Growing a Premier Global Business Summit
by Matthew Doering

In 2012 Global Gateway Advisors was engaged to work on international media efforts for the APEC 2012 CEO Summit held in Vladivostok, Russia. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a forum that promotes economic integration and trade. The APEC CEO Summit, established in 1996, takes place annually alongside the government meetings and is a unique opportunity for global business leaders to engage directly with Presidents and Prime Ministers and other key ministers from across the region. The International Media Team implemented a strategy focused on leveraging key assets, managing logistics to maximize coverage and driving visibility around critical issues like economic integration, food security, supply chains and innovation growth. The result? Over 2,000 total media registered, with 560 journalists from 27 countries filing 5,600 stories. Media stories mentioning APEC and “business” or “CEO” increased 81% from 2011. Webpages mentioning the same terms increased 214%.

Below is an overview of the APEC 2012 CEO Summit and a summary of our work:


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2013 WORLD FORUMS: ENGAGE, CONNECT, COMMUNICATE
by Matthew Doering

There is no single solution to the world’s most pressing challenges. Global problems including food security, healthcare, climate change and economic uncertainty require big thinking and collaboration across sectors and borders.

Global forums addressing these and other challenges continue to capture the attention of the media because they are rare opportunities when leaders of government, business and academia come together to exchange ideas and formulate innovative approaches to tackling important issues. They are platforms for dialogue, decisions and, ultimately action.

While the challenges have multiplied in a globalized economy, so have the opportunities for constructive dialogue and innovative action. Starting off with the World Economic Forum Annual Davos Meeting in January, influencers from across the globe will gather at events designed to reassess the ever-changing role of technology, the need for innovation, and mechanisms to spur global economic growth.

Below is a snapshot of global events to engage with in 2013. Visit this list often for updates: http://www.globalgatewayadvisors.com/category/gateways/forums-and-events/

 

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APEC 2012 Russia CEO Summit
by Matthew Doering


 

Global Gateway Advisors managed international media operations – global media relations, English-language social media channels, media partners and international media moderators for of the APEC 2012 Russia CEO Summit
 

The Asia-Pacific region today accounts for 40 percent of the world’s population and 54 percent of its GDP. Yet, its economy and trade volume continue to expand. By 2021, trade between the Asia-Pacific economies will triple.
 

This growth trajectory is startling for a region that is politically, economically and culturally diverse: the Asia-Pacific includes economies as different as Canada, Brunei, Chile, Russia, New Zealand and the United States.
 

Part of the success of the region can be attributed to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a group composed of 21 economies that works to address issues affecting trade and investment.
 

APEC is unique amongst government forums because it is focused primarily on strengthening economic integration and it incorporates input from the private sector into its decision making process.
 

The annual APEC CEO Summit, for example, provides an opportunity for business leaders in the Asia-Pacific region to engage in discussions with APEC leaders on the critical issues facing the region.
 

In 2012, Russia hosted APEC for the first time. The APEC 2012 CEO Summit held in the Far East city of Vladivostok brought together close to 800 delegates and 1,500 staff on September 7-8. The agenda included sessions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono President Hu Jintao of China, US Secretary of Hillary Clinton and numerous global business leaders.
 

An estimated 400 Russian and international media attended the CEO Summit, including journalists from top-tier global outlets like AFP, Associated Press, Bloomberg, CCTV, Channel News Asia, CNBC Financial Times, Jakarta Post, SBS, Straits Times, Reuters and Xinhua. Global Gateway Advisors and the CEO Summit public relations team worked with the National Business Center in Moscow to provide both remote and onsite media relations support for the CEO Summit.
 

Our work for the APEC Russia 2012 CEO Summit included:
 

> Registering media from top-tier international broadcast, print and online media outlets
> Pitching, securing and preparing international media moderators from the CNBC, Financial Times, The Economist, Bloomberg Businessweek, Fortune and other leading organizations
> Securing media partnerships with top-tier global publications including TimeWarner (CNN/Fortune/TIME), CNBC, Financial Times, Caixin and AmericaEconomia
> Managing and develop content for official social media channels to drive participant engagement
> Working closely with the communications teams of the international sponsors including Caterpillar, Dow, E&Y, Eastman, Exxon Mobil, International Paper, John Deere, Microsoft, PwC, VTB Bank and Walmart Asia
 

