3.1 Matson Public Image

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Bellevue University *

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476

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Communications

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Apr 3, 2024

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Running head: MATSON PUBLIC IMAGE 1 3.1 Matson Public Image Name Bellevue University SCLM 476 Professor Patrick Ruddy

MATSON PUBLIC IMAGE 2 Abstract A company image and identity are not one and the same. They are in fact opposites that involve the different internal and external perceptions of the company. The image is the reputation of a company, which if overall positive, translates to higher financial gains over competitors. The overall image is created by the multiple elements that make up the impression of the company. These involve elements such as financial performance, brand equity, history of innovation and technological competence, treatment of employees and customers, and publicly viewed trends in the market. It is very rare that a business has a single image or reputation. There are many different public perspectives of a single company depending on the different interests. A business may hold a strong reputation with customers for always offering great value but a poor reputation with suppliers because of the hard bargaining and no vendor loyalty. Surveying to evaluate the corporation’s image is an extremely vital tool but the single most important element in the company’s image is the financial performance. Financial reports that show a company is growing and profitable with steady earnings history indicates that the company is satisfying the expectations of its customers, stakeholders, and community. Keywords : Company Image, Company Identity, Financial Performance, Brand Equity

MATSON PUBLIC IMAGE 3 3.1 Matson Public Image How you differentiate a company’s image versus identity depends on the perspective. In terms of company image, the perspective is subjective and from the outside. The company identity, however, is internal and controlled by the company, showcasing specifically how the company wants to be perceived. Determining the specifics on the showcased company identity depends on what is relevant in the current world. The topics important to customers should be important to companies who desire attention from prospective buyers in that target market. What is ‘Public Relations’? Public relations, also known as PR, is the set of methods and tactics related to managing how information about a company is circulated to the public and the media. Its main objectives is to maintain a brand image, publicize important company news, and to “put a positive spin on negative events to minimize their fallout” (HAYES, 2021). PR may occur in the form of a company press release, news conference, interviews, social media posting, or other venues. PR is different than publicity where PR is controlled internally, and publicity is information spread externally, Identity versus Image. Every entity or person in the public eye must deal with the spread of information about them to the public. When it comes to PR, the company is able to showcase all the good things the company is doing that make a positive impact on important topics that involve corporate social responsibilities. Corporate Social

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MATSON PUBLIC IMAGE 4 Responsibilities involve policies and practices to protect and to better the employees, the environment, and the community. Matson, Inc. Identity VS. Image Matson pushes sustainability and corporate social responsibility initiatives in order to showcase the companies’ goals and objectives as green-thinking and customer-centric. Matson’s CEO states that the company’s goal is to also improve the lives of the communities served across the Pacific. Matson prides itself on investing in more sustainable and safer vessels which improves their carbon footprint and protects the pristine environments they operate in. Matson tackles one of the most pressing environmental challenges by establishing goals to reduce GHG emissions in an effort to limit climate change that threatens our global economies. Matson strives for these goals by implementing new technologies for engine monitoring to increase their fuel efficiencies and weather routing technologies to reduce fuel consumption. Matson reports they have policies, procedures, and programs in place to prevent spills, properly manage waste, and protect marine life. Matson’s zero solid waste policy was the first of its kind adopted in 1993. Matson also employs a non- food solid waste recycling program called “Greentainer” where waste is recycled in the best applicable way. Matson’s Environmental Stewardship program showcases the company’s environmental goals by enhancing vessels with technologies and policies while also collaborating with Clean Cargo Group and EPA’s SmartWay Transport to accomplish their sustainability initiatives.

MATSON PUBLIC IMAGE 5 Matson made a commitment to support their communities and even established their charitable giving program to ensure their community support efforts are organized and successful. Matson gives to their communities by providing funding, material goods, and services to support nonprofit operations in their community. Matson has three charitable giving program committees which are each geographically oriented, Pacific, Alaska, and Mainland. These groups are active and involved members in their communities. They find opportunities for their charitable giving program by reviewing applications from their communities who are requesting the committees’ support with donations, fundraising/sponsorship events, or donated shipping services including donated or loaned shipping containers. Not only is Matson a corporate responsible citizen who invests in communities and drives initiatives for a more sustainable future but they also value and prioritize diversity as part of their company culture. These are all internally controlled PR topics that showcase Matson’s CSR initiatives. To get a full picture of Matson’s brand from a customer’s perspective, I did an extensive google search to locate news stories and social media mentions. The only results I could find did not involve anything on any type of news or reporting blogs. I did find customer reviews on social media site like yelp, Facebook, and BBB. According to the Better Business Bureau. There were 14 customer complaints closed over the last 3 years with 6 over the last 12 months. The BBB rates Matson, Inc. as an A+ business, keep in mind that the rating is not based on the customer complaint There is only one customer review (negative) and Matson did provide an official response. Although the BBB requires companies to respond to complaints.

