MxMIndia

Tag: Burson-Marsteller

  • Key will be based in Seoul, Korea

    Zeno Group names Margaret Key as CEO, Asia Pacific

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zeno Group has appointed Margaret Key to the new position of CEO, Zeno Asia Pacific.

     

    Margaret Key

    In the newly-created CEO post, Key will join Zeno’s Global leadership team and oversee a growing staff of 135 professionals in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia as well as the network of Zeno+ partners across the region. Key brings extensive industry leadership experience throughout North and South Asia, most recently as CEO, Asia-Pacific for Burson-Marsteller.

     

    “We are thrilled to have someone of Margaret’s high profile and caliber join Zeno in Asia Pacific, a vitally important region as our business continues to expand and globalise,” said Barby K. Siegel, CEO of Zeno Group. “In addition to her deft leadership skills, Margaret understands the balance of local experience and global strategy. This is especially important as more and more of our clients look to us for an integrated Asia solution.”

     

    Key will be based in Seoul, Korea. Papri Dev continues to Managing Director, Asia and Ranjeev Vij is MD, Zeno India.

     

     

  • While Apurv will head the IPO PR vertical, Charu has been appointed to lead the Lifestyle & Entertainment practice

    Concept PR strengthens leadership team with new hires

    By A Correspondent

     

    Apurv Gupta
    Charu Benegal

    Concept PR has announced the appointment of two senior communication professionals –financial journalist Apurv Gupta and lifestyle PR specialist Charu Benegal.

     

    While Gupta will head the IPO PR vertical, Benegal has been appointed to lead the Lifestyle & Entertainment practice.Prior to joining Concept PR, Benegal worked as India Practice Chair (IPC), Brand and Consumer Practice for WPP’s Genesis Burson Marsteller.

     

    Welcoming the duo on board, Ashish Jalan, CEO & Director, Concept PR said: “Both Charu and Apurvbring with them rich experiences in their verticals. We are confident that our client servicing capabilities will now acquire a new dimension.  With a string of successes in client acquisitions, the timing of these two veterans joining us could not have been better.”

     

     

  • Prema Sagar will continue to serve as an advisor and mentor in India

    Hill+Knowlton Strategies announces leadership change in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Kavita Rao

    H+K Strategies has announced that Kavita Rao has been named Interim Chief Executive of H+K Strategies India, effective immediately. Current India CEO, Chetan Mahajan is leaving to pursue personal interests.

     

    Commenting on the executive shift, Jack Martin, Global Executive Chairman and CEO, said: “We welcome Kavita Rao, who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the areas of Strategic Public Relations and Corporate Communications. Kavita will be working closely with me and my team as she moves our India operation forward.”

     

    “To achieve success in today’s business environment,” Martin continued, “companies must look beyond traditional sources of insight and advice. At Hill+Knowlton, we believe in the importance of the public; we also understand how to use this powerful platform to leverage our wisdom in clear and actionable ways – regarding management, finance, law and other core areas of interest to our clients.”

     

    Regarding India, one of the largest and most dynamic communications markets in the world, Martin said: “We believe that we have the knowledge and the expertise to play a significant role in India, and Kavita is joining us at a very interesting time in terms of our going-forward prospects. In recognition, Kavita will be working directly with me over the next few months to deliver on our shared vision for H+K in India.”

     

    Prema Sagar

    “I also want to acknowledge and personally thank Prema Sagar, Vice Chair, Burson-Marsteller Asia Pacific & Principal/Founder of Genesis Burson-Marsteller, who has played a key role during this transition,” Martin added.

     

    Sagar will continue to serve as an advisor and mentor in India.

     

     

  • Prema Sagar, Founder of Genesis Burson-Marsteller and Vice Chair, Burson Marsteller Asia Pacific on Harold Burson, Founding Chairman of Burson-Marsteller, as he turns 96 today (Feb 16)

    Prema Sagar on Harold Burson@96: Harold has been and is our Idol

    Harold Burson. Picture courtesy www.burson-marsteller.com

     

    Special to MxMIndia: Prema Sagar, Founder of Genesis Burson-Marsteller and Vice Chair, Burson Marsteller Asia Pacific writes on Harold Burson, Founding Chairman of Burson-Marsteller, as he turns 96 today (Feb 16)


    By Prema Sagar

    People variously describe him as the godfather of public relations, the grandmaster of PR, “the century’s most influential PR figure”, “an industry icon”, and so on. He is all that, of course. But for me, even if you forget about all the professional achievements, Harold is an inspiring man with boundless energy—a personal idol. Every time I feel tired or overwhelmed by everything around me, I just have to remind myself that here is a 96-year-young man who goes to work every day. Clients still turn to Harold for counsel even in the age of dizzying changes in communication. Who is an active member of the community, chairing various social development bodies and initiatives? Who remembers every person he comes across and doesn’t hesitate to learn from anyone?

