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The power of Twitter : a content analysis study of public pressure on corporate communication and crisis management
Author(s)
Alkana-Wakefield, Myliesha
Date Issued
2020
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
In academic research as well as in the industry, there is little doubt about the
potential impact of social media on any brand and its equity or reputation. While this
impact or effect cannot always be fully quantified, it seems clear from relevant
studies that the full bearing of negative social media posts or reports can potentially
have devastating effects on any organisation or company and their brand.
This study aims to explore the impact, effects and consequences experienced by
South African organisation, Momentum, on Twitter between 18 and 22 November
2018, following its decision not to pay out the life insurance policy of Nathan Ganas.
Mr Ganas died in a botched hijacking in his driveway during November 2018.
Consequently, Momentum refused to pay out his life insurance policy based on the
grounds of non-disclosure of a pre-existing medical condition. Momentum faced
severe backlash for this decision on Twitter, and public opinion suggested that nondisclosure
of a medical condition was irrelevant to Mr Ganas’s cause of death. For
the purpose of this research, a corpus of 2 442 direct tweets to Momentum between
18 to 22 November 2018 is explored to better understand how the pressure faced by
Momentum attributed to the organisation’s about-turn announcement to pay out the
life insurance policy of the late Mr Ganas. A qualitative content analysis, design and
methodology is used to reveal critical factors such as key words, hashtags, popular
Twitter handles contributions and a description of the critique on Momentum. This
fierce social media storm reveals valuable lessons pertaining to crisis communication
management that can be adopted by other companies and organisations. What is
known from a huge collection of published studies, is that the popularity and growth
of social media platforms have undoubtedly changed the nature of Public Relations
(PR) practice. It is thus vital for all organisations and practitioners to understand how
to effectively harness these social media platforms for crisis communication, as it
forms an increasing part of how internal and external stakeholders interact and
communicate. The prominent findings of this case study emphasised proactiveness, engagement
and the importance of following due diligence. The research analysed further
highlights the importance of understanding your audience and social listening.
Momentum’s main focus and crisis communication unfortunately revolved around its
decision not to pay out the insurance policy – it was thus purely based on financial
and economic objectives. As is often the case, humanitarian interests clash with
financial decisions. The online and public community connected with Mrs Ganas on
an emotional level, and applied an enormous amount of pressure the organisation,
who failed to address the ethical and humane element, as well as the lack of
empathy in its crisis communication.
Exploring this case study highlights the importance of understaning social media as
a communication tool, as well as its power. Although an organisation’s reputation is
built over time, Momentum’s crisis emphasised how quickly and easily an
organisation’s reputation can be tarnished. It appears that Momentum did not fully
preempt the effect that the crisis would have on its reputation.
A number of international case studies prove how failure to understand emerging
crises trends via social media will have detrimental and even disastrous
consequences for companies and organisations across the globe. Aaker emphasises
that brand loyalty and equity are not commodities that can be remedied quickly once
it is lost. Business leaders and public relations practitioners, and even people
working in marketing and branding need to educate themselves and practice how to
manage and harness the social media – like Twitter – in their favour, as it is evident
that crisis management cannot be addressed anymore with traditional media and
public relations methods and management only.
potential impact of social media on any brand and its equity or reputation. While this
impact or effect cannot always be fully quantified, it seems clear from relevant
studies that the full bearing of negative social media posts or reports can potentially
have devastating effects on any organisation or company and their brand.
This study aims to explore the impact, effects and consequences experienced by
South African organisation, Momentum, on Twitter between 18 and 22 November
2018, following its decision not to pay out the life insurance policy of Nathan Ganas.
Mr Ganas died in a botched hijacking in his driveway during November 2018.
Consequently, Momentum refused to pay out his life insurance policy based on the
grounds of non-disclosure of a pre-existing medical condition. Momentum faced
severe backlash for this decision on Twitter, and public opinion suggested that nondisclosure
of a medical condition was irrelevant to Mr Ganas’s cause of death. For
the purpose of this research, a corpus of 2 442 direct tweets to Momentum between
18 to 22 November 2018 is explored to better understand how the pressure faced by
Momentum attributed to the organisation’s about-turn announcement to pay out the
life insurance policy of the late Mr Ganas. A qualitative content analysis, design and
methodology is used to reveal critical factors such as key words, hashtags, popular
Twitter handles contributions and a description of the critique on Momentum. This
fierce social media storm reveals valuable lessons pertaining to crisis communication
management that can be adopted by other companies and organisations. What is
known from a huge collection of published studies, is that the popularity and growth
of social media platforms have undoubtedly changed the nature of Public Relations
(PR) practice. It is thus vital for all organisations and practitioners to understand how
to effectively harness these social media platforms for crisis communication, as it
forms an increasing part of how internal and external stakeholders interact and
communicate. The prominent findings of this case study emphasised proactiveness, engagement
and the importance of following due diligence. The research analysed further
highlights the importance of understanding your audience and social listening.
Momentum’s main focus and crisis communication unfortunately revolved around its
decision not to pay out the insurance policy – it was thus purely based on financial
and economic objectives. As is often the case, humanitarian interests clash with
financial decisions. The online and public community connected with Mrs Ganas on
an emotional level, and applied an enormous amount of pressure the organisation,
who failed to address the ethical and humane element, as well as the lack of
empathy in its crisis communication.
Exploring this case study highlights the importance of understaning social media as
a communication tool, as well as its power. Although an organisation’s reputation is
built over time, Momentum’s crisis emphasised how quickly and easily an
organisation’s reputation can be tarnished. It appears that Momentum did not fully
preempt the effect that the crisis would have on its reputation.
A number of international case studies prove how failure to understand emerging
crises trends via social media will have detrimental and even disastrous
consequences for companies and organisations across the globe. Aaker emphasises
that brand loyalty and equity are not commodities that can be remedied quickly once
it is lost. Business leaders and public relations practitioners, and even people
working in marketing and branding need to educate themselves and practice how to
manage and harness the social media – like Twitter – in their favour, as it is evident
that crisis management cannot be addressed anymore with traditional media and
public relations methods and management only.
Additional information
Thesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2020
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