I Executive Summary
As social media continues to evolve, corporations such as BMW must find ways to draft policies that are agile enough to match this dynamism. Due to lack of commonly acclaimed across the world class policies BMW independent or jointly develops policy’s which will be all encompassing and enable rational decisions based on specific situation. In particular, BMW has a challenge of perfecting its social media policy, where employees enjoy freedom, at the same time manage risks, and exploit opportunities. BMW’s crisis was a matter of scrutiny in this case study, following remarks made by their CEO questioning the feasibility of electric vehicles that led to uproar among electric car consumers. The analysis is carefully made in reference to the Page Principles for public relations. It then drafts a customized public relations approach for social media with respect to BMW’s response. The analysis includes data about cases, page principles, situational analysis of social media complexities, as well as a set of questions on goals, objectives, and retro questions that reflect BMW general strategy. Citations, among others include Grodecki et al. (2011), to bolster academic integrity when strategies, tactics, and activities in this context are defined. In conclusion, this paper proposes a series of guidelines for BMW towards the formulation of an efficacious social media policy. The strategy offers the necessary direction towards operating in the modern digital environment while adhering to the norms of public relations principles simultaneously.
II Overview of the BMW Case
In April 2011, BMW CEO Jim O’Donnell told reporters “electric vehicles won’t work for most people” (Grodecki et al., 2011, p. 2). The statement was as communicated positively to reflect BMW’s stand but negatively. However, it was picked by niche electric vehicle blog soon after that and it initiated the discussion, whether BMW was not dedicated enough before presenting its ActiveE model which targeted ten percent of all its 2020 sales comprising EV. The company’s communications department observed the growing controversy that could easily turn viral over social media and promptly started monitoring brand mentions; meaning that there is need to deal with the upsets of the stakeholders to minimize widespread reputational damage. Social media crisis responses should be characterized by speed and appropriateness, and open about resolution of issues in order to preserve company interest among different constituencies (Liu, Zhao & Shang, 2021). Therefore, there are no rules in a mass environment because sometimes, even the niche discussions may suddenly obtain attention on its own due to the changing opinion of the online crowd. This phenomenon created a critical challenge that BMW had to strategize on tackling head-on.
III Goals and Objectives for Public Relations Plan Supporting BMW’s Corporate Aims
The Page Principles set out guide to PR strategic use in organizational context, following insights by Arthur Page who established corporate PR in the 20th century (The Arthur Page Society, 2021). They state organizations should: always speak the truth. Act on what is said. Listen to the clients or stakeholders. Manage your organization. Do PR as if the company’s reputation depends on it. Let the personalities of your employees represent the firm. Remain calm and civil (Arthur page society, These are the principals which BMW could use in a bid to manage this social media crisis. BMW wants to be on the top of sustainability of premium mobility with technology leading (BMW Group, 2021). These corporate ambitions should be assessed using retrospective questions, and public relation goals addressing this social media crisis caused by its CEO’s statements will match with them.
Effectiveness of Initial Response
The reply, which included placing a post of apology at its owned blog did little to stem the social media damage it was facing. However, it failed to be proactive to prevent risks against the reputation of BWM in the narrow circle of enthusiasts around EVs (Coombs, When the Active E came out, the initial statements by the chief executive officer created doubts concerning the company’s true strategy toward the electric cars. The rapid owned-platform responses were crucial in curtailing the imminent viral escalation and required messaging tailored to the particular audience through more empathetic language that conveyed BMW’s pledge to lead premium electric mobility despite the leadership sentiments.
Appropriate forum for the BMW.
On BMW managed blog , people reposted, while keeping power and watching tone of the conversation. The latter, however, carried the risk that it might be seen as self-interested or insincere (Park et al., 2016). Responsiveness, care towards their niche community, and willingness to transparently address any possible issues would have been indicated by directly responding through comments on the external Wired channel as opposed to ignoring such comments. Multichannel responses aligned to audience platform preferences and dialogue willingness may have been optimal to restore credibility (Roshan et al., 2016).
Social Media Policy Alignment
BMW’s quick reaction on social platforms in response to developing crisis that may risk the spread of an issue like wild fire (Grodecki et al. 2011). Therefore, the apology by a CEO in blog form supported the overall strategy. However, it could have been better to consider discussing the details of the processes in particular controversies concerning leadership statement disagreements. Explicit crisis response measures to deal with recurrent problems such as leadership misfit resulting from non-compliance of policies may preserve enterprise interests (Ki, E.-J & Nekmat, 2014).
