The Defence Industry Media Summit, organized by the Defence Industry Research Centre (SASAM) under the auspices of the Directorate of Communications and with the support of the Presidency of Defence Industries, kicked off in Technopark Ankara.
SASAM President Volkan Öztürk delivered a speech at the Summit, drawing attention to the summit's importance and said, "We organized this Summit to bring together companies from the defence industry and the press to allow them to meet and share their experiences."
Stating that the summit's panels and interviews are intended to help the defence industry media reach a higher level of expertise, Öztürk said:
"The impact of our country's defence industry, which is growing and expanding in all aspects, is felt in economic, social, and strategic areas. This impact has the potential to grow exponentially with proper analysis and planning. SASAM was established to serve all stakeholders in the sector from an academic standpoint to capitalize on this potential."
"The media is also a locomotive for exports"
Hasan Gültekin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of İvedik Organized Industrial Zone (OSB) and Technopark Ankara, stated that the current state of the defence industry sector, for which they have strived for years and which young minds have achieved with great difficulty, is a source of pride for all.
Emphasizing that every process in the defence industry, from the production of equipment to the development of software, is crucial for science, technology, and the nation, Gültekin stated that the vision of the "National Technology Move" constitutes the cornerstones of the country's breakthrough in national technology.
Noting that the dissemination of every project and product produced by the defence industry through the national media enhances their strength, Gültekin made the following assessment:
"In this way, we always feel the support of our nation behind us. Obviously, it is of utmost importance that our defence industry companies maintain contact with the sector and the national media. The faster the information flow, the better the quality of news. In this age of misinformation, our media organs that protect the defence industry’s reputation by publishing news are of strategic importance. By its very nature, the defence industry sector contains sensitive information, and false or incomplete news can have grave consequences. Therefore, the media should communicate the correct information in this field with the appropriate content. It is essential for national security and the sector's reputation. The media is also a locomotive for exports. International media contributes directly to exports by publishing researches and innovations about the defence industry sector. This helps the defence industry sector to remain innovative and competitive.”
"Anadolu Agency contributes greatly in this regard"
Burak Akbaş, METEKSAN International Sales, Marketing and Corporate Reputation Director, also spoke at the panel on "Defence Industry Marketing Communication" moderated by Ruşen Kömürcü, Secretary General of SASAD (Defence and Aviation Industry Manufacturers Association).
Akbaş said that in today's world of communications, corporate communication has vital importance for companies to maintain their commitment and existence. Emphasising that corporate communication has emerged as a strategic communication tool in the last 15 years, Akbaş said that defence industry companies have started to focus on corporate communication, especially with the widespread use of digital media, and that they have realised that this unit contributes significantly to the brand value of companies. Akbaş pointed out that projects in the defence industry are long-term projects with very high costs, that the most important issue for buyers is "trust", and that corporate communication is of critical importance in order to develop this trust.
Cem Altınışık, Corporate Communications Manager at FNSS, made a presentation on the scope of corporate communications in the defence industry, stating that brand communication, corporate identity, printed publications, advertising management, digital media communication, media relations, internal communication, marketing communication and civil society initiatives are the key topics of this field.
Pointing to the importance of multi-language broadcasts on the defence industry, Altınışık said, "There are platforms that broadcast in Arabic, English and Turkish at the same time. Anadolu Agency contributes greatly in this regard. In the past, we did not have defence correspondents specialised in the defence industry. Now that our correspondents have specialised, they generate a substantial amount of added value. We express our gratitude to them. It must be promoted globally; we must leverage digital for this."
“I consider corporate communicators to be brand ambassadors”
Erdem Tümdağ, Head of Business Development at ARMELSAN Defence Technologies, remarked that establishing a strong corporate communication structure is essential for a strong defence industry, and that one of the most important functions of corporate communication is to improve internal communication, which is essential for fostering a sense of belonging within the company. "I consider corporate communicators to be brand ambassadors," Tümdağ noted, explaining that corporate communication plays a key part in the establishment of an internal innovation culture.
Gençay Gençer, Executive Committee Member and Corporate Communication, Business Development & Brand Management Manager at Canik Arms, noted that the Turkish defence industry's products must be promoted internationally and that they contribute to the marketing departments in this respect.
Gençer stated that they work with legal consultants in many countries worldwide and that they are exerting every effort to preserve the brand and products and to explain them properly.
Directorate of Communications sets up booth
Many companies and organisations participated in the summit by setting up booths, including the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, Anadolu Agency, SASAM, SASAD, ASELSAN, FNSS, HAVELSAN, Sarsılmaz (‘Sars’) Firearms Corp., METEKSAN Defence, BMC Otomotive, ASISGUARD, Canik Arms, Kale Defence, and BITES Defence & Aerospace Technologies.
