Insignia Talks

…about the power of communication to create, manage and protect reputations

Issues come in many guises and from multiple sources: environmental, political, pressure groups, regulations, health fears, security, safety, trust…the list is lengthening every week. As a consequence it might be tempting to run up the white flag and believe that it’s simply not possible to get a firm grip over the issues affecting our businesses. But Insignia is not a white flag kind of consultancy. We believe that sound analysis and thoughtful communication strategy can help you successfully manage the issues that face your business. Our expertise covers:

Issues mapping
You probably already have a good idea of the main issues affecting your business today. But do you totally understand their respective importance and power to harm your business? And do you understand the issues lying in wait just over the horizon? Insignia’s approach to issues mapping gives you a clear picture of the risk landscape facing your business – the first step to successfully managing it.

Stakeholder analysis
Not all stakeholders are created equal – and it’s certainly true that the noisiest aren’t always the most influential. So understanding who really matters and what we need them to know, think and do is an essential part of issues management. Insignia’s approach to stakeholder analysis is designed to provide this clarity.

Strategy development
Insignia’s consultants have experience of managing a wide range of challenging issues over the years from GM crops to marketing to children, from ethical trading to planning issues. Whatever the issue, one thing remains the same: the need for a clear and well-conceived strategy. Based on our understanding of your issues landscape and the stakeholder map, we will develop a communication strategy to navigate through the issues maze so you emerge with your reputation preserved.

Resource creation
Insignia’s experienced consultants can craft the materials – briefing papers, question and answer sheets, standby statements, factsheets, brochures, online content – which will clearly communicate your position, engaging and influencing key stakeholders in the desired way. And of course, we can offer media or communication training to ensure that your people have the confidence and skills to effectively communicate about the issue.

Stakeholder engagement
With planning complete, Insignia can implement your issues management strategy. Tactics will vary on a situation by situation basis, but could include setting up and facilitating meetings with politicians or civil servants, communicating with NGOs, embarking on a pro-active media relations campaign, or simply monitoring events as part of a reactive strategy. Whatever activities are required, Insignia has the experience and capabilities to deliver a successful issues management programme.

Case study
When one of the world’s leading entertainment brands developed a strategy to launch into a new, lucrative and rapidly expanding – but highly controversial – market, Insignia’s Jonathan Hemus led the team tasked with formulating an issues management strategy to protect the reputation of the brand. Analysis of the external environment and a thorough examination of the views and influence of key stakeholders resulted in the proposal of two potential issues management strategies.

The first was a comprehensive and pro-active campaign of stakeholder engagement linked with a rapid response capability in case the issue escalated. The alternative – and recommended – strategy was to reverse the decision to enter this market on the basis that the potential returns did not justify the level of reputational risk. The launch was cancelled.