Policy Robustness
This crisis also revealed a need for such additional foundational policing ingredients as message matrix, social media data analysis and other mechanisms for third party engagement including involvement of expert witnesses in shaping social media conversation. Updating regular policy reviews based on social media developments, as well as geographic transformations and applying relevant findings to fine tunes crisis preparedness (Jin et.al, 2016).
Preventative Actions
The oversight procedure would have contributed more to greater internal alignment between corporate messaging and executive external communications to prevent conflicting statements about strategy dedication to EVs at an initial phase of launch (Page, 2021). Leadership would also have integrated social media risks by complying with response policy triggers and undergoing mandated media training (Page, 2021).
Proposed Mitigation Measures
These retrospective insights recommend BMW PR objectives to:
- Respond specifically to the targeted audience in a timely manner towards unforeseen emergencies.
- Maintain and renew the commitment to future technology with focused, ongoing campaigns.
- Constantly enact case learnings for social media policies.
These help in leading as a premium sustainable mobility provider with regard to reputation and technology commitment (BMW Group, 2021). At the end, they achieve BMW’s corporate mission due to a uniform message delivery and efficient digital functionalities.
IV Situational Analysis of Social Media
Social media allows for speedy communication of companies with their stakeholders across boundaries (Hendricks, 2013). These platforms may be open but it gives up control because companies are often the target of users who openly criticize organizational policies and product discussions on public forums (Hendricks, 2013). Small, isolated online conversations that not previously discussed in mainstream media can spread like wildfire and suddenly become part of national dialogue. Owing to this unpredictability, businesses need careful and scrutinized policies and structure for handling not only the dangers but also the benefits associated with social media engagement as well.
Celebrity Endorsements
One example is LeoD DiCaprio and other highly influential celebrity who are vocal about sustainability to endorse BMW’s electric vehicle on social media platforms. Organizations can directly influence large audiences if they target some significant personalities in society for message transmission. Therefore, it pose the hypothetical post about BMW’s electric vehicle and display environmental commitment would attract audience before rivals. For a short while, the positive coverage balances off his sentiments. Since celebrity influencers become a symbol of these brands, it makes sense that their values are in alignment with those represented by the organizational ethics. Such key alliances communicate technology competence and confidence in the market as BMW expands electric car production.
Timely CEO Response
Immediately, the BMW CEO will release a public apology coupled with reiterating the organization’s commitment towards its electric car venture posted on Wired, as well as BMW’s own Activate the Future blog. Sincere and swift, crisis-mitigating responses imply choosing channels suitable for target population preferences as otherwise incoherence of handling different stakeholder groupings weakens credibility. For instance, blogging within BMW and the CEO reasserting the future electric vehicles to be released creates a belief that the company is internally committed to those actions meant for public consumption such as credibility. On the other hand, short quotes of the CEOs themselves do not suffice. Contextualizing narratives of surrounding stances influences the audience, whereby it contextualizes narratives of surrounding stances that require PR involvement in formulating responses (Page, 2021).
Refined Social Media Policy
On the other hand, BMWs policy demands a step further than providing broad level guidance for various departments to assume specific emergency response roles. As an example, teams of people who keep track of any talk about a brand on the internet and may see a major issue before it manifests. Consistent training aids in this regard because actual policy documents formulate and crystallize the crisis response workflow for employees (Hirsch, 2021). Similarly, a cross-department oversight such as that of BMW’s Social Business Council incorporates varying perspectives (Grodecki et al. 2011). Formal response protocols outlining monitoring, escalation and reaction processes sustain coordinated mitigation efforts.
Summarily, multifarious approaches featuring influential celebrities, CEO messages and strengthened policies reestablishing the control of media narratives to BMW’s benefit. For impact, a combined strategy of external promotion and internal change needs to be an integrated & deliberate one.
V Goals, Objectives and Retrospective Questions
a) Goals
This public relation plan objectives are in line with BMW’s aim that by 2020 10 % of its entire vehicle sales should be electric ones. The key goals include:
- Sending a positive message about BMW’s quick involvement, commitment to the electric cars development and marketing, to dispel the negative impression of the beginning statement made by the CEO.
A holistic effort to rebuild BMW’s image as an environmentally aware and innovative automaker with all major industry buyers.
b) Objectives
The supporting objectives to achieve these goals entail:
- Quickly responding with BMW’s owned media spaces such as their “Activate the Future” Blog to prevent the news spreading out of hand onto popular press outlets.