    I first met Harold way back in the first couple of years of the new millennium. He was already past the usual ‘retirement age’. We were in talks with Burson-Marsteller over an issue that a joint venture between an Indian and an American firm had. We were managing the Indian firm, while Burson-Marsteller was managing the American firm. As we worked together, we realised that nine of our clients were part of their Top 20 list of clients! I also realised that our way of working, and most importantly, our work ethos, were very similar.

    It all stemmed from Harold’s own work ethic. That’s when I knew that we wanted to partner with them for longer than just the immediate issue. I went to the US and met Harold for the first time. He just said one thing: “We need to do business together to be partners, not just have a partnership.” His clarity of thought, passion for what he does, and exuberant warmth had me in his thrall in no time. Bill Rylance, former CEO, Burson-Marsteller Asia Pacific charmed us in partnering with an exclusive affiliation and over time realised that the partnership was working well. And then we decided to go ahead with being part of Burson-Marsteller.

    Every year since then, I meet Harold as often as I can. I see the energy in him only increase further. I spent many hours with him recently in New York and I continue to feel blessed with his simple yet impactful thoughts.  His ability to cut through the clutter and arrive at the heart of the matter quickly—and politely—is something I admire a lot. And that sharpness has not dimmed a bit over the years.

     

    Prema Sagar

     

    One of the leading lights of the Indian public relations and communications industry, Prema Sagar is Vice Chair, Burson Marsteller Asia Pacific & Founder, Genesis Burson Marsteller

     

    Also watch: Prema Sagar on ‘When Genesis PR met Burson-Marsteller’

     

  • International Olympic Committee leads the Field on Facebook and YouTube, but FIFA Wins on Instagram and Twitter in Burson-Marsteller and TSE Consulting’s New Study

    Social Media ranking of International Sports Organisations reveals amazing findings

    By A Correspondent

     

    Burson-Marsteller and its specialised sport consultancy, TSE Consulting, have published a‘Social Media and Olympic Sport Ranking’ which gives an overview of how of international Olympic organisations are performing on social media.

     

    Over the past decade, the Olympics has dominated social media channels and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its 35 International Sports Federations, have all added Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Snapchat channels into their communications mix. The first-ever Olympic Ranking looks at how these international sports governing bodies use their social media channels, how effective their channels are and what lessons they can learn from each other.

     

    The rankings offer new insights into which sports have the largest social media fan base, as well as the sports which, while they may have a smaller fan base, nevertheless manage to create a stronger impact. The study finds that the IOC is in a league of its own, topping the rankings on both Facebook and YouTube. The Olympics Facebook page, with more than 15 million likes, is the most-liked page of any international organisation with twice as many likes as UNICEF.

     

    The International Football Association (FIFA), on the other hand, is ahead of the Olympics on both Twitter and Instagram. The FIFA Twitter account boasts 9.3 million followers, almost twice as many as all Olympic accounts combined. The Top five sports on Twitter are football (soccer), basketball, rugby, cycling and athletics.

     

    Despite having fewer followers, the IOC makes more impact with its Twitter communication, with each tweet being shared an average of 467 times compared to 108 times for the @FIFAcom account. However, @FIFAcom is among the most active sports federations on Twitter, with 23 tweets per day, 10 times as many as the @Olympics account thereby managing to gain more impressions than its Olympic rival.

     

    Jeremy Galbraith, CEO, Europe, Middle East & Africa at Burson-Marsteller said, “International sports organisations are discovering powerful new opportunities to engage directly with fans via social media. But our new study reveals that even global sports bodies with millions of followers, such as the IOC and FIFA, can still do much more to maximize the effectiveness of these new communications channels. Social media will continue to become ever more influential for sports governing bodies in years to come, both for engagement with fans and stakeholders, as well as being integral to their commercial strategies.”

