Corporate comms for the startup soul

Reduced Comms Impact

Keyana Corliss and Kelly Boynton discuss the implications of Elon Musk's decision to drastically cut Twitter's communications team. Keyana highlights that Musk's approach, which relies on his massive personal platform, lacks the strategic depth that a dedicated comms team provides. This absence can lead to miscommunication and a lack of clarity in messaging, as there is no one to verify facts or provide context to journalists 1.

What this says to me about Elon is that, like, Elon either never gave his comps teams a seat at the table or just doesn't, like, respect the function or whatever it is.

--- Keyana Corliss

Alex Wilhelm adds that this singular approach might work for Musk due to his unique position, but it is not a sustainable model for most companies 2.

   

Traditional Models

Traditional corporate communication models involve a strategic blend of various channels, including press releases and social media, to craft a company's image. Keyana explains that smart comms teams use these channels to create a cohesive brand personality, which is crucial for maintaining control over the company's narrative 3.

It's like this very actually strategic, smart dance around creating an image across, like, a gazillion different channels.

--- Keyana Corliss

Kelly emphasizes that effective communication is about providing value to various audiences, whether they are reporters, customers, or investors. This approach contrasts with Musk's model, which centralizes communication but lacks the nuanced strategy of traditional methods 4.