Written Defense: New Media Portfolio for Ethical Grounds Coffee Crisis Communications

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Justification of Platform Choices

For the Ethical Grounds Coffee portfolio, seven different media platforms were intentionally used to respond to a global supply chain issue. Each one was chosen with a specific audience and purpose in mind. The press release followed standard AP formatting to present clear, credible information for journalists and stakeholders, since this format is still widely trusted by traditional media (Associated Press Stylebook, 2019). This was especially important because the press release acted as the foundation for the rest of the portfolio’s messaging and helped establish the company’s official voice during the crisis. By using a trusted and familiar format, the message was more likely to be seen as credible, professional, and worth paying attention to by key stakeholders.

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The website article and blog post focused on building long-term visibility through SEO, especially for people searching terms like “ethical coffee supply chain.” On social media, three tweets using the hashtag #FairTradeCoffee helped create a sense of urgency and spread awareness quickly. Meanwhile, Instagram and LinkedIn played more long-term roles. Instagram helped connect with everyday consumers through visual storytelling, while LinkedIn focused on building relationships with business partners and professionals.

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Impact Analysis on Information Dissemination

Each platform contributed differently in terms of reach, credibility, and engagement. The press release offered the strongest sense of authority, since media outlets tend to pick up and share this type of content more widely than social posts (Formentin & Spaulding, 2022). This supports the decision to lead with a press release, since its ability to be amplified through traditional media helps expand reach while also reinforcing credibility. Starting with this type of content also ensures that everything that follows is built on a clear and trusted message. The website article and blog post supported ongoing visibility by driving steady traffic through search engines, especially with well-optimized metadata. The tweets, on the other hand, were effective for quick exposure, gaining significant impressions within a short time through retweets and hashtag use.

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Instagram stood out for engagement, as visual content tends to perform better with consumers, while LinkedIn was effective for directly reaching professionals in the supply chain space and strengthening B2B connections (LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, 2025). This focuses on why using both platforms together was important. Instagram helped raise awareness and connect with consumers in a more visual and relatable way, while LinkedIn focused on building and maintaining important industry relationships. Together, they supported both immediate engagement and longer-term partnerships.

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Platform Recommendations

To build on this strategy, three additional platforms could make the message even stronger. TikTok would be a great way to reach younger audiences through short, authentic videos showing real farm partnerships. YouTube could support longer-form storytelling, such as documentaries that highlight the journey from bean to cup and reinforce transparency.

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Email newsletters would also be valuable for staying connected with loyal customers. With more personalized updates about the supply chain, email can drive stronger engagement and typically sees higher open rates than social media (Mailchimp Benchmark Report, 2025). This reinforces email’s role as a relationship-building tool. Unlike social media, which tends to reach a broad audience more quickly, email allows for more direct and personalized communication. That makes it especially useful for keeping loyal customers informed and engaged over time.

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                                                                             Conclusion

Overall, the platform strategy worked by combining credibility, visibility, and engagement. The press release built authority, the website and blog supported long-term search visibility, and social platforms helped drive interaction and awareness. Expanding into platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and email would help reach younger audiences and build even deeper relationships with customers.