Strategic serendipity: How one organization planned for and took advantage of unexpected communicative opportunities

Abstract

This paper contributes to critical voices on the issue of strategic communication. It does so by exploring how an organisation can seize the moment of serendipity based on careful preparation of its issues management and communication channels. The focus of the study is the media coverage of – and communicative responses to – Kopenhagen Fur's campaign The World's Best – but not perfect in both broadcast media (e.g. print and television) and social media, more specifically Facebook. Through understanding how an organisation can plan for and take advantage of the unpredictable through state-of-the-art knowledge and in-depth understanding of the affordances of different communication channels, we discuss the importance of establishing opportunities for serendipity in strategic communication planning. The contribution of the paper is to develop the concept of strategic serendipity and show how organisations as communicative actors can take advantage of the serendipity afforded by other actors' campaigns when advocating and campaigning.