Strategic Communication has taken a different course in recent years. It has become strategically important on a global scale and is now an indispensable tool for today’s society and organisations. This was evidenced in first world nations some years ago, when major corporations and companies at the forefront of new technology development saw a major opportunity, which they took full advantage of. Communication, a basic part of human life, has become instantaneous thanks to new technology.

These advances have affected countries around the world and transformed individuals and companies’ communication strategies. Colombia, although not immediately considered a creator of technology, is at the cutting edge of this trend. Over time, the Colombian people have adopted these tools. Technology now forms a fundamental part of their daily lives at all social and professional levels.

It is clear that not everyone perceives communication and technology in the same way. Each generation has experienced the process differently, using technology according to their own needs. That is why having a team made up of people from more than one generation is a competitive advantage for today’s companies. It allows them to gain insight and different points of view about how to communicate and how to reach the right audience through the correct channels.

Baby Boomers include everyone born between 1946 and 1964. In most cases, this is the generation in Colombia that is at the helm of the business world. This generation has witnessed the transformation of communication and technology first hand. They have adapted to get the most from it and be more efficient in everything they do.

Communicating with stakeholders is an essential part of an executive’s daily tasks. In Colombia, being well “connected” marks the difference between successful and unsuccessful companies. For tasks such as strategic relations, the communication revolution has been absolutely fundamental.

Years ago, the only way corporate executives could highlight someone’s achievement or convey a key message, was to send a letter by post or deliver the message personally. Nowadays however, there is a vast array of tools available to optimise strategic relations, facilitating this task enormously. A WhatsApp message can be sent today to generate a positive impact at the right time. For more formal messages, email, through which the right audience can be reached from anywhere and on any device.

For efficient strategic relations, it is vital to know who you need to speak to. Previously, the executive had to do a bit of research to find out who occupied a certain post and their professional background, among many other things. Executives can now log onto their LinkedIn or Facebook accounts and, at the click of a button, find all the information they need instantly.

Generation X and Y are those born between 1964 and 1984. This generation is now at an important stage in their life when everything is happening: young children, a professional career and an active social life. They hold important jobs and have no time for anything!

This busy lifestyle has led them to take on board the communication transformation in a very different way compared to the so-called “Baby Boomers”. They have become exceedingly demanding thanks to the boundless possibilities at their disposal. They increasingly need better content in more flexible formats, ever faster information and communication media adapted to this new reality. An excellent example is Netflix, an on-demand platform that has created better quality content and in formats short enough to be suitable for this generation with very little time on its hands.

The format in which news is delivered has also had to adapt to the new reality of immediacy demanded by new generations, who do not have the time to sit down and read a newspaper or watch a full news broadcast. The media has also had to migrate towards and incorporate social media, fully aware that it is easier to access Twitter when you are in a taxi or waiting in a queue to keep up to date with what is happening in Colombia and around the world.

It is also important to highlight that a sizeable number of opinion leaders in Colombia form part of generation X and Y, who look to reach their audiences in the most efficient manner possible, fully aware of the needs of their generational peers. They have radically changed the way in which they deliver their messages.

Millennials are those born between 1984 and 1995 and is one of the primary media audiences. This generation was born in the digital age. Their lives fully revolve around the idea of immediacy, technology and viral web content.

This has led well-known opinion leaders to switch to new types of media to reach an increasingly demanding public. Even though they continue to write for the print press, many journalists have become aware of the massive opportunity that lies in media such as YouTube to reach younger generations, something that was thought only Millennials or YouTubers would do.

Many generation X and Y influencers have decided to go one step further to get closer to their coveted public, which only settles for information that is immediate and not delivered by traditional means. They realised that a radio broadcast that only a handful of people would listen to would not be enough. They have decided to broadcast them on various platforms, such as Facebook Live. Anyone that wants can now watch and listen to the broadcast in real time. If you missed it live, the programme is also available for download or streaming to watch it later.

The world has changed. Young people are not easily surprised. They are demanding and expect more and more. It is important to understand just what these audiences are asking for. This generation is driven by memes and graphic content to summarise an event or information in a clear and concise way. It is important, therefore, to create strategies around these new formats rather than trying to reach them via an opinion column in a newspaper they may never read.

It is important to grasp that the only way to obtain a different result is to change the way you do things. Many people, media outlets and companies in Colombia have realised that thinking outside the box, adopting a strategic approach and finding ways to reach the target audience is key to increasing visibility and successful positioning.

Communication is a fundamental human tool, but Strategic Communication is much more. Colombia adapted and adopted communication to make it part of our daily lives. In a few years, if not months, actively talking about and executing strategic communication will be commonplace.

New techniques, technologies and tools will emerge; some virtual and others real, but ultimately communicating strategically will mark the difference for your message… And that is why I believe in “Colombia…an opportunity for Strategic Communication”.