At the APEC 2012 CEO Summit, we saw an increasing amount of visibility and media coverage:
 

> 26 international and Russian media partners
> 70+ 1-on-1 interviews with sponsors and participants facilitated
> 200+ English-language news stories with specific reference to “APEC CEO Summit”
> 8,570 “likes” on English-language Facebook page
> 643 tweets on official Twitter account
 
Relevant links:
 

APEC 2012 Russia
APEC 2012 CEO Summit
APEC Secretariat
“5 Questions for…” participants of the APEC 2012 CEO Summit

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Target the Media That Matters
by Matthew Doering

Where do influencers and decision-makers get their news? Are you paying attention to those outlets? Are you engaging?

Too often, big companies make poor assumptions about cross-border communications. Companies assume that the way communications planning functions for their own markets applies everywhere.

They fail to consider the maturity of journalism in the market, relative freedom of the press, ownership status (government vs private) and the political lens of an outlet. They also take a United States of Asia (or Europe or Latin America) approach to outreach.

A uniform approach does not work. Reading news online, for example, is an increasingly common activity throughout the world, but in many countries TV and newspapers are still the most important sources of news. While 77% of people in the Republic of Korea read newspapers online, that number is only 17% in Italy and Ireland (source: OECD).

And while newspapers in the United States are cutting staff and seeing revenue decreases, print in India and Africa is experiencing growth in advertisement revenue and circulation. In those areas, rising literacy rates and growing disposable income are changing the media landscape.

Global Gateway Advisors specializes in cross-border communications – breaking down geographic, cultural, political, regulatory, reputational and digital barriers – to position our clients for sustainable success in mature and fast growth markets. Communications can serve as a gateway to understanding, mutual respect and new opportunities. We offer smart, pragmatic counsel focused on achieving results. Contact us for more information.

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Economic Development Drives Prosperity
by Matthew Doering

As the world’s largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the United States has been regarded for a long time as the reliable destination for markets and companies looking to make overseas investments in new factories and service centers. The US didn’t rely on proactive, promotional efforts like other economies to attract investors. Until now.  The financial crisis and the emergence of competition from a number of international markets have led US leaders to acknowledge the importance of an economic strategy that attracts FDI.

“At a time where we need to use every tool in our toolbox to continue to put Americans back to work and grow the economy here at home, promoting foreign direct investment is an important opportunity to accelerate our economic recovery.” - Barack Obama  (via abcnews)

Global competition for FDI is on the rise. As recent statistics show. countries like China and Brazil are quickly catching up with the US and its once dominant position. In the first half of 2011, China’s FDI inflow exceeded that of the United States $111.1 billion US to $80.6 billion (source: OECD). It is clear that the balance of economic power is shifting. The continued rise of China’s outward investment is another indicator of this shift.

Communications is a key factor to remain competitive in an increasingly globalized and changing world. Informed and effective communications is now more important than ever. Markets that want to compete are seeking strategic advice that builds awareness, credibility, acceptance and leadership across markets and within various contexts:

  • Who are the key decision makers and influencers?
  • What are the forums to build visibility?
  • What are the emerging trends?
  • How do you stack up?

Global Gateway Advisors specializes in cross-border communications – breaking down geographic, cultural, political, regulatory, reputational and digital barriers – to position our clients for sustainable success in mature and fast growth markets. Our client engagements range from thought leadership and stakeholder campaigns to developing market-specific strategies and managing corporate crises. We offer smart, pragmatic counsel focused on achieving results. Contact us for more information.

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Global Health Insights
by Carol Harrison

Healthcare communications in a social world

The world’s rapidly changing healthcare marketplace requires knowledge and understanding about how to effectively communicate. The trend is toward the growing need for integrated communications – digital and mobile – and highly targeted messages.  The challenge in healthcare communications today is how to balance the use of technology and social media within a regulated environment.

A recent report by PwC “Social media “likes” healthcare: From marketing to social business” reveals the divide between how consumers and healthcare companies engage.

According to the study,

  • Community sites had 24 times more social media activity on average than any of the health industry companies over that one-week timeframe.
  • Two out of three organizations in the provider and insurer arena allow individuals to initiate posts on their Facebook pages, known as “walls.”  But fewer than one in three pharmaceutical companies, which operate under stricter regulations, have walls available for individuals to initiate posts.

