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Opinion: Defence companies in Australia have, at times, under-invested in their brand and marketing activities. Sure, there are many examples of companies competing with gusto to secure the large contracts when they are on offer, but often, their presence withdraws and withers in between rounds, or disappears at the end of the fight. A more sustained approach to building and growing reputation with customers, employees and partners is the hallmark of a more mature company, and one more likely to succeed, writes Chandran Thinc. principal, Chandran Vigneswaran.
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Communications also cannot operate in isolation of the industry it operates in. If it does, it does so at its peril. Today, the threat environment is rapidly changing and will continue to change. And in this environment, industry, both homegrown and global, is investing in the development of new technology and innovative solutions. Not only are companies investing more, but there is also a growing number of participants seeking to secure a foothold in Australia’s defence market, by partnering with the Commonwealth to deliver the edge that is sought. The market is more competitive.
To Australia’s benefit, we are seeing global defence companies approach the market differently. Historically, defence companies, whether domiciled in the US or Europe, often regarded Australia as a satellite business development office. This has changed. The Australian side of the business is now more often led by Australians, they are steadily growing their workforce and capability and they are holding the accountability and authority to deliver projects to the customer.
Australian defence companies are also starting to play a more significant role, partnering with primes more successfully and winning contracts both at home and abroad where they play a leading role. For them, the prize is to see their intellectual property remain in Australia but sold to the nation’s allies abroad.
In this increasingly competitive environment, the approach to communications and marketing across the defence industry spectrum needs to continue to evolve and the function responsible for this must also grow, staying at the bleeding edge of its field.
A decade ago, defence companies in Australia approached the marketing of their products primarily through direct engagement with the customer. This relied predominantly on efforts to understand the customer’s needs and then sought to meet those needs through product offerings and product development. This need for direct engagement cannot and will not be replaced, however, companies are becoming more sophisticated in how they work to inform the customer and appropriately influence their decision-making process. The result is management of a broader stakeholder matrix that includes the supply chain, think tanks, universities, the media, foreign embassies, state governments, and a deeper and broader analysis of those within Defence and the Commonwealth government with an interest in a specific procurement outcome. More effort is being put into understanding these stakeholders needs, their position on a particular acquisition, and in doing so, how a bid should be designed to deliver the best outcome.
Companies’ marketing efforts are also becoming more sophisticated. Importantly, companies are thinking more strategically about who the target audience is, what their needs are, and how their messaging can be more effective.
With sophistication, so too, have marketing budgets grown and their deployment different. While the big defence expos still dominate most company’s marketing spend, the breadth and depth of marketing tactics have changed. Tactics are moving to cover all marketing channels including sophisticated content marketing activities and professional media engagement. Defence companies that were often wary of raising their head above the parapet are now considerably more outward-facing, engaging publicly on the issues that impact their customers and communities.
In the midst of this change, the opportunity for communications, marketing, and external affairs professionals to work within the defence industry has grown remarkably. Defence companies are today fielding larger, more experienced teams and can attract top talent from some of Australia’s leading companies. The opportunity to work on interesting, challenging programs with some of Australia and the world’s leading scientists and engineers is not one to be sneezed at.
Despite this, the communications and marketing that we are likely to see from defence companies over the next 10 years may not look like they did for the submarine, frigates, or armoured vehicle campaigns of the past decade. The many complex programs the Australian Defence Force is pursuing are likely to run into challenges that impact timelines, scope, and budget. In this environment, defence companies may require their communications teams to have a greater focus on issues management, demonstrating performance and value to the customer and the Australian people. A different objective to be delivered while navigating the political minefield and international relations that surround the industry.
Chandran Vigneswaran is the principal of Chandran Thinc.
