POV: How digital communications has altered the social cause ecosystem

At the beginning of the digital communications ecosystem, those with power made the discussion via mostly one-way communication. In the new field of public relations, communicators' “gut” instincts would create propaganda that hopefully garnered enough word-of-mouth that social change happened.

Eventually, gut instincts gave way for strategic application as less effective one-way communication became a two-way conversation between the speaker and its audience members.

What changed?

This development in the social cause ecosystem was directly altered by the rise in both the prominence and complexity of digital communication. What first began as purely auditory communication by technology, with telegrams and radio, quickly gave way to visual messages via television. Ultimately a multi-sensory, optimized approach to digital communication came to exist and plant itself into our modern-day life: the internet.

When speaking about the social cause ecosystem through digital communication, it is important to acknowledge the change in dynamic between the non-governmental or international non-governmental organization and its audience. What once was creating the vehicle for the message can now only drive change; That is to say, effective communication and thus the success of an NGO or INGO depended on the relevance the organization had in the lives of the people it impacted.

Starbucks

An example of an INGO exemplifying an effective approach to communications can be found in the beloved coffee company, Starbucks. Beyond the drinks and pastries, the organization has been vocal in the social cause of celebrating diversity through a commitment to those affected by racial and social inequality.

However, how do I know all this? Of course, like many bloggers on the internet, I found these messages online.

Starbucks has successfully remained relevant in the lives of those it is directly influencing through a simply laid out website, an active social media site, and plans for technological advancements that allow it to continue being a leader for change. It is not leading its consumers towards a social cause, instead, it is developing new approaches to staying ahead of the digital communication trend in order to drive a social cause empowered by all individuals affected by such injustices.

References

Ehrenreich, B. (2020, November 4). How do you know when society Is about to fall apart?. New York Times.

Konyndyk, J. (2020, June 8). Exceptionalism is killing Americans. Foreign Affairs.

O’Mara, M. (2020, November 4). Why the social media rage machine won’t stop. New York Times.

Marmillion, V. (2022). Global Activism and Social Change Communication. Zoom.