And the rate of accessibility is likely to increase as CEOs become more attuned to technology, reports Campaign Asia Pacific. The advertising industry newsletter says recent study by MEC Asia-Pacific dispels the concept of CEOs as being unreachable and hiding behind personal assistants. Instead, it shows CEOs are keen to take direct control of their own access to communications, business performance and industry news. This was attributed to competitive spirit, desire to learn and develop and fear of missing out.
Notably, the study shows CEOs to be open to receiving communications from brands, provided they are relevant. Relevance was defined as providing new, clear, actionable information at an appropriate time, via an appropriate channel. Email was shown to be the preferred means of contact. The study found CEOs in Asia to be highly attuned to brands and their principles, from hotels and airlines to clothing and technology. Apple was cited as shining example of brand that has earned the respect of CEOs based on its ethos and the achievements of its own CEO.
“We often forget that CEOs are human beings too,” Jon Wright, head of analytics and insight for MEC Asia-Pacific said. “In many ways technology has made them more similar to the everyday person. Brands need to ensure that valuable content is provided that fits in with CEOs’ requirements, and it needs to be effectively ‘liquid’ in order to be accessible via any device.”
Wright said while CEOs are drawn to digital technology primarily as means of aggregating information and managing time more effectively, they are also beginning to see the potential uses of social media in business.
The study pointed to limited use of social networks for internal communications as means of enabling employees to air their opinions and move towards greater transparency within corporations. Externally, communication via social media is still in its infancy, but CEOs surveyed did show an appreciation of the value of social platforms as business-to-business tools and as an aid to company positioning. However, Wright noted that social networks are not the most effective way of communicating with CEOs “since they are reluctant to lose control of their communication structures”.