MATSON PUBLIC IMAGE 6 Just to get a comparison, I searched Walmart BBB rating. Walmart has several listings as the company as a whole as well as individual stores. Most of the stores had a “NR” or “Not Rated” rating, while the company as a whole had a C . Walmart has 3,214 complaints in the last 3 years and 1,136 within the last 12 months. This helps to give a picture of Matson, although not in such a good light. It is one thing to post articles on behalf of your company, but it is another thing when customers are not praising your name in the same way. The picture Matson paints of themselves is positive and socially responsible. However, the voice of the customer says otherwise. Matson CSR efforts do not cover up the lack of service that customers are claiming they have received.

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MATSON PUBLIC IMAGE 7 Another search for Matson social media I found the continued trend of positive PR posted by Matson followed by a negative review from a customer right under. Customers posts pictures of damages by Matson and verbiage of a poor customer experience claiming they reported their vehicles being damaged in shipping with photo evidence of the damage and denied liability from Matson. Matson does not respond to these negative claims on the social media post and there is not indication the matter was resolved in other correspondence to the customer. It seems as though there is a mix of what Matson pushes with

MATSON PUBLIC IMAGE 8 their PR efforts and what the actual customer voices are saying. Although I am not so sure that other transportation and logistics companies do not fight the same battles. The core metric to evaluating a business’s overall image is the financial reports to determine if the company is profitable with an upward trajectory in earnings. For Matson, Inc. who offers end-to-end supply chain management services utilizing 18 company-owned ships, 6 chartered vessels, 2 company-owned barges, 1.6 million square feet of warehouse space, 6 cross dock facilities and 4,149 employees servicing customers around the Pacific, Matson has $2.38 billion in revenues in 2020 showing 3.35 billion as of January 23, 2022. The only topics in the news for Matson is related to investing in the company and how it’s the company for investors to watch. Overall, Matson does not have a strong online presence with social media and unfortunately for the company, what is out there is not very positive. Matson comes in strong with profitability and continued growth even with the pitfalls of the supply chain disruptions with the COVID-19 pandemic. References Better Business Bureau. (2022). Matson, Inc. Company Profile. Retrieved on January 18, 2022. https://www.bbb.org/us/hi/honolulu/profile/steamship-agencies/matson-navigation-co- inc-1296-3898 CNBC. (2022). Matson, Inc. MATX:NYSE. Retrieved on January 20, 2022. https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/MATX HAYES, A. (2021). What Is Public Relations (PR)? Retrieved on January 18, 2022. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/public-relations-pr.asp Matson, Inc. (2022). Community Giving. Retrieved on January 18, 2022. https://www.matson.com/community/index.html

MATSON PUBLIC IMAGE 9 Matson, Inc. (2022). Environmental Stewardship. Retrieved on January 18, 2022. https://www.matson.com/sustainability/environment.html Matson, Inc. (2022). People and Places. Retrieved on January 18, 2022. https://www.matson.com/sustainability/human-capital.html Matson, Inc. (2020). Sustainability Report. Retrieved on January 18, 2022. https://www.matson.com/others/Matson_2020_Sustainability_Report_Supplement.pdf Matson, Inc. (2020). Matson Giving Manifest. Retrieved on January 18, 2022. https://www.matson.com/community/MatsonGiving_Manifest_2019.pdf Mansueto Ventures. (2022). Corporate Image. Retrieved on January 18, 2022. https://www.inc.com/encyclopedia/corporate-image.html#:~:text=The%20major %20elements%20are%201,and%20workers%2C%205)%20its%20external Meta “Facebook”. (2022). Matson, Inc: Recommendations & Reviews. Retrieved on January 18, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/MatsonInc/reviews/?ref=page_internal

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