ABSTRACT
Chapter 8 looks closely at concept of stakeholders. In strategic communications, stakeholders are the people to whom the Communicative Entity aims to send messages. There are many different types of stakeholders and they serve many different purposes for the CE. In marketing situations, the stakeholders might be consumers, customers or target markets. In advertising, they are usually called target audiences. In public relations practice, these people are typically referred to as publics. Stakeholders can also be voters, citizens, employees or elected officials. Anyone who has a stake in the communicative entity’s message is a stakeholder. This chapter examines the difference between active and passive stakeholders. It also breaks down who the stakeholders are, where to find them, how to attract them and how to keep them. The chapter also discusses consumer stakeholders, their behavior in the purchasing process and how they can shape the brand. Finally, the chapter examines the role diversity plays in strategic communication and provides tips to help identify and target the most appropriate stakeholder group.
