Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
Issue link: http://vanguardcanada.uberflip.com/i/235053
c communicaTions meghan spilka o'keefe is a senior consultant in procurement at hill+Knowlton strategies and a frequent "tweeter" on all things military, defence, and procurement: @mspilkaokeefe. elling billions S to #canada, 140 characters at a time? last month's edition of Vanguard called for defence companies seeking to win major canadian contracts to engage beyond their primary customer, the crown. The lessons from the F-35 procurement are telling: winning public opinion is increasingly necessary to win capital programs. connecting with canadians is essential if defence companies wish to display a transparent profile to canadians and the canadian government. 42 DeceMBeR 2013/JANUARY 2014 engaging beyond ads Many defence firms rely solely on what in the United States have become traditional mediums for marketing: print media advertorials, banners in airports, and advertisements on city buses. While this may have worked in the past, corporations selling other types of goods and services are increasingly expanding their sales by using digital communications to promote brand exposure. Digital communications include using online platforms, such as websites, social media, and banner ads directed and tracked with user cookies to connect with an audience. Digital and online marketing can promote the sales of running shoes, lattes, and video games, but defence firms may wonder if digital platforms are the appropriate medium for selling a $10 billion capital program for fighter jets, navy frigates, drones, or armoured personnel carriers. The answer is an unequivocal "yes." Not only can digital communications help promote a defence capability to federal procurement officers, digital engagement can promote these capabilities and solutions to Canadian constituents, their representatives, and possible business partners. More and more, defence companies looking to sell to Canada have been using Twitter as a basis for their digital commu- www.vanguardcanada.com nications strategy. Though there are merits to engaging on Twitter, there are certain foundational practices that cannot be overlooked and should be the starting point of any effective digital campaign. canadian-focused website Over 86 percent of Canadians access the internet, making them some of the highest users of internet content in the world. On average, Canadians spend 45 hours a month online, engaging with social media platforms and reading electronic news. Having a digital presence is indispensable for government and industry alike, as this is the dominate medium whereby Canadians access information. It may seem elementary, but a simple and accessible website that acts as a campaign news hub is the foundation of any digital strategy. A website provides a base location for searchers to access information. A good website should provide, at minimum, contact information and updates about the procurement campaign. These are both necessary and can be sufficient for an effective digital communications plan. Having an effective Canadian website is essential because it will be used by the media seeking to gather information, small and medium enterprises interested in working as a tier 2 or tier 3 supplier, and regional agen-