ABSTRACT

While it has historically been seen as a strategic risk or error for companies to get involved in contentious politics, new data on consumers, efforts to personalize marketing, and growing interest in corporate social responsibility have made activist and political content a significant part of public relations for many companies. The ability to communicate different messages in targeted ways online has perhaps facilitated corporate political advocacy by creating new opportunities to engage the public. These practices are seen by many organizations as an opportunity to build relationships with consumers, but they may present new challenges for political bodies and the public. This research investigates the commercial backlash to a contentious piece of legislation in North Carolina and considers the implications of the incorporation of political content into commercial communication. To do this, it examines how companies involved in the controversy integrated messages about the legislation into their public channels. Using the typologies of corporate involvement created, this article reflects on the role played by businesses in the case study, the strategic goals served by their involvement, the likelihood of seeing similar involvement by for-profit organisations in different circumstances, and the significance of corporate political advocacy on public engagement with civic and political issues.

摘要

尽管从历史上看，企业参与有争议的政治是战略风险或错误，但有关消费者的新数据，个性化营销的努力以及对企业社会责任的兴趣日益浓厚，使积极分子和政治内容成为公共关系的重要组成部分对于许多公司。通过有针对性的在线交流方式传达不同信息的能力可能通过创造新的机会来吸引公众来促进公司的政治宣传。许多组织将这些做法视为与消费者建立关系的机会，但是它们可能给政治机构和公众带来新的挑战。这项研究调查了北卡罗来纳州一项有争议的立法的商业抵制，并考虑了将政治内容纳入商业传播的含义。为此，它研究了参与争议的公司如何将有关立法的信息整合到其公共渠道中。本文使用创建的公司参与的类型，反映了企业在案例研究中所扮演的角色，其参与所服务的战略目标，在不同情况下看到营利组织进行类似参与的可能性以及公司的重要性关于公众参与公民和政治问题的政治倡导。它研究了参与争议的公司如何将有关立法的信息整合到其公共渠道中。本文使用创建的公司参与的类型，反映了企业在案例研究中所扮演的角色，其参与所服务的战略目标，在不同情况下看到营利组织进行类似参与的可能性以及公司的重要性关于公众参与公民和政治问题的政治倡导。它研究了参与争议的公司如何将有关立法的信息整合到其公共渠道中。本文使用创建的公司参与的类型，反映了企业在案例研究中所扮演的角色，其参与所服务的战略目标，在不同情况下看到营利组织进行类似参与的可能性以及公司的重要性关于公众参与公民和政治问题的政治倡导。