     

    Lars Haue-Pedersen, Managing-Director, TSE Consulting commented, “Social media has become a critical avenue for international sports organisations, not only for communications but also as a strategic lever with the opportunity for these bodies to engage directly with the wide range of members, fans and other stakeholders worldwide. I look forward to seeing how sports governing bodies choose to incorporate and fully integrate these platforms in the way they run their core operations in the future.”

     

    The study finds that the presidents and chief executives of the 35 international sports federations appear somewhat reluctant to have personal profiles on social media. Only 12 sports leaders are active on Twitter, with Sebastian Coe, President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the most followed with 110,000 followers. In second place is Brian Cookson, UCI President, and third is Brett Gosper, CEO of World Rugby.

     

    Finally, the study also looked at who might be influencing Olympic sports federations through being followed on Twitter, the platform most likely to create connections between influencers, journalists and the media. Not surprisingly, the IOC Twitter accounts @Olympics and @IOCMedia are connected to most other sports federations.

     

    The Olympic sports news website Inside the Games is the most-followed media organization, just ahead of its rival Around the Rings, with the NBC Olympics Twitter feed in third position. The BBC’s Ollie Williams is the sports journalist most followed by Sports Federations, ahead of Ed Hula, founder of Around the Rings and sports writer Alan Abrahamson from 3 Wire News.

     

  • 'Music for a Cause', includes a series of unique, participative musical events where people come together to indulge in their love for music, while contributing to a cause

    ‘Music for a Cause’ campaign wins at 2016 Asia Pacific Excellence awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    Genesis Burson-Marsteller’s integrated communications campaign for Genesis Foundation has won top honours at the 2016 Asia Pacific Excellence Awards. The campaign has been adjudged as a winner in the Non-Government Organisation category of the awards, which recognise outstanding achievement in the field of Public Relations and Communications.

     

    Genesis Foundation, a not-for-profit, has been raising funds for the treatment of critically ill under-privileged children. Prema Sagar is a Founder Trustee with the Foundation and has been actively involved to provide access to world-class medical care for abandoned and underprivileged children facing life-threatening ailments in the area of cancer, heart, thalassemia, organ failure and extreme deformities. Genesis Burson-Marsteller’s integrated communication campaign, ‘Music for a Cause’, includes a series of unique, participative musical events where people come together to indulge in their love for music, while contributing to a cause.

     

    Prema Sagar, Vice Chair, Burson-Marsteller, Asia Pacific & Principal/Founder, Genesis Burson-Marsteller, Genesis Burson-Marsteller, said, “It’s a great feeling to realise that our work is directly contributing by providing critical medical intervention to these children and giving them a chance to live. This campaign has provided more people with the opportunity of knowing about the Foundation’s work. To win industry awards over and above this, is fantastic. On behalf of the entire Genesis Foundation and the Genesis Burson-Marsteller team, my colleagues and I am extremely thankful for this honour.”

     

  • The award won the Best Consumer Campaign

    Genesis BM wins ICCO Award for Ashok Univ

    By A Correspondent

     

    Genesis Burson-Marsteller was awarded the World’s Best PR Campaign Consumer at the inaugural 2015 ICCO Global Awards its campaign for Ashoka University, a Haryana-based private university that focuses on liberal arts.

     

    Genesis Burson-Marsteller also made the shortlist in two other categories—World’s Best PR Campaign B2B for its work for GE, and Prema Sagar as the PR Leader of the Year.

     

    Said Nikhil Dey, President, Genesis Burson-Marsteller: “We are delighted to accept this award as recognition of the work done by our teams and our clients. Winning awards at a global level is a special honour and I am extremely proud of the creativity, passion and hard work put in by our teams.”

     

  • Annual Twitter study finds Governments becoming savvier in the use of the Social Media channel

    Twitter now the medium of choice for world leaders, notes Twiplomacy study

    By A Correspondent

     

    Over the past four years, Twitter has become the social media channel of choice for world leaders to reach large audiences with key messages and sound-bytes, according to Burson-Marsteller’s Twiplomacy study, an annual global survey of world leaders on Twitter. Twiplomacy aims to identify the extent to which world leaders use Twitter and how they connect on the social network.

     

    The study notes that Governments are putting more effort into their social media communication and are including more visuals and videos in their tweets. The study analyzed 669 government accounts in 166 countries and revealed that 86 percent of all 193 United Nations (UN) governments have a presence on Twitter. One hundred and seventy-two heads of state and government have personal Twitter accounts and only 27 countries, mainly in Africa and Asia-Pacific, do not have any Twitter presence.

