In the era of the so-called third globalization, dominated by information and communication, exchanges are increasingly hampered by an overabundance of information that paradoxically weakens communication itself. This phenomenon, designated by a rich and evolving terminology (information overload, infobésité, information fatigue, misinformation, disinformation, infox), unfolds within a post-truth context where facts often yield to beliefs and emotions and where the very foundations of democratic debate appear destabilized. This article examines the challenges of external corporate communication in such an environment and the strategies through which an economic actor can build, promote, and protect its reputation. The study proceeds in three stages. First, it analyzes the terminology of information and disinformation, drawing on the work of the Délégation générale à la langue française et aux langues de France and the French equivalents it proposes for foreign and technical terms. Second, it retraces the evolution of corporate communication strategies, from the conditioning and repetition models of twentieth-century propaganda to persuasive, relational, and influencer-based approaches, illustrated through emblematic cases such as Dieselgate (malinformation), the tobacco industry (disinformation), and the spectacularization practiced by major brands. Finally, the article argues that narrative (storytelling), when properly structured and ethically grounded, offers a viable alternative for conveying credible and memorable messages. Through the interplay of pathos, ethos, and logos, narrative acts as a strategic discursive device that generates meaning and shapes the way reality is perceived. Drawing on Maingueneau’s socio-discursive approach, the analysis shows how storytelling can function as an epistemic filter capable of restoring trust, while warning against its manipulative drift (greenwashing, socialwashing, pinkwashing).
LA COMMUNICATION EXTERNE À L’ENTREPRISE À L’ÈRE DE LA POST-VÉRITÉ : LA MISE EN RÉCIT COMME SOLUTION
Veronica Benzo
2026-01-01
Abstract
In the era of the so-called third globalization, dominated by information and communication, exchanges are increasingly hampered by an overabundance of information that paradoxically weakens communication itself. This phenomenon, designated by a rich and evolving terminology (information overload, infobésité, information fatigue, misinformation, disinformation, infox), unfolds within a post-truth context where facts often yield to beliefs and emotions and where the very foundations of democratic debate appear destabilized. This article examines the challenges of external corporate communication in such an environment and the strategies through which an economic actor can build, promote, and protect its reputation. The study proceeds in three stages. First, it analyzes the terminology of information and disinformation, drawing on the work of the Délégation générale à la langue française et aux langues de France and the French equivalents it proposes for foreign and technical terms. Second, it retraces the evolution of corporate communication strategies, from the conditioning and repetition models of twentieth-century propaganda to persuasive, relational, and influencer-based approaches, illustrated through emblematic cases such as Dieselgate (malinformation), the tobacco industry (disinformation), and the spectacularization practiced by major brands. Finally, the article argues that narrative (storytelling), when properly structured and ethically grounded, offers a viable alternative for conveying credible and memorable messages. Through the interplay of pathos, ethos, and logos, narrative acts as a strategic discursive device that generates meaning and shapes the way reality is perceived. Drawing on Maingueneau’s socio-discursive approach, the analysis shows how storytelling can function as an epistemic filter capable of restoring trust, while warning against its manipulative drift (greenwashing, socialwashing, pinkwashing).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
