With EU member states actively adapting to the new reality since mid-summer, a recovery plan was approved on an unprecedented scale. The New Generation EU plan outlines how, for the first time ever, the EU states will together borrow 750 billion euros in international markets and invest in a common green and digital future centred on public welfare.
“This crisis, just like all those before it, opens up new opportunities. For us, it is an opportunity to unify and grow stronger. Therefore, Europe is now focused on the most important contemporary questions: retaining jobs, ensuring social guarantees, and giving special attention to the environment, thereby spanning all areas of our lives.
The pandemic and lockdown have revealed just how important the digital world is to us. Thus, cybersecurity, data protection, leadership in data economy, the creation of artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure are priorities for all of Europe, all of us. Not to mention such important innovations as the current e-identity project, which will allow public services to be offered no matter where you are in the EU,” European Commission in Lithuania Head of Representation Arnoldas Pranckevičius said.
In order to better prepare to inform Lithuanian society about this new stage, EU institution representatives invited the country’s advertising and public relations experts to share their most important insights about the pandemic’s lessons for future communication.
Necessity is the mother of invention
In the first EU communications conference, Kometa advertising specialist Tomas Ramanauskas emphasised, that challenges and restrictions help creativity flourish, and so the coronavirus crisis has also presented new opportunities in this area.
“It is a myth that creativity is related to inspiration and muses. In fact, we could describe innovation as a synonym of creativity. Restrictions make it flourish. The pandemic is this type of a restriction and it encourages us to rethink how we will live in our new reality,” the specialist said.
According to him, one of the most important novelties is that the pandemic has generated far more empathy in our communications. Everyone, regardless of their nationality, gender, age, social status or residence, is facing the same crisis and we can now better understand how others feel. This also results in clear changes in communication: a far calmer tone is employed, there is more awareness and responsibilitythan ever before, and our social rituals change.
“The question that advertising creators pose to themselves and society during this period is not what discount to offer, but how can we be useful,” T. Ramanauskas said.
We must discuss what is relevant today
BNS news agency editor in chief Vaidotas Beniušis emphasised during the event that today, context has become more important than ever.
“When communicating, always consider what news is dominating the market at that time. In the heat of the pandemic, it is not worth publishing unrelated or not overly relevant news. Better keep those stories for some time later. However, you should also think about whether you have anything to say on relevant topics. As of now, we are facing not only with the pandemic but also the events in Belarus,” the expert said.
Five important rules during crises
While talking about communication aspects during the pandemic, a long-time public relations specialist and former advisor to President Gitanas Nausėda, Aistis Zabarauskas provided five key steps in resolving a crisis.
According to the specialist, it is crucial to understand what a communications crisis is first. The pandemic has shown that we are inclined to label minor mistakes as crises and afford them excessive significance.
“When something unpleasant happens, first take a deep breath and think about yourself. We are inclined to first take care of others and help them, yet the same rules apply in communications as it does when providing first aid – you will not be able to can not help others if you do not feel well yourself,” A. Zabarauskas advised.
According to the expert, the second step after calming down should be to carefully evaluate the developing situation, and only after that begin developing an action plan. The next step is to react to the situation. In this age of rapid communication, this should be done within the first hour after news of the crisis breaks. The final piece of advice is to ensure that the media, society, and other target audiences are given periodic updates, and not just left with the first reaction.
The communications specialists shared this and other advice with the representatives of the EU network during the first three-day EU communications conference organised in Lithuania, Kometa. Its organisers hope that this event will become an annual tradition, which will help EU institutions and their partners better understand European decisions and relay them in an understandable manner to all Lithuanian citizens.