     

    “The Burson-Marsteller Twiplomacy Study has become an essential gauge of the power and reach of social media,” said Donald A. Baer, Worldwide Chair and CEO, Burson-Marsteller. “This fourth annual Burson-Marsteller Twiplomacy Study provides critically valuable insights about the communications practices and needs of leaders around the world.”

     

    While @BarackObama is the most followed world leader, he is also dwarfed in terms of retweets per tweet by Pope Francis who averages almost 10,000 retweets for each tweet sent on his Spanish account, against 1,210 for each tweet sent by @BarackObama.

     

    “This study illustrates that governments are becoming savvier and more professional in the use of social media,” said Jeremy Galbraith, CEO of Burson-Marsteller Europe, Middle East and Africa and Global Chief Strategy Officer. “It is interesting to see how foreign ministries have honed their social strategies and built substantial dedicated teams to manage their online channels. We believe corporations can learn a lot from governments and their leaders on Twitter.”

     

    More than 4,100 embassies and ambassadors are now active on Twitter. In New York, Washington, London and Brussels, most diplomatic missions use Twitter to have a voice at the digital table. Canada, the EU, France, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, the UK and the U.S. have put most of their embassies and missions on Twitter. The UK Foreign Office in London also encourages personal engagement by its ambassadors, and it is virtually impossible to become a Foreign Office diplomat without using digital tools.

     

  • Both Gaynor and Ford will report to Burson-Marsteller Worldwide Chair and Chief Executive Officer Donald A. Baer

    Burson-Marsteller appoints Terri-Helen as President & CEO – APAC

    By A Correspondent

     

    Burson-Marsteller has announced that Terri-Helen Gaynor has joined the company as President and Chief Executive Officer, Asia-Pacific, effective immediately. Gaynor succeeds Patrick Ford, who had been Chair of the Asia-Pacificregion since October 2012. Ford will continue as Worldwide Vice Chair and Chief Client Officer and as Chair ofthe Asia-Pacific region through the leadership transition, serving as a senior advisor to Gaynor.

     

    Both Gaynor and Ford will report to Burson-Marsteller Worldwide Chair and Chief Executive Officer Donald A. Baer.

     

    Gaynor’s 30-year career spans the full spectrum of corporate communications, from internal communications to investor relations and marketing communications programs. She has led numerous teams on initial publicofferings (IPOs), mergers & acquisitions (M&As) and takeover bids. She also has deep knowledge of the global health industry and offers vast experience counseling government officials.

     

    During her career in Asia and Australia, she served clients including Bupa, IBM, Jardine Matheson, Kimberly-Clark, Manulife, Nike, Philips and UTC Building & Industrial Systems. She will be based in Hong Kong.

     

    For the past 12 years, Gaynor served as Managing Director and Founding Partner of Reputation Pty Ltd. inAustralia. While leading Reputation Pty Ltd., she specialized in corporate communications, governmentrelations and investor relations assignments for a variety of top global brands, including Becton, Dickinson andCompany; Deutsche Bank; KPMG; Marriott International; Optus; and Qantas, among many others. In addition,she advised a number of departments within the Australian government, including the departments ofEducation, Health, Finance, Human Services and Sport.

     

    “Terri-Helen is widely respected across Asia-Pacific and the global communications sector as an expertstrategist with broad expertise managing complex issues in partnership with CEOs, boards of directors,financial authorities and government ministers,” said Baer. “She is an extraordinary communicationsprofessional who brings strong entrepreneurial drive to the role of building our business prospects andexpanding our reach in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region. Her success in building a leading firm acrossAustralia, her unparalleled commitment to client service and her great passion for nurturing the next generationof communications professionals will make her a tremendous addition to our firm.”

     

  • Global Survey tests attitudes from main street to the executive suite about corporations and business leaders

    CNBC and Burson-Marsteller reveal outcome of global survey

    By A Correspondent

     

    CNBC and Burson-Marsteller have unveiled the results of the CNBC/Burson-Marsteller Corporate Perception Indicator: A Global Survey from Main Street to the Executive Suite.  Exclusively for this sweeping report, research firm Penn Schoen Berland surveyed more than 25,000 individuals from the general public and more than 1,800 business executives in 25 global markets on their opinions about the roles and responsibilities of corporations in society and in contributing to the economy.

