Michael Jordan once said, “Republicans buy shoes, too,” and that statement could not be more relevant than it is today. In an environment that is becoming more and more politically divided, it was only a matter of time before the polarization plague infected big corporations. Brands are increasingly finding themselves in a catch-22 situation. The WE Worldwide’s Brand in Motion study reminds us...
When Donald Trump exclaimed “You are fake news!” to CNN’s Jim Acosta during his first press conference as president-elect, the popularity of the phrase erupted. But it is ironic that “fake news” is only now an issue in the U.S.: It has existed quite openly in many Asian countries for decades under the name of “propaganda.”
In China, the government department responsible is 中共中央宣传部,...
Our current hyper-partisan, polarized world has a range of implications on corporations, one of which is the challenge communicators and marketers face in building communities for their brands. It seems like everything these days is seen through a partisan lens, so companies must be especially careful.
Building meaningful communities that strengthen relationships between a brand and...
A year ago, I wrote about how technology is reshaping the future of commerce. Fast forward to 2017 and a convergence of dynamics are accelerating this secular shift.
We’ve seen hundreds of store closures among previously stalwart retail giants, acquisitions of iconic offline chains by e-commerce players, as well as massive, lumbering offline retailers desperately seeking a foothold in...
The communications world has, yet again, turned itself upside down. Usually, it’s the result of a technological advancement or some other new form of digesting information; we’re talking ‘internet’ or ‘targeted content’ kind of game changers here. This latest evolution is driven by something else entirely; the maelstrom-esque zeitgeist of modern-day politics has changed how privacy, influence...
When I wrote my first essay in the 2017 Relevance Report, I discussed issues of race and fear of demographic shifts. I also predicted these issues would continue to shape the direction of America’s political, social and ethical foundation — while greatly impacting the public relations industry. Our country’s conversation in 2017 has been consumed with these issues. The racially charged...
To get noticed in today’s insanely crowded and hyper-competitive media environment, politicians, athletes, celebrities and even some brands are saying and doing increasingly more outrageous and irresponsible things. And sadly, for many, it appears to be working.
From Donald Trump commenting on Mexican immigrants, the appearance of one of his female challengers or questioning the...
As the saying goes, “settlers get slaughtered, and pioneers prosper.” Like other grey markets, the cannabis industry is a Wild West that individuals and companies are entering at rapid speeds. Entrepreneurs, farmers, tech startups and fashion designers are figuring out how to get their hands in this multi-billion dollar business. The cannabis consumer market for medical and recreational use...