Community building highlights comms' measurement challenge
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Comms leaders are spearheading ambitious community initiatives that go far beyond messaging, but they aren't always easy to measure.
Why it matters: CCOs need to make the business case for these investments with returns that are difficult to directly link to communications alone.
By the numbers: Two recent studies show how important community engagement is for brands — and how challenging it is for leaders to demonstrate that impact.
- A new study from agency Civic, based on a survey of 2,000 Americans, found that 55% say they've advocated for or defended a brand because of its community involvement.
- Among Gen Z, that figure rises to 65%.
- A recent Edelman study found that 62% of senior corporate affairs leaders "lack clear ways" to quantify how stakeholder engagement actually impacts business outcomes.
The big picture: As comms moves beyond shaping messages, the most meaningful results may be the partnerships, business decisions and stronger relationships it helps create, not just what audiences hear.
- Media theorist Douglas Rushkoff, who contributed to Civic's research, says that brands should consider what participants gain: "What are you providing them? What are you asking for, if anything, in return?"
- Civic CEO Stuart Ruderfer's advice: Figure out what your company can uniquely contribute to a community, then put resources toward delivering that value before spending to promote it.
Zoom in: Ford Motor Company communications chief Mark Truby helped launch an initiative supporting skilled trades that has grown into a coalition of major companies.
- It's also created opportunities for Ford to deepen relationships with commercial customers.
- "If all you cared about was the bottom line, well, look at it as an opportunity to spend a lot of time and get closer to your customers and their needs," Truby told Axios.
- For initiatives supporting veterans and military families, Truby takes a longer view. "I don't think Bill Ford wants me to come and say, 'Now show me where that paid off in sales,'" he said.
At Sam's Club, acting VP of communications JD Byrum points to membership trends, shopping frequency and brand perception as indicators of progress in the ongoing work to reposition around a sense of community.
- Customer feedback from the Member's Mark community has helped shape products, while internal surveys track how consistently employees articulate the value of membership.
- Byrum said the strategy originated with the company's then-chief communications officer, but marketing, merchandising, operations and other teams brought it to life.
- "Execution has to come from everywhere," he says.
Between the lines: The more comms shapes what a company does, the harder it becomes to isolate its contribution.
- A new product, stronger customer relationship or industry partnership might originate with comms, but it would require other teams to deliver the results.
- That leaves CCOs in a tricky spot: They can't take sole credit for broader business results, but they can't ask for more resources on faith alone.
Before pitching a community initiative, three questions are worth asking:
- Who actually benefits? Be clear about what a "win" looks like — not just for the bottom line, but for the community you're building.
- What's actually changing? Turnout is a start, but look deeper. Are behaviors shifting? Are relationships getting stronger? How will you know?
- What's our fair share of the credit? Be honest about what comms drove directly versus what it helped accomplish alongside other teams.
The bottom line: It's not enough for brands to convene people — CCOs need to show what changed as a result.
