Why should corporate communications be a 'turn-off'

Mention the phrases corporate communication or corporate video in a conversation and people switch off, fall alseep, or even actually decide to do some work - anything they can think of to avoid having to watch.  The head of corporate communications from a major high stree bank recently told me that they had decided to use less video to communicate with staff because the staff weren’t watching.

 I wonder why……Could it be that the videos they are producing are formulaic, dull and lifeless - or could it be that the bank is insisting on maintaining their corporate identity - even to an internal audience who are probably surrounded and suffocated by that identity all day, every day.I’d like to wager one thing.  The same audience who don’t want to watch the corporate video are rushing home to catch the latest episode of their favourite TV programme.

So what’s the really simple answer to succesful employee engagement - make business communications more like factual television, which has to  play to a large an audience as possible without excluding, patronising, or discriminating - Info-tainment is the trendy description.  A business communication can be entertaining and fun while also educating or informing.

Successfiul television employs simple language and avoids jargon.   So relax - give your corporate identity a rest, and talk to staff like you’d talk to your friend or neighbour.  Entertain them, engage them on different levels - dare I even say have fun!! 

Crucially, talk to them in a language that they understand.  Here are examples of a good and a bad communication.

 Richard Flewitt
business video producer
    www.new-edge.tv