To what extent and through which channels should companies and organizations engage customers, medical professionals and patients?  Keeping the pulse on dynamics of this shift is just one of the many areas we advise clients every day. Contact us for more information.

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What Is the Best Crisis Prevention? Preparation Before the Crisis Hits
by Matthew Doering

Contaminated products. Consumer boycotts. Regulatory action. Patient deaths. Loss or theft of confidential customer data. Employee corruption.

All are problems that even the best-managed, most-admired organizations and companies can face. Too quickly organizations get buried in an onslaught of media inquiries or social media firestorms. Too often they are one step behind the news cycle.

A crisis not only places a premium on an organization’s ability to respond promptly and effectively to address a crisis, but also to tell people what it’s doing. Failure to communicate clearly and quickly in such circumstances heightens reputational risk and can threaten a company’s future ability to operate.

Good crisis management begins before the crisis hits.

  1. Assess potential vulnerabilities.
  2. Bring communicators into the process early.
  3. Develop crisis communications plans that are practical, easyto-use and tailored to fit the culture, organization and market.
  4. Plan for scenarios and practice drills on how the organization would respond.
  5. Establish clear principles for communicating during the crisis.
  6. Keep key audiences front-of-mind: how will the organization prepare to communicate with employees, elected officials and customers to keep them apprised on a situation.
  7. Listen and learn from crises affecting other organizations.
  8. Refresh the plan and response on an ongoing basis.

Global Gateway Advisors regularly counsels clients on issues and crisis preparation and response.

Develop an overall communications strategy for management of an actual or potential global issue.

  • Analyze the dynamics of a case from multiple local media perspectives: identifying those developments most likely to spark coverage and assessing how local audiences will react to breaking news.
  • Develop and localize key messages that present a consistent response internationally, and delivering these messages to customers, the business community, public officials, community leaders, and other important audiences.
  • Handle local media relations locally: working with corporate country managers to answer local concerns onsite, keeping the issue from being perceived as international in importance.
  • Monitor media coverage and reporting coverage to corporate headquarters and local executives, including international news services and outlets.
  • Advise and assist in developing direct communications approaches for employees and other key stakeholders where needed.
  • Identify and work with third-party allies whose independence and expertise can buttress a company’s arguments and enhance its credibility with the media.
  • Conduct localized media training for designated spokespersons to prepare them to deliver key messages clearly and effectively, or serving as media spokespersons for our clients.

Contact us for more information.

 

 

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APEC 2011 CEO Summit International News Bureau
by Matthew Doering


Organizers look to the U.S hosting of APEC in 2011 as platform to expand dialogue across media channels and forums on key trade issues.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is the premier economic forum in the Asia-Pacific region. Established in 1989 and comprising 21 member economies (e.g. the United States, Russia, China, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan) APEC fosters growth and prosperity by facilitating economic cooperation and expanding trade and investment. Its 21 member economies account for 55 percent of global GDP and a market of 2.7 billion consumers.

In November 2011, the United States hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) for the first time since 1993 in Honolulu. Global Gateway Advisors worked with the APEC 2011 USA Host Committee – comprised of the world’s leading companies across a host of industry sectors – to provide communications strategy and support around the APEC CEO Summit. We also provided support for private sector events that coincided with APEC meetings throughout the year on topics such as food security, small and medium business, energy, sustainable transportation solutions, healthcare and technology.

The 2011 APEC CEO Summit attracted more than 1,000 economic and business leaders from across the region. Speakers included leaders such as Barack Obama, Hu Jintao and Dmitry Medvedev and global CEOs. The APEC CEO Summit was recognized as driving high-level conversation among top private sector and government leaders about the political, economic, societal, and technological trends and developments affecting future business growth and trade among the APEC economies.

Work included:
> Media registration of top-tier international broadcast, print, wire and online media outlets
> Social media channel management and updates
> Outreach to high-profile international media moderators
> Set-up CEO Summit Media Briefing Center and coordination with sponsor companies on announcements and press
> Coordinating interviews with business leaders and government officials
> Liaising with APEC government representatives on press credentials and registration

Relevant links: APEC 2011 USA
APEC CEO Summit 2011
President Obama at APEC CEO Summit

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