1. Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
How Asian Companies are Engaging Stakeholders Online
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

2. Many more Asian companies now use
social media platforms
Number of social media channels with corporate activity
Key take-aways
2011 2010
• 81% of top Asian companies have a
branded social media presence –
compared to 40% in 2010
• Under 20% of top Asian companies
have no official corporate social media
presence - compared to 60% in 2010
• Most social media channels are used
for both branded product marketing
and corporate communications
purposes
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

3. S. Korean companies are the
most ‘social’ Asians
Corporate use of social media channels by market - 2011 Key take-aways
• South Korean companies are the
most aggressive users of social
media for corporate communications
and marketing
• Chinese, Malay and Thai firms are also
agressively using social media
Percentage of companies using the four major social media channel types across Asia-Pacific - 2011
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

4. Southeast Asian firms have invested strongly
in social media in 2011
Corporate use of social media channels by market - 2010
Key take-aways
• Southeast Asian (Malay, Thai and
Filipino) firms have invested strongly in
social media over the past twelve
months
• Taiwanese and Singaporean firms
continue to lag their peers and
competitors in other Asian markets
Percentage of companies using the four major social media channel types across Asia-Pacific - 2010
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

5. Asian companies prefer social networks
and micro-blogs
Top social platforms used for corporate marketing and communications
Key take-aways
• Social networks are the most
popular social media channels,
though tend to be used for both
product and corporate marketing
• Micro-blogs are also popular, as
they are easier to manage and are
less dialogue-oriented
• Few Asian companies are using
blogs to communicate with
corporate audiences
Percentage of top Asian companies using one or more of the four top social media platforms
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

6. Asian firms continue to lag their global
peers and competitors
Top global social platforms used for corporate marketing and communications
Key take-aways
• There was an 18% increase in
Fortune Global 100 companies
using Twitter, followed by a 14%
growth in YouTube channels and a
13% growth in companies using
Facebook pages
• Twitter is emerging as the
predominant social media
platform used by corporations,
although corporate Facebook
pages have more “likes” than
Twitter accounts have “followers”
Percentage of top Asian companies using one or more of the four top social media platforms
Source: Global Fortune 100 Corporate Social Media Study 2011
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

7. Corporate social strategies remain
short-term and piecemeal
Levels of corporate activity on company social media channels
Key take-aways
• 62% of social channels
surveyed were inactive
• Companies that use social
networks and corporate blogs
are most committed to these
channels, as they require
more active management
• Conversely, Asian firms
that have set up video
sharing channels struggle to
keep them updated
Percentage of companies with active (at least one post during the period July 01-15, 2011) or inactive (with no posts or activity) social media
channels used solely or in part for corporate marketing and communications
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

8. Integration of social media with
corporate websites remains a low priority
Integration of social media channels with company website
Key take-aways
• South Korean, Australian and
Malay firms are promoting
their social media channels
most actively via their
websites
• Most firms are still testing
social media, and fear that
linking it closely to their ‘core’
online channels may increase
the likelihood of loss of face
Percentage of companies promoting their branded social media channels via their corporate homepage or page sharing tools
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

9. Corporate social storytelling in Asia
remains in its infancy
Use of company video sharing channel
Key take-aways
• Use of video to tell the corporate
story is thin
• Companies in South Korea,
Australia and India are most
actively using online video
• Relatively poor telecoms
infrastructures has limited video
communication in some markets,
especially in Southeast Asia
The average number of videos uploaded to a company’s video sharing channel(s) from 1-15 July 2011 (inclusive)
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

10. Media & influencer outreach dominates
corporate social activity
Focus of corporate social media activity
Key take-aways
• Asian companies are focused
mostly on ‘pushing’ news to
users, including journalists,
bloggers and other opinion-
formers
• Few Asian company CEOs or
senior executives are actively
using social media
• Crisis and issues communications
mostly concern customer service
complaints that may escalate
Percentage of corporate marketing or communications posts to company social media channels
across Asia-Pacific during the period July 01-15, 2011
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

11. Technology & telecoms companies are
Asia’s most advanced social media users
Corporate use of social media channels by industry
Key take-aways
• Telecoms companies are the
most active users of social
media for corporate purposes
• Of the industries represented,
financial services are the least
enthusiastic users of social
media
Percentage of companies by industry sector using one or more of the four top social media types
Source: Asia-Pacific Corporate Social Media Study 2011
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

