GLOBAL PROCESS:
COMMUNICATION PLANNING
This process was designed to strengthen the company's brand worldwide and the need for alignment and compliance of multiple teams' communications efforts in different countries.
THE CHALLENGE
The largest energy company in Latin America had most of its operations in Brazil, acting as a holding company with control over subsidiary companies in 28 countries. In each market, it performed under a specific business (retail - with gas stations and convenience stores, E&P, refining or trading), with different levels of maturity. Local culture was an important component for the exercise of local communication.
Concerning communication activities, the relationship between the companies and the holding was dubious: at the same time, in some processes, the subsidiaries operated independently, following specific guidelines such as brand application and carrying out actions without a clear conceptual alignment while other processes were absolutely centralized. There was no full clarity regarding corporate investments in each country, and the holding company did not have a broad view of the paths that the brand had been taking in each market.
It was necessary to review the relationship between holding and subsidiaries, considering each business's specifics and the current governance rules.
THE PROCESS
Working in the communication sector of the area responsible for managing international business, I developed the first cycle of the integrated communication planning process. Before the process, the holding company did not know communication efforts made locally.
The process was implemented based on a single framework (specific for Communications, based on Business Model Canvas) for all companies, which considered each business's needs. There was also a specific effort to balance the communication investments in each market according to the holding company's plans for that location, in addition to the local business strategy.
Over the years, the process has undergone evaluation and evolutionary cycles. At a certain point, when there was a need for a compliance task force due to the company's strategic positioning, we worked with the total centralization of processes. As local companies and teams matured, we could adjust the centralization level according to the risk of the specific process for the global brand.
The process involved developing a system that automated a significant part of the work and provided agility and traceability, in addition to reliability.
More importantly, we worked annually with face-to-face training (Annual Workshops) for local communication teams and gradually incorporated shared construction of plans with the business area's participation in the holding company. The local teams had a closer approach with the holding company and its specialists and the opportunity to exchange experiences and share communication knowledge, products and tools between markets.
RESULTS
Governance risks mitigated - greater compliance.
Brand alignment around the globe.
Methodology standardization - allowed comparability between subsidiaries (global analysis by the holding company) and between the same subsidiary over time.
Greater balance in investments directed to corporate communication movements, privileging actions with results for the business and improving brand perception.
Increase in the quality of local plans, with greater proximity to communication with the business strategy — teams' qualification to prepare and implement communication plans.
The process was the model for similar Social Responsibility and Marketing annual plans.
Adequate governance level for communications processes, considering the corporate risk (especially those related to reputation).
Optimization of regional investments - co-participation programs between companies.
MY ROLE & DEVELOPED SKILLS
Project concept
Process design and implementation
Process governance
Instructional design and team training
Framework design: communication planning tool, evaluation system
Negotiation with corporate business strategy
Team coordination
