whenever they want. When considering yourcorporate social media strategy, look laterally across your organization toidentify potential weaknesses or contradictions and plan your response.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 35

Contribute to the CommunityMake sure that your participation in social media is relevant and genuinelyhelps and adds value to your audiences, as opposed to always providingcontent that is marketing or promotional in nature. As with humanrelationships, people respond to companies that listen, are responsive andapproachable.

D

II

m

m

m

36 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

Participate in Good Times and BadThere will always be situations in which it is best to avoid participating inonline conversations but, generally speaking, negative content provides anopportunity for an organization to share its point of view or set the recordstraight. Avoiding negative issues can also make you appear uncaring andperhaps with something to hide.

Be Prepared to Respond in Real-TimeSocial media conversations take place in real-time and can spread likewildfire, so it is often necessary to respond immediately to ensure that youare seen to care about your customers. Equally, a quick response can staveoff reputation damage that may take months to repair.

Be FlexibleWhilst it is preferable that your message and content are as clear andconsistent as possible in today's faster, flatter communications environment,the dynamics of online conversations can turn on a dime. Try to retain someflexibility both in your messaging and in its delivery.

Speak as a HumanPeople expect to be talked to as human beings, not as constituents of ademographic or members of a database. When interacting with customersand other stakeholders on the internet, it is essential that your voice andtone are both personal and true to your organisation's values.

Don't be Heavy-HandedBe careful about getting into fights with people on the Internet - largeorganizations rarely tend to win spats in the broad court of public opinion.Furthermore, the use of legal actions or threats often only makes mattersworse, alienating your audiences and helping spread the fire.

Optimise ContinuouslyIt is increasingly easy to track online conversations relevant to yourorganization, as well as monitor use of your branded social media channelson Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc. Such data can be enormously helpful inensuring that your approach is appropriate. It can also help fine-tune yourmessages.

Next Steps

Below are some initial actions for organizations considering planning and implementingcorporate social media programmes.

o

D

D

D

II

II

Understand AudiencesFew organizations get a grip on what their audiences think about them,beyond those they already know well. It is also important to appreciate theirbehaviours, in terms of preferred sources of information, approaches toresearch, relative spheres of influence etc - both online and offline. Whatpeople say and do online does not necessarily reflect what their offline lives.

Assess Communications CapabilitiesUnderstand how well equipped your internal and supplier teams are to plan,implement and assess social media programmes, build relationships in theonline environment (including leveraging existing 'offline' relationships), andtrack, analyse, escalate and manage online discussions.

Identify and Strengthen GapsIdentify the gaps betw,een your overall communications objectives and plan,and your current social media knowledge, skills, systems, processes andtools. Look to strengthen weaknesses through training, recruitment or byimproving internal decision-making processes and procedures.

Re-design Policies, Procedures and ToolkitsMake sure your current communications infrastructure is up to date andsufficiently flexible to meet today's reality. This may include the introductionof a corporate social media policy, the development of handbooks and otherresources and updating your crisis communications protocols.

Communicate Employee Roles and ResponsibilitiesIt is very easy, and tempting, for employees to share their own views andexperiences on company-related issues on the internet. It is vital that yourpeople are aware of the evolving legal framework (in some countries)governing disclosure to bloggers, their professional and personalresponsibilities and the broad principles of communicating online.

Cascade LearningsWhile often the best way to develop capabilities in any area is through theimplementation of communications programmes, also consider how best todevelop a system for sharing social media knowledge and learnings withinand across your communications teams, and ensuring these stay top ofmind.

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 37

(OMrANY-(OUNTRY INDHThe companies surveyed in this study comprise the top 10 companies per country as ranked in the 2009 Wall StreetJournal Asia 200 Index. The Index can be viewed at http://asia.wsj.com/public/page/asia200.html.

