Why Organizations Increasingly Need Integrated Public Affairs and Comms

As the tech market becomes increasingly complex, businesses are recognizing the strategic value of PR by moving it from marketing to legal and public affairs. 

For years, PR has been seen in some quarters as something of a tactical function, a subset of marketing and advertising’s less exciting relation. Not so today. The sheer complexity of the tech sector means that businesses are increasingly turning to their PR and comms teams to help them chart a course forward. Comms is being elevated to the top table, moved out of marketing and integrated with the public affairs and legal functions as policy, legal and comms become ever more entwined. From here, the comms discipline is helping organizations shape long-term influence, sales and market opportunities.

Why did Microsoft move comms out of marketing?

Comms is being elevated to the top table, moved out of marketing and integrated with the public affairs and legal functions…

Microsoft is the latest business to make this move. At the end of September, the tech giant announced a major organizational shake-up, moving its comms function out of its marketing department. The Microsoft comms team now reports into the corporate, external, and legal affairs group led by Vice Chair and President, Brad Smith. 

It’s easy to see why. Like most major tech companies today, Microsoft is negotiating a broad range of risks including the rise of AI, the datacenter backlash, and increasing data and privacy regulations to name just three. The company understands that in this complex environment clear communications around the issues that matter is a strategic value-add. 

Integrating PR with public affairs and legal is just one prong of Microsoft’s response to this complexity. The other is empowering its engineers, sellers, partners, and other employees who are closest to its products and customers to play a bigger role in telling its stories. By democratizing its communications approach, the company will be able to more authentically talk to the range of issues its business faces and build trust with its audiences. At a time when people are more uncertain and skeptical than ever, this is a powerful play.

How is SourceCode helping tech companies with public affairs?

At SourceCode Communications, we recognized the direction of travel and responded by launching a public affairs offering for tech businesses. Provided in partnership with US-based Talisman LLC and UK-based Parisi Consulting, we offer campaign and political strategy, executive communications, and capital market comms services. Our goal is to help our clients influence and shape the conversations informing policy decisions.

There’s a clear distinction to be made here, of course. Policy isn’t politics. We’re in no way advising businesses to take political positions on the big public affairs debates of the day. But what they can do is offer politically neutral advice on these topics to ensure the best possible policy outcomes for their customers and other stakeholders. 

Policy isn’t politics. We’re in no way advising businesses to take political positions on the big public affairs debates of the day.

Microsoft’s reorg is evidence of just how crucial comms now is to businesses as they navigate an increasingly complex and volatile world. Brands that tightly integrate their comms and public affairs arms will be well placed to get their voice heard in the corridors of power and make a positive impact on the direction of policy, while also building trust with their key stakeholders. 

Get in touch to learn more about SourceCode’s new public affairs services