Disclaimer:
This blog discusses sensitive topics such as public health crises, cultural discrimination, historical trauma and corporate controversy. Reader discretion is advised. The aim is explore how strategic communication addressed these issues with empathy and responsibility.
Keywords: Cultural Competence, Public Memory, Cultural Communities, Health Advocacy
Across the diverse case studies examined, one unifying thread emerges: the indispensable role of communication in influencing public memory, shaping behavior and addressing complex societal issues. Whether confronting health crises, corporate controversies, cultural misunderstanding or historical amnesia, effective communication is more than just information sharing, it is a transformative force. However, this power comes with challenges that demand sensitivity, strategy and ethical responsibility.
Strategic Communication: Navigating Culture and Crisis
One of the most persistent challenges in these cases is addressing deeply rooted beliefs and cultural practices. In the fight against AIDS in Africa, communicators had to navigate cultural norms and misconceptions that hindered public health efforts. “Case: Aids in Africa” (n.d.), showcases that before creating plans, programs and messages, communicators need to be aware of and sensitive to cultural beliefs and practices. Organizational cultures, cultures within one’s nation (such as the crisis that arose when an intruder killed girls in an Amish school in Pennsylvania in October 2006) and foreign cultures all require consideration (“Case: Aids in Africa, n.d., p. 159). Messages promoting prevention often clashed with long-standing beliefs, requiring approaches that were both educational and cultural sensitive. Likewise, Nestlé’s global marketing controversy revealed how corporate messages that ignore local customs, such as breastfeeding traditions, can spark international outrage. “A Classic: Baby Formula Raises Questions” (n.d.) showcases that they were preventing breastfeeding and causing infant morbidity and malnutrition… since they lived in the developing world (“A Classic: Baby Formula Raises Questions,” n.d., p. 323). These examples demonstrate that effective communication must extend beyond messaging to strategically engage with cultural values, ensuring relevance and resonance with the intended audience.
South African Teens with HIV/AIDS on YouTube https://youtu.be/4f_Q-ooOClc?si=pUH7JbNRhqr5oNuo All rights belong to the original creator.
In addition to cultural barriers, many of these cases have crises of public perception. Negative stereotypes surrounding Chinese immigrants were reinforced by harmful media portrayals, demonstrating the need for communicators to actively challenge stigma and advocate for fair representation. Mao (2015), writes that there were 1,216,565 Chinese residents in Canada as of the 2006 census, making them the largest visible-minority group from a single nation (Statistics Canada, 2006). However, many Chinese migrants find it extremely difficult to adjust to life in Canada because of the stark differences in language, culture, socioeconomic status and political beliefs between China and Canada (Mao, 2015, p. 115). In addition, “Case: They Keep Coming–Chinese Immigrants in Canada” (n.d.), showcase a cartoon depicting a person in Canada saying, “in that case, let’s just stay in Canada,” says one character in a third cartoon while another says, “Nah, it’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to illegally migrate there” (“Case: They Keep Coming–Chinese Immigrants in Canada,” n.d., p. 194). Similarly, the “Remembering the Few” memorial faced the challenge of making a historical event feel meaningful to audiences who may have been unaware of its significance. Simpson (n.d.) writes in the goals and objectives to “encourage interest in the memorial from young people to remember the Second World War” (Simpson, n.d., p. 122). In addition, De Groot (2023) writes that “How and what a society chooses to remember and commemorate reflects much about the values and ethics of that society itself” (De Groot, 2023). Without thoughtful, audience-centered communication, efforts to preserve public memory risk fading into obscurity.
Ethical Engagement: Combating Misinformation and Building Trust
Another major hurdle is the widespread presence of misinformation and public mistrust. In health communication, especially regarding AIDS, false narratives and stigma have historically undermined prevention campaigns. Addressing these issues requires clear, consistent and compassionate messaging that builds trust over time. Nestlé’s backlash also highlights how ethical missteps in messaging can erode credibility, making transparency and accountability essential components of any communication strategy.
Ultimately, these cases illustrate that successful public relations hinges on more than the delivery of facts. It involves ethical storytelling, cultural competence and proactive audience engagement. When communication is approached as a two-way dialogue, rooted in empathy and responsibility, it becomes a powerful catalyst for shaping public memory and driving meaningful societal change.
Ethical Messaging: The Heart of Meaningful Public Relations
Overall, these case studies demonstrate that communication is never a passive tool; it actively shapes how society understands history, perceives one another and responds to global challenges. Whether confronting a public health crisis, addressing corporate responsibility or preserving collective memory, communication must be ethical, audience-aware and culturally responsive. When grounded in strategy and empathy, it becomes more than messaging, it becomes a vehicle for progress, understanding and lasting social change.
References
A Classic: Baby Formula Raises Questions (n.d.). 320-331
Case: Aids in Africa (n.d.). 159-183.
Case: They Keep Coming–Chinese Immigrants in Canada
De Groot, J. (2023, September 23). Public Memory and Political Discourse: Commemoration in the UK. National Council on Public History. https://ncph.org/history-at-work/public-memory-and-political-discourse-commemoration-in-the-uk/
Mao, Y. (2015). Investigating Chinese Migrants’ Information-Seeking Patterns in Canada: Media Selection and Language Preference. Global Media Journal, 8, 113–131.
Simpson, G. (n.d.). Remembering the Few
VOA Africa. (2013, July 3). South Africa Teens with HIV/AIDS [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f_Q-ooOClc