This week's focus is on Ryanair's new Head of Communications Director (dubbed worst job in PR by Ryanair itself) and his shock statement on the brand's forth coming communications strategy.
Ryanair Airlines
Robin Kiely has been quoted saying that Ryanair would not be using social media as a part of it's communications strategy. Whilst other big name airline companies have utilised social media as a part of their brand, Kiely intends to use traditional media to get Ryanair's message across. One of the ways, he explained, was through the Ryanair website and have a dedicated area where journalists can get more information from Ryanair themselves. This is an attempt to prevent false claims about the airline as The Sunday Times wrote before Christmas that Ryanair had broken safety regulations 1,201 times in Spanish airspace. Kiely added that social media is a 'two way tool' and maintaining a Facebook or Twitter account would mean hiring extra people just to sit at a computer all day.
Robin Kiely- New Head of Comms at Ryanair
So, smart move? Being a student, and taking into account everything I have learnt so far, I'm going to say... no! Airlines bigger than Ryanair can manage their social media accounts, and yes they probably do have people on their payroll 'just sitting at a computer all day' but this is how the modern generation communicate!! I feel that Ryanair need to start embracing social media quicker rather than later as they could see a slide in their customers and sales pretty soon as the summer period is coming up!
Social media is a two way tool but it's a good thing. As much as you may get some bad comments, particularly if you're not one of the very top airlines, customers like to feel that they can be interactive with their brands. Sending an email or letter or even phoning up isn't enough any more- customers no longer want that feeling of being pushed from pillar to post, between departments and being put on hold. Social media gives customers the power to make brands react and keep them on their toes; social media allows that instant reaction from the brand, giving customers a solution to their problems. Even if you choose not to be on social media sites... that doesn't stop people from posting or tweeting about the brand. One of the first things I learnt on my course is customer feedback is key to improving and constantly reviewing your business and by having an online presence you can see what people are saying. This was proved yesterday that journalists get their stories just as much from social media and they do from the actual brand itself (HMV Twitter Account Hijacked).
Examples of the many social media sites available for brands to utilise
Consumers these days are pretty demanding creatures, especially since the back end of Generation Y is fast approaching 18 years old and believe me if you thought we were difficult children and teenagers, we are going to be nightmare adult consumers!! But the truth of the matter is, if brands don't engage with us now, they're going to find it twice as hard to know how to target us for the future.
I feel Kiely thinks that if he dismisses social media it means that social media dismisses Ryanair and it doesn't work that way. Social media and the web is our future, even if you don't like, it's happening!! Even the fact that being on a university course in PR and Marketing, if you don't have a Twitter account, LinkedIn profile, some sort of personal website or blog and knowledge on how to utilise all of these you're behind in the runnings for a career!! Having a dedicated area on the website may be a good idea but as part of a wider initiative maybe.
Journalists (well everyone really) know that brands are only going to promote the good things about their brand, but good news doesn't always make great news, sometimes a bit of scandal can go a long way. If you're a brand that have an amazing crisis management team and react to negative things in the right way, you can gain more credibility than a brand that simply ignores it or wishes it to stop.
I'll agree I know a lot of people that would laugh at the idea of people being hired just to sit on a social media site all day and get paid for it but you have to think of them as an extension of the marketing team I suppose? But if this is the future, no matter how much Ryanair try to break the mould, they are eventually going to get left behind.
I'm looking forward to seeing how this all plans out for Ryanair and if it works then it's a lesson for us all not to be so over obsessed with social media. But currently I just can't see it working, can you?
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