     

    The survey uncovered a sharp divide between the developed economies of North America and Western Europe, and emerging economies like China, Russia and Brazil, particularly in people’s disposition toward corporate influence over government, corporate stewardship of the environment, and perhaps most importantly, the role corporations play as engines of job creation and economic growth.

     

    According to the survey, the general public in developed economies has a much more cynical view of corporations compared to the general public in emerging economies. In developed economies, 52 per cent of the general public has a favorable view toward corporations versus 72 per cent of the general public in emerging economies. A deeper dive into those emerging economies finds that the general public and business executives are much more likely to see corporations as a source of hope, rather than fear, when compared to their developed country counterparts.

     

    When it comes to corporate taxation, however, the major markets are generally in agreement. Fifty-seven percent of the general population and 53 per cent of executives say corporations take advantage of tax loopholes to avoid paying their fair share rather than paying what they owe. Most of the global markets agree that it’s important for corporations to pay their “fair share” of taxes including 70 per cent of the general population and 67 per cent of business leaders in the United States saying it’s very important.

     

    “We discovered in our initial reporting that there is a serious dearth of data spotlighting the way corporations are perceived from all points of view,” said Nikhil Deogun, SVP & Editor in Chief, CNBC Business News. “These findings will ignite debates and discussions important to CNBC’s audience across all platforms.”

     

    “Six years after the economic crisis hit, this major survey makes clear that, while the reputations of corporations and business leaders are improving, there is still real work to do to dispel doubts about their impact,” said Donald A. Baer, Worldwide Chair and CEO of Burson-Marsteller. “The good news is this survey is a corporate compass that points in the direction of even deeper engagement between corporations and their leaders and the broader public about their essential roles in building the economy and improving society.”

     

    For more information including more in-depth results as well as exclusive videos, stories and graphics visit www.cnbc.com/corporate-survey.

     

  • Patrick Ford named Regional Chairman, Matt Stafford to lead firm's Greater China operations

    Burson-Marsteller announces new leadership team in APAC

    By A Correspondent

     

    Burson-Marsteller, global public relations and communications firm, has formed a new executive leadership team for its Asia-Pacific region to drive growth and integration. Patrick Ford will become chairman of the region and will lead a newly created Senior Executive Leadership Team that includes Australia CEO and Market Leader Christine Jones, Korea Market Leader Margaret Key, Genesis Burson-Marsteller Principal and Founder Prema Sagar, and Hong Kong Market Leader Matt Stafford. This new leadership team will work with Mr Ford on setting strategy for growth in the region and business priorities in specific areas, including investments in business development, client development, talent recruitment and acquisitions. The team’s members will continue to be responsible for their own markets, but will also take on shared responsibility and authority for the region as a whole.

     

    The firm will integrate its Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen and Hong Kong offices into a new Greater China region under Matt Stafford’s leadership to align its international and domestic communications programs more effectively for clients and strengthen integration. Mr Stafford will move from Hong Kong Market Leader to CEO of Greater China. He has served as lead counsel to several Chinese-headquartered clients as they position their brands and enhance their corporate communications around the world. He will now be spending more of his time advising our China-based clients, which he leads.

     

    Daisy King will become the interim Beijing Market Leader, in addition to her current role as the head of Burson-Marsteller’s U.S. -China Specialty Group. Vincent Li has promoted to permanent Market Leader for Guangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen. They will join Regional Managing Directors Angelina Ong, the firm’s Shanghai Market Leader and regional Brand Marketing Practice Chair; Ian McCabe, the regional Public Affairs Practice Chair; and Jackie Price, who leads Burson-Marsteller teams on two key regional client relationships, on the Greater China leadership team while Market Leader for Hong Kong to succeed Mr Stafford is yet to be named.

     

    Former China CEO Chris Deri will leave the firm to pursue another professional opportunity in the United States. “This new Asia-Pacific team is strongly positioned to provide the leadership and counsel our clients in Asia require in the ever-changing environment they face,” said Burson-Marsteller Worldwide Chair and Chief Executive Officer Donald A. Baer. “Our clients expect us to be their strategic partner, fully understanding their business objectives and supporting their corporate values, staying well ahead of communications trends and capabilities, and combining strategic thinking and breakthrough creativity with rigorous focus on getting the job done. This leadership structure in Asia elevates the best team to provide these essential services for our success, delivering on our promise to be the best ideas-driven, results-oriented communications firm in the world.”

