Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – Bunzl
Posted on 29. Aug, 2008 by Chi-chi Ekweozor in Social Media Strategies
This article forms part of a study on social media usage amongst FTSE 100 companies.
Each company in the FTSE 100 index was reviewed on its usage of such social media tools as RSS feeds*, blogs, online video, podcasts and social media platforms like Flickr and Facebook on its main website and on occasion, on websites of well-known subsidiary companies.
*RSS feeds are a simple way of delivering fresh versions of a website’s content to online readers automatically.
According to the Guardian.co.uk Business Glossary:
“The FTSE 100 index comprises the 100 most highly capitalised blue chip companies on the London Stock Exchange, representing approximately 81% of the UK market.”
………………
Here’s how outsourcing and distribution conglomerate, Bunzl (BNZL.L) fared.
| FTSE 100 Company | RSS | Podcast | Blog | Online Video | Audio | Facebook, Flickr, etc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bunzl | No | No | No | No | No | No |
………………
Online Video/Webcasts: No
Usage of Social Media platforms: No
(Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, del.icio.us, Twitter, Digg etc)
According to Yahoo! Finance:
“Bunzl has an eventful past. It was established as a haberdashery in 1854. In the 1920s, it began to manufacture cigarette filters in Austria. Today, apart from filters, it manufactures adhesive tape and ink holders, through its Filtrona subsidiary and now out sources the design of food packaging and cleaning and hygiene products for restaurants, hotels and supermarkets.”
My pre-evaluation expectation of how the company will fare:
I expect Bunzl, which has a number of consumer products in the UK, to have a relatively user friendly website. Let’s see…
Commentary:
Reasonably well designed site at Bunzl.com. The Alert Service is a good old fashioned mailing list service. No sign of RSS feeds at all. No video content at all. And though it is carefully crafted to ensure accessibility, Bunzl’s website scores worse than mining giant Antofagasta’s all-Flash offering which at least featured some online video.
Interestingly, Bunzl provide a ‘Mobi Service’ on the site which is maintained by Investis, a web development agency specializing in corporate communications for listed companies.
Bunzl’s website is sadly lacking in social media features and the same could be said for much of Investis’ portfolio. Perhaps this is intentional.
In any case, it would appear that of the non-media FTSE 100 companies already profiled, BHP Billiton is working with the most social media savvy web development agency.
Recommendations:
- Provide RSS feeds - for news, press releases, anything. Let your well-crafted press releases travel.
- Use video to tell a story - Bunzl’s profile on Yahoo! Finance alludes to an intriguing history. Showing some of this online using video would instantly grab attention. If that doesn’t appeal, showcase Bunzl’s environmental initiatives with video. As it is, as far as online interaction is concerned, there is no visible differentiator between Bunzl and its competitors.
I guess that for an outsourcing and distribution corporation which supplies consumers through large public sector organisations like the NHS, there may be no obvious need for social media features on Bunzl’s corporate website.
However, the NHS website does feature online video…
………………
What do you think?
Are you a customer, employee, shareholder or stakeholder of Bunzl? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this review. What would you like to see Bunzl doing more of in terms of social media? More online video? A CEO blog, perhaps?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Need any help?
Do you work for Bunzl and want some insight into some of the ideas published here?
Or perhaps you look after marketing for Bunzl and would like a quick chat about putting some of those recommendations into practice. Contact us.
Related posts:
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – BHP Billiton
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – Antofagasta
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – BG Group
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – Anglo American
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – BT Group
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