Strategic Communications in the Digital Era: Global Trends and Insights from West Africa

A growing trend in the practice of Strategic Communications and Public Relations globally is the expansion of roles and the blend of strategic leadership with multimedia content production responsibilities. The multimedia production tasks include video production and editing, photography, and other forms of content production. These new roles are in addition to the traditional functions of messaging, stakeholder engagement, media relations, etc. The study investigates this global trend, with a focus on West Africa (Nigeria and Ghana). Anchored on the Excellence Theory and Diffusion of Innovation Theory, the study employed mixed methods research design, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. A total of 112 communications professionals completed survey questionnaire, while 15 senior managers participated in semi-structured interview. The study found out that multimedia production expectations are prevalent, with 72% of respondents reporting these tasks as part of their role. While these developments have obvious benefits and align with digital-first imperatives, they risk strategic dilution, workload overload, and professional identity tension. The study recommends clear role definitions and balanced integration of production and strategic responsibilities to sustain effective communications practice globally.