     

    Regional Chairman Mr Ford said, “This new senior executive leadership team will help the firm continue to steer the best course in Asia-Pacific, where we see enormous opportunities for growth. Each member of this team has demonstrated extraordinary leadership far beyond their own market assignments. Prema Sagar, for one, has been a legendary Public Relations pioneer in India since founding Genesis 20 years ago. In fact, she is the only Asian Public Relations executive in Global Public Relations ICCO Hall of Fame. As we celebrate our 40th anniversary in Asia-Pacific, we think we have a strong mix of seasoned giants in our business, such as Prema and Christine Jones, along with exciting emerging leaders, such as Margaret Key and Matt Stafford. I am excited about Matt’s new role as CEO for Greater China. Under Matt’s leadership, the Hong Kong office has achieved remarkable business growth and low staff turnover. He is the person best suited to lead our China strategy moving forward, particularly given his expertise working with China-based multinational companies, such as Huawei, as they position their brands and enhance their corporate communications around the world.”

     

    Mr Stafford added, “While I have enjoyed leading our Hong Kong operations since returning to Burson-Marsteller, I am enthusiastic about working with the China team on a new and richer level. This approach for integrating the markets is precisely what our clients have been asking for, and there has never been a better time for our organization to execute on this strategy.”

     

    Mr Stafford re-joined Burson-Marsteller in Hong Kong in 2008 following five years as the Australian Government’s senior policy adviser on communications reporting to several Cabinet Ministers. He was the lead adviser for the development and implementation of sweeping regulatory reforms in that sector, including a multi-billion dollar national broadband strategy and the privatization of Telstra, the single largest public share offer in Australia’s history.

     

    Mr Ford, a 24-year Burson-Marsteller veteran, will continue to serve as the Global Vice Chairman for Client Service and as a member of the Burson-Marsteller global leadership team. He has been interim Asia-Pacific Chair since October 2012 and previously had served for six years as President and CEO of Burson-Marsteller US.

     

  • Burson-Marsteller study finds huge missed opportunity for country promotion on Twitter

    @India, living in China: Burson-Marsteller finds out

    By A Correspondent

     

    When everything else, or so it seems, is “Made in China”, why should India’s Twitter handle not originate from there? The fact that it has not happened by design is – or should be – a source of embarrassment for the Incredible India peddlers, for this is a strange fact unearthed by Burson-Marsteller – that the @India account is owned by an Indian person living in Guangzhou, China.

     

    The public relations and communications firm has released the second part of its “Twiplomacy” study (http://twiplomacy.com), looking specifically at country branding on Twitter. The study shows that only 9 governments out of 193 UN member states own their country name Twitter handle.

     

    In the case of @India, the account owner shares pictures from his daily life and has made it clear that his Twitter handle is not for sale. With respect to other social media channels, India is one of just 19 YouTube channels owned by the tourism office.

     

    The accounts of @GreatBritain, @Israel, and @Sweden are the most significant examples of country promotion on Twitter. @GreatBritain is part of the ‘Britain is Great’ campaign launched in March 2012 to highlight everything that is great about the United Kingdom.

     

    @Israel is the country’s official Twitter channel, maintained by the Foreign Ministry’s Digital Diplomacy Team. The account is one of the most followed country accounts with more than 66,000 followers and serves as the focal point for Israel’s government Twitter activity.

     

    The Twitter accounts of @AntiguaBarbuda, @Barbados, @Lithuania, the @Maldives, @SouthAfrica, and @Spain are run by their respective official tourism organisations to promote tourism in each country.

     

    However, three out of five country accounts are either protected, dormant, inactive, or suspended and almost half of the 71 remaining active accounts are tweeting an automated news feed broadcasting news about the country.

     

    “Looking at the findings it becomes clear that few governments and tourism organisations have understood the power of country branding and marketing on Twitter,” said Matthias Lüfkens, head of the Burson-Marsteller EMEA Digital Practice. “There is a huge opportunity for countries to use Twitter as part of their communications to engage with a large and growing audience.”

     

    Data used was taken in November 2012 looking at the Twiter handles of the 193 UN member countries. Burson-Marsteller used Twitonomy (http://twitonomy.com) to analyze tweeting patterns and the Twitter history of each account.

     

    To access the complete analysis of these findings, visit: http://twiplomacy.com/country-promotion.