Introduction
Corporate communication is a powerful tool in the day-to-day operations of any organization. It forms a sole way through which various organs and individuals, both internal and external, get to understand each other for cohesion creation. For corporate communication to be effective, several elements are to be in play including integrity, focus, and alignment. An organization that is coherent and which resources are focused on specific pre-identified goals is far more likely to be successful than that which allows confusion and inconsistency to characterize its management. Emirates forms a perfect representative of an organization where corporate communication is best incorporated in operations.
Public relations team
In Emirates, corporate communication is used to support HR and management initiates in influencing personnel with the relevant information needed for a day’s duties. Corporate communication does not have an application only in passing knowledge, but it also used to motivate personnel for the effective performance of their roles. Emirates is unarguably among the best companies in the aviation industry, it is considered as a force to reckon with, and even some upcoming companies are emulating strategies from the company.
It is, therefore, essential that an effective communication strategy undergoes adoption to maintain a healthy and mutual point of understanding between the stakeholders and external audiences. The need for and evidence of an effective corporate communication strategy in Emirates reach the top of the industry and maintain the position.
For healthy and continued external relations, the Emirates Group has adopted various corporate communication strategies. The Emirates Company has its headquarters in Dubai with both the local and the global faces: the target market for the company is, therefore, both the United Arab Emirates’ and the world population where it has destinations. This is the responsibility of the public relations unit. To reach this audience, the PR unit of the company holds interviews with the top managers, host journalists, news conferences, and releases news.
Events team
To increase brand awareness and create a cordial relationship with third stakeholders, Emirates holds in-house events. These events’ unit of Emirates has the role of managing excellent events and exhibitions with an objective of selling the brand Emirates with the sophisticated touch that characterizes it. The duties of this unit include sourcing and contracting local and global entertainment, selection of unique venues, developing and conceptualizing innovative and communicative events and then execute events with a communication orientation.
In collaboration with other units of corporate communication like visual services and creative services, the events unit creates visual and audio elements that serve to deliver maximum impact to audiences. In addition, in co-operation with other departments, namely legal, profit and loss then insurance, events unit manages creative and logistical part of event production as well as contracting and developing cordial working relationships with suppliers.
In its day-to-day operations, the events agency of the company has the aim of creating a positive and long-lasting image of the company among the target audience, hence motivating them to fly Emirates or just be ambassadors of the brand among their friends, societies, and environments. Some of the events that the events unit holds include gala nights, roadshows, office and new lounge openings, award ceremonies, dinners, and many more.
Merchandise team
The team has a common name as Group Merchandise in Emirates. It has evolved from the promotional department to an independent unit with retail-oriented roles. It serves to assist and support several brands in the Emirates Group that has considered as the best for improved economies of scale and efficiency in the company. The merchandise team is in charge of the Emirates Official Store, manages the development of products used in giveaways and retail as well as wholesale accounts and oversees all the licensing requirements for the Emirates Group. The group works in close link with the sponsorship and events units with the aim of ensuring that Emirates branded products meet the communication objective of the units.
Some of the items that the merchandise team uses include traditional ones like pens, mugs, and key holders to more retro things like travel bags and fashion collections. For effective management of this role, the team has to keep track of trends and in collaboration with the creative services department, design innovation, and appealing merchandise items to keep the brand name high and active. The target audience for these items is mainly staff members and customers. Considering the staff, they are mainly given away, but to the customers, they are mostly available through sales. Through this brand marketing strategy, the organization is able to make some additional income through direct sales than the primary objective, hence promoting the brand name.
Sponsorship team
Even though Emirates is a brand in the aviation industry, it is probably the most common company in the sporting and specifically the football arena. The organization has been at the forefront in sponsorship of teams in the world’s most popular league, the English premier league. It has played sponsorship of several teams and names some of the world’s most elegant and well-designed football stadiums under its brand name. It is not only limited its sponsorship to the football arena, but it also involves in other games and teams.
Through this sponsorship, the organization does not only promote itself but also advertises Dubai as a suitable sporting, holiday, and luxury destination. The opportunity is effectively driving the industry beyond its borders in a comprehensive way. The sponsorships are effective in advertising and promotion in a continuous and consistent methodology.
Conclusion
The prominence of the Emirates brand traces back to its effective and committed corporate communication initiative. The organization has several departments and units that have one common goal of promoting the brand name and making it stand among the competing aviation companies. These include the public relations team, events team, sponsorships team, and merchandise team. They also have a social media sub-unit in the PR department that manages social media considering it as a tool that is no longer ignorable.
Under the sponsorship team, worth mentioning an event that has overtime proven to be of great importance in brand marketing due to communication has become the US open. It is, therefore, concluded that the Emirates corporate communication strategy is effective and well-managed forming a perfect model for any organization struggling with corporate communication, regardless of its level; either small or large scale.
Recommendations
Based on the various strategies in the Emirates corporate strategy, recommendations are meant for a corporate communication strategy to work; therefore, the organization should:
- Identify and set cleat objectives;
- Assess and understand cultural and organizational structures;
- Develop communication strategy and plan;
- Execute the communication plan;
- Manage stakeholder involvement;
- Monitor and measure the results of the plan.