1. Adobe Flash and the
Negative Public
Opinion
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES TO
CHANGE PUBLIC OPINION
SUBMITTED TO SHANTANU NARAYEN, CEO
BY TYLER SMITH

2. ADOBE FLASH
Background
 Adobe Flash has been the industry standard for many years.
 The recent emergence of HTML5 has begun an industry shift
from Flash over to HTML5.
 Statista estimates that in 2011 roughly 50% of all websites
made a Flash request. In 2015 that number is down to 20%.

3. ADOBE FLASH
Background
 Adobe offers products that serve as creative platforms for
Flash.
 Flash has been on the decline since Steve Jobs’ open letter
“Thoughts on Flash” that pointed out the many flaws of the
software such as security, memory usage and crash
consistency.

4. ADOBE FLASH
Situation
 Recently one of Adobe’s largest users, Youtube, switched
from using Flash’s video player.
 Google Chrome also switched away from Flash and has
added in a feature to block Flash plug-ins much like Mozilla’s
Firefox and Apple’s Safari before it.
 Outlets have begun to release articles condemning Adobe
Flash as the past.

5. ADOBE FLASH
Situation
 Adobe’s name being attached to the dying Flash software has
created negative publicity for the company resulting in lower
than estimate Sales, subscriptions, and stock prices.
 Communication activities will work to correct this negative
publicity and reveal Adobe’s involvement in HTML5 as a
innovative forward thinking company. Activities will also aim to
increase sales and subscriptions while raising stock prices.

6. ADOBE FLASH
Action
 Adobe will begin communication activities to reach the
following stakeholder publics:
 Consumers
 Corporate partners
 Tech/Industry Media
 Industry experts
 Stockholders

7. ADOBE FLASH
Action
 This campaign will take place over three months (Oct.-Dec.).
 The campaign will launch Oct. 1 in light of Adobe Flash’s
negative publicity.
 The Campaign will end in Dec. in order to increase Holiday
sales, new year subscription sales, and to leave a lasting
impression heading into the Industry conference heavy first
half of 2016.

8. ADOBE FLASH
Action
 Adobe will release a series of news releases detailing their
work with HTML5 and new developers through their Open
Source program.
 News releases will also cover how Adobe is advocating the
shift from Flash and realizes that Flash is the past.
 New releases will be sent to industry media.

9. ADOBE FLASH
Action
 A feature story will be written and submitted to relevant
industry media outlets.
 The feature story will represent how Adobe is pushing HTML5
into the future, and how amateurs and industry professionals
can get involved in this movement through Open Source.

10. ADOBE FLASH
Action
 Adobe will hold 24-hour “Lock-in” Open Source events
leading up to major industry conferences.
 These events will allow industry members to work with
Adobe’s latest HTML5 software and give feedback on
Adobe’s Intellectual Properties.
 The events will also give media outlets a hands on
experience with Adobe’s HTML5 software.
 Products to be promoted:
 Creative Cloud (CC) services (HTML5 compatible).
 Adobe Edge Code (HTML5 specific).
 Adobe Edge Animate (HTML5 specific).

11. ADOBE FLASH
Action
 Brochures highlighting Adobe’s Creative Cloud services and
Edge software will be distributed at consumer tech events, as
well as included in Adobe’s E-newsletter.
 Brochures will detail the previously mentioned products’
ability to create and alter HTML5 code and products.

12. ADOBE FLASH
Evaluation
 Monitor sales and subscriptions among new and existing
customers.
 Monitor stock changes.
 Monitor Open Source involvement.
 Monitor Adobe’s Flash publicity vs. Adobe’s HTML5 publicity
within industry media.

13. ADOBE FLASH
Results
At the end of the three month campaign:
 Adobe will have an increase of sales and subscriptions in
both CC and their Edge software products.
 Adobe stock will increase, avoiding the expected pitfall due to
Flash’s negative publicity.
 Adobe’s image will shift from an outdated company back to
an industry leader and innovator.
 Adobe’s HTML5 programs will take the media spotlight,
overshadowing Flash’s diminishing popularity.