AustraliaWoolworthsBHP BillitonCoca-Cola AmatilAustralia & New Zealand Banking GroupBlueScope SteelQantas AirwaysWestpac BankingWesfarmersWestfield GroupRio Tinto

Mainland ChinaChina Merchants BankLenovo GroupChina Mobile CommunicationsCtrip.comBaiduChina International Trust & InvestmentIndustrial & Commercial Bank of ChinaChina Telecom CorporationBank of ChinaBank of Communications

Hong KongCathay Pacific AirwaysSwire PacificHang Seng BankMTR CorporationSun Hung Kai PropertiesShangri La AsiaChina Light & Power HoldingsHong Kong & China Gas (Towngas)Li & FungCheung Kong Holdings

IndiaInfosys TechnologiesTata Consultancy ServicesBharti AirtelLarsen & ToubroWiproTata SteelHindustan Unilever LimitedHDFC Bank StateBank of IndiaITC Limited

IndonesiaUnilever IndonesiaAstra InternationalIndofood Suskes MakmurBank Central AsiaHanjaya Mandala SampoernaIndonesian Satellite (Indosat)Bank Mandiri (Persero)United TractorsTelekomunikasi IndonesiaKalbe Farma

JapanToyota Motor CorporationNintendo Co.PanasonicHonda MotorCanonSeven & I HoldingsSony CorporationToshiba CorporationNissan MotorNH DoCoMo

South KoreaSamsung ElectronicsPOSCOLG ElectronicsSK TelecomSK HoldingsSamsung CorporationLG CorporationHyundai MotorShinsegaeHyundai Heavy Industries

MalaysiaPublic Bank BerhadNestle MalaysiaDiGi.comGentingUMW HoldingsVTL CorporationSime DarbyMalayan BankingResorts WorldHong Leong Bank

PhilippinesJollibee FoodsAyala CorporationAyala Land, Inc.San Miguel CorporationBank of the Philippine IslandsGlobe TelecomBanco de Oro Universal BankPhilippine Long Distance TelephoneSM Prime HoldingsMetropolitan Bank & Trust

SingaporeSingapore AirlinesSingTelUnited Overseas BankSingapore Press HoldingsOversea-Chinese Banking CorporationStarHubCapitaLandSingapore ExchangeSIA Engineering CoKeppel Corporation

TaiwanTaiwan Semiconductor ManufacturingAsustek ComputerPresident Enterprises CorporationAcerFormosa Plastics CorporationHon Hai Precision IndustryFormosa Petrochemical CorporationHigh Tech Computer CorporationNan Va PlasticsChi Mei Optoelectronics Corporation

ThailandSiam CementPH Public Company LimitedCharoen PokphandKasikornbankSiam Commercial BankBumrungrad HospitalAdvanced Info Service Public Company LimitedLand & Houses Public Company LimitedTotal Access CommunicationsCP Seven Eleven

38 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC

~URTHfR RfADING

Burson-Marsteller regularly publishes analysis and points of views on topicalcommunications issues. Recent examples relevant to readers of this reportinclude the publications listed here, which can be found on our Deliciousbookmark page http://www.delicious.com/bm_apac/BMJnsight.

••• The State of Mobile CommunicationsSeptember 2010

••• The Brand Management DinosaurAugust 2010

How to Effectively Manage Your Online ReputationAugust 2010

••• The New Crisis & Issues CommunicationsJuly 2010

Image and Reputation in the Age of Digital CommunicationJuly 2010

••- The Global Social Media Check-upFebruary 2010

CORPORATE SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT 2010 39

A(KNOWlmG[M[NT~ &(ONTACT~

Acknowledgements

The following employees atBurson-Marsteller and its affiliates acrossAsia-Pacific have contributed to this study:Adeline Heng, Anoushka Bhar, Betty Ng,Carly Yanco, Cindy Low, Craig Adams, EllizaAbdul Rahim, Haruehun Airry Noppawan,Jeremy Plotnick, Jinny Jacaria, JonathanHoel, Luna Chiang, Margaret Key, MonicaMeer, Natashia Jaya, Palin Ningthoujamand Stephanie Aye.

For Further Contact

To speak to one of the authors of this report, or forfurther information, please contact:

Charlie PownallDirector, Lead Digital StrategistBurson-Marsteller (Asia-Pacific)65.9655.7997Email: [email protected]: @cpownall

Zaheer NooruddinDirector, Lead Digital StrategistBurson-Marsteller (Greater China)852.5303.0394Email: [email protected]: @zooruddin

Steve BowenManaging Director, Marketing & TrainingBurson-Marsteller (Asia-Pacific)65.9151.2778Email: [email protected]: @steve bowen

Christine JonesManaging Director, New BusinessBurson-Marsteller (Asia-Pacific)61.2.9928.1557Email: [email protected]

40 BURSON-MARSTELLER ASIA-PACIFIC