12. Approach & next steps to corporate
social media
Companies considering developing and
implementing a corporate social media strategy
might usefully consider the following:
• Monitor Continuously Next steps
• Clarify Objectives
• Get Management Buy-In 1.Understand your Audiences
• Align Messages
2.Assess your Communications Capabilities
• Connect the Dots
• Contribute to the Community 3.Identify and Strengthen Gaps
• Participate in Times Good and Bad 4.Re-design Policies, Procedures and Toolkits
• Be Prepared to Respond in Real-time 5.Communicate Employee Roles and Responsibilities
• Be Flexible 6.Cascade Learnings
• Speak as a Human
• Don’t be Heavy Handed
• Optimise Continually
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

13. Methodology
This study assesses corporate marketing and Social media channels analysed comprised the top
communications activity on top social media social networks, micro-blogs, video sharing and
channels by 120 of Asia’s leading companies. corporate blogging platforms per country – hosted
Companies were selected from the on third party platforms and/or website-based.
Wall Street Journal Asia 200 Index of Asia’s
leading companies as determined by executives Data was collected in July 2011 by Burson-
and professionals across Asia-Pacific. The top 10 Marsteller’s Asia-Pacific digital and research teams.
companies were selected per country. Accounts were considered ‘active’ if they had at
least one post by the company on or between July
The countries studied were: Australia, China, 1st and 15th 2011.
Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia,
The Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan Of the 120 companies surveyed, 24 of them are in
and Thailand. financial services, 15 in telecommunications, 25 in
consumer goods, and 14 from the technology
Corporate marketing is defined as: Media and sector.
Influencer Relations; Corporate Social
Responsibility; Thought Leadership; Leadership
Communications; Crisis and Issues Management;
Recruitment Marketing.
This study is made available under a
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

14. Further Information
Charlie Pownall Carly Yanco Kelvin Lim
Lead Digital Strategist (Asia-Pacific) Head of Digital (Australia) Digital Strategist (Malaysia)
charles.pownall@bm.com carly.yanco@bm.com kelvin.lim@bm.com
Albert Pereira Leon Zhang Jinny Jacaria
President, Digital (India) Digital Strategy & Insights Lead (China) Account Director (Philippines)
albert.pereira@bm.com leon.zhang@bm.com jjacaria@seinc.com.ph
Craig Adams Terence Yam Steve Bowen
Director, Marketing (Asia-Pacific) Digital Strategist (Hong Kong) Managing Director (Singapore)
craig.adams@bm.com terence.yam@bm.com steve.bowen@bm.com
Zaheer Nooruddin Salil Jayakar DaeChul Shin
Digital Chief Marketing Officer (Asia-Pacific) Digital Strategist (India) Digital Associate (S. Korea)
zaheer.nooruddin@bm.com salil.jayakar@bm.com daechul.shin@bm.com
Natashia Jaya Luna Chiang
Digital Associate (Indonesia) Senior Account Director (Taiwan)
natashia.jaya@bm.com luna.chiang@compasspr.com.tw
Gosuke Kumamura Jeremy Plotnick
Lead Digital Strategist (Japan) Knowledge Director (Thailand)
gosuke.kumamura@bm.com jeremy.plotnick@abm.co.th
Burson-Marsteller l Asia-Pacific l Evidence-Based Communications

15. About Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific
Burson-Marsteller Asia-Pacific is the leading Our Asia-Pacific network
consultancy for organisations communicating in Asia-
Pacific and internationally. With a presence in the Offices
region dating back to 1973, Burson-Marsteller today Bangalore, Beijing, Chengdu, Chennai, Guangzhou,
includes 35 offices and affiliates in 16 countries Gurgaon, Hong Kong, Hyderabad, Jakarta, Kolkata,
integrated seamlessly into a global network operating Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Pune, Seoul, Shanghai,
in 98 countries. Shenzhen, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo
Our evidence-based approach to communications Affiliates
provides our clients with effective, data-driven Adelaide, Auckland, Bangkok, Brisbane, Canberra,
programs delivered through multiple channels and Colombo, Dhaka, Islamabad, Karachi, Kathmandu,
focused on tangible, measurable results. Our team of Kuala Lumpur, Lahore, Manila, Perth, Taipei,
more than 700 professionals offers a powerful Wellington
combination of local knowledge, sector expertise and
global communications reach.
For more information, please visit:
burson-marsteller.asia
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