ad range of internally generated corporate information and more informal material' which will invariably lead to a sense of 'power to construct their own reports'. This could lead
by companies that stakeholder management activities are intended to "increase the value of the company by delivering more value to the stakeholders including customers and employees" and are therefore a core part of the overall corporate strategy (pg. 432). Corporate organisations especially those in the service industry are aware of this and make use of all available means of external communications, especially the media to reach out to their customers (Holmlund et al., 1996; Lai, 2004).
The advent of the World Wide Web and the internet at the end of the 20th century heralded the divide between traditional forms of media such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines and more modern forms of media that made extensive use of digital technologies. Through the latter, the term 'new media' as been used to categorize not only internet based communications but also mobile communications through cellular devices. This introduction has allowed for much more flexibility and direct communication through marketing (Yuang and Cheng, 2004).
The growing popularity of new media has changed the media and communications landscape as a whole (Roach, 2009). Previously, people were largely at the 'receiving end' of a one-way information flow from a minority of people who controlled the content. Now however, new media has provided a platform on which 'receivers' can now express themselves through websites, internet hosted videos and chatrooms, blogs, SMS, MMS and social media platforms (Bauer et al., 2005; Roach, 2009; Pastore, 2002). To some, the internet therefore becomes an attractive tool for 'communication for the "voiceless," furthering the rights of self-expression and cultural participation' Livingston, 2004). Yet, other writers such as Mei et al. (2010) question the aura of greatness and positive hype that surrounded new media since it emerged. Although they concede that the internet has indeed created a platform for corporate firms to have 'unlimited possibilities of connection with stakeholders and to further their agenda' (pg. 143), they lay strong emphasis on the threat of new media to corporate organisations by highlighting the way new media has become a catalyst for crisis, and cite cases such as the 'Taco Bell rats infestation incident in New York' in February 2007 and the 'Edison Chen sex scandal' in Hong Kong in January 2008 as some examples (Mei et al., 2010: 146). The double edged nature of new media perhaps materializes once a single message- or content is disseminated into the public domain through a new media platform; many people then have access or the ability to edit such information in a vindictive manner that usually ends up in a crises (Tilley and Cokley, 2008; Mei et al. 2010). Nevertheless, the ease of content production has also made the internet and mobile phone telephony a more attractive alternative to other forms of media like television giving rise to interactive communication that generates feedback. Understanding customers is crucial for communicators and marketers because it provides a basis for competitive advantage amongst competitors within the same industry (Fill, 1999). Communication specialists therefore value interactive spheres where stakeholders can also provide feedback about their products or services (Cornelissen, 2008).
Mobile marketing is an emerging trend in marketing and is being aggressively integrated into marketing commun