Messaging will also be responsible and will match BMW’s overall brand image towards luxury and innovation leadership.
c) Retrospective Analysis
Additionally, a retrospective analysis of this public relations crisis will aim to answer critical questions including:
- Did BMW react quickly enough, or were they too late?
- Should BMW have taken the issue head-on by responding to the evolving discourse in the Wired online blog, rather than deflect attention to its own corporate website?
- Did BMW’s crisis response unit follow its policies on social media entirely?
- Would BMW’s current social media policy withstand such unexpected reputation crisis?
- What mitigation measures are in place to counter recurrence of such a problem of such kind from occurrence in advance?
d) Strategies, Tactics and Activities
In terms of its overall PR approach, the plan will mainly involve exploiting BMW’s existing owned medial assets like its ‘activating the future’ blog that targets EV consumers. Additionally, increased tracking of social media brand mentions will complement extended monitoring of related discussion boards to quickly spot key opinion leaders, influences and communication channels that are essential to the electric cars ownership and lovers market (Thesproutsocial.com, 2022; Zheng et al., 2022).
Specific public relations tactics BMW can undertake include:
- A public announcement by the CEO via company-owned channels indicated BMW’s resolve in manufacturing high voltage electro-mobility models into its lineup.
- Directly addressing key critics and vocal electric vehicle enthusiasts through personal communication with facts, news concerning upcoming releases, and fact-based details that respond to their major concerns.
- Creating infographics, blogs and videos with electric vehicle experts for a more engaging communication on BMW’s innovation.
- Such social media campaign should include an exciting hashtag launch that would describe what is in store for the future capabilities of BMW’s electric fleets accompanied by some data showing its competitive edge.
The combination of such a tactic will enable BMW to involve substantially dedicated and key electric vehicle stakeholder cohorts via different earned and owned platforms. Highlight facts to re-earn credibility, leveraging on third party endorsement from existing electric car owners and experts. In addition, some celebrity endorsements may be from popular environmental sustainable supporters like Leonardo DiCaprio and they could organically support these communications efforts (Keel & Nataraajan, 2012).
Continuous analysis of messaging efficacy regarding messages in all media ensures that BMW monitors what consumers are saying, how they feel about it and how its rectification procedure. The mandated social media policy trainings will prevent such reputation-damaging and credibility issues in the future. This agile, multi-pronged approach allows BMW to create nimble responses to fast-moving situations within dynamic online spaces.
VI. Conclusion and Recommendations for Enhancing BMW’s Social Media Policy
In summary, implementation of enhanced social media policy and relevant PR plan for BMW can help minimize reputation-related risks and allow the company to benefit from possibilities offered by electronic word-of-mouth. The policy reflects the best of industry practices by means of formal structures allowing for quick mobilization of empowered teams.
The specialized departments on social listening, content creation, and crisis management quickly elevates issues up to executive decision makers. Cross-departmental senior oversight committees then guide responses balancing positive messaging around BMW’s commitments and values with honestly admitting operational faults. Spokespersons for designated priorities such as the transition toward electric vehicles craft solid stories.
Creating a collection of experiences, documenting on crisis response procedures; and training staffs at all levels on a daily basis addresses the previous unpredictable and develop crucial knowledge among employees. Brand advocacy by employees inoculates towards skepticism, yet has need for basic guidelines in portraying professionalism.
Continues assessment of the policy is necessitate to ensure that it remains relevant in light of the fast-changing nature of social media. Spot content checks and monitoring of policy-related metrics foster compliance and guarantee effectiveness in audits.
Ultimately, BMW’s sophisticated social media policy needs to enable focused teams to capitalize on chance and yet use organized flexibility for safeguarding core corporate goals. Continuous cooperation to fine-tune the policy prepares the company for digital settings needing instant responses.
The approach creates goodwill by proactively seeding positive brand conversations, which can offset any isolated bad press. Encouraging evangelists among loyal customers and employees spreads authentic word-of-mouth endorsements (Ahmad, 2023). Measuring how well a message resonates in monitoring of both own and external channels and then prioritizing of further engagement.
Silencing the cascading negative commentary would be necessary using rapid multi-tier replies giving BMW an opportunity to focus on socially minded digital advertisements centered on upcoming electric vehicle models. These efforts towards innovation and luxury experience help in maintaining competitive differentiation. Taking up on them enables the rich heritage of the firm to power up the BMW success in the era of digitalization.
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