The rapid proliferation of digital media is driving forward an organisational shift in companies across industries and the world – the convergence of corporate communications and marketing functions. Today’s consumer is more connected than ever before. The average Brit owns over three digital devices, spends around nine hours a day staring at a screen, and checks at least one social media site before getting out of bed in the morning. On top of this, consumers can access content anywhere and at anytime – even at 30,000ft in the air.

In response to this rapid media proliferation, companies are finding new ways to increase efficiency, build trust, and engage consumers. The best way to do this, many are finding, is to become more unified internally. By merging the roles of marketing and communications, companies can maintain a consistent message and voice across all channels of communication and stakeholder audiences.

Micho Spring, chair of the global corporate practice at Weber Shandwick, says, “For some companies, the dual-structure of marketers primarily targeting customers and corporate communicators primarily targeting other stakeholders only adds an extra layer of complexity...Achieving one voice starts with integrating the outward faces of the organisations – communications and marketing.”

Weber Shandwick’s chief reputation strategist, Leslie Gaines-Ross, adds, “As companies increasingly see the value in investing in corporate reputation as well as brand reputation due to the instantaneous accessibility of information online, leaders are seeing the strategic need to get communicators and marketers on the same page when it comes to marketing communications.” The communications consultancy’s research into the changing role of the chief communications officer, ‘The Rising COO,’ yielded much of this insight.

Bloomberg is an organisation that has been at the forefront of this trend. Instead of differentiating between departments, Bloomberg’s PR, social media, and marketing functions have formed a committee that focuses on building an infrastructure for lesser-known Bloomberg subsidiaries.

Research conducted by leading global PR firm, Weber Shandwick, indicates that more and more companies are following Bloomberg by blurring the line between marketing and communications. The rate of chief communications officers with marketing oversight has increased by 35% since 2012, according to Weber Shandwick’s research.