Red Sky Fuel For Thought

The influencer market is evolving, but there's no need to worry about falling behind. We've got your back.  HAVAS Red released its inaugural “The State of the Influencer in 2024: A Client's Perspective” white paper, diving into the findings of a client survey that covered 10 markets — Australia, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Philippines, Singapore, UAE, the U.S. and the U.K. In this episode, Lara Graulich, HAVAS Red account executive based in London, dives into the findings covered in the white paper with the Redsters who created it. Stuart Hood, executive director of social and content, and Tina Provis, PR account manager, both representing HAVAS Red Australia, joined Lara on the podcast to share where the influencer market is heading.  "Red Sky Fuel for Thought" is a monthly podcast produced by HAVAS Red, examining emerging themes relevant to brand communicators and marketers. What did you love? What would you like to hear about next? Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!  For further learning:  https://bit.ly/44oVEYX 

Is the Metaverse still relevant to brand marketers? This month we answer that very question. When Meta launched its Metaverse, the virtual universe felt unbaked to many comms professionals. Promises of unimaginable audience connection were put back into the oven indefinitely. However, these promises shouldn't be left in too long to burn…   Lara Graulich, a HAVAS Red account executive based in London, interviewed Umbar Shakir, Partner - Experience, Digital and AI at Gate One, and Sabrina George, CMO and executive producer at Xcyte Digital Corporation.  In a two-part series on the Metaverse, Lara speaks first with Umbar, who gives us an introduction to the Metaverse in part 1. In part 2, Sabrina drives it home, covering how brand marketers can use the Metaverse to their advantage and what caution brands should take before jumping in. "Red Sky Fuel for Thought" is a monthly podcast produced by HAVAS Red, examining emerging themes relevant to brand communicators and marketers.      What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?      Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!     For further learning:    https://www.thevrara.com/ https://metaversebusinessconference.com/ https://www.virtualworlds.museum/ https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/microsoft-mesh https://www.xrwomen.com/ https://metaversefashioncouncil.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-web3-cmo-brief-7063083421643730944/ https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2093378/ 

Is the Metaverse still relevant to brand marketers? This month we answer that very question. When Meta launched its Metaverse, the virtual universe felt unbaked to many comms professionals. Promises of unimaginable audience connection were put back into the oven indefinitely. However, these promises shouldn't be left in too long to burn…   Lara Graulich, a HAVAS Red account executive based in London, interviewed Umbar Shakir, partner and client director at Gate One, and Sabrina George, CMO and executive producer at Xcyte Digital Corporation.  In a two-part series on the Metaverse, Lara speaks first with Umbar, who gives us an introduction to the Metaverse in part 1. In part 2, Sabrina drives it home, covering how brand marketers can use the Metaverse to their advantage and what caution brands should take before jumping in. "Red Sky Fuel for Thought" is a monthly podcast produced by HAVAS Red, examining emerging themes relevant to brand communicators and marketers.      What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?      Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!     For further learning:    https://www.thevrara.com/ https://metaversebusinessconference.com/ https://www.virtualworlds.museum/ https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/microsoft-mesh https://www.xrwomen.com/ https://metaversefashioncouncil.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-web3-cmo-brief-7063083421643730944/ https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2093378/  

This month, we got to pick the brain of a communications insider at IBM — so you get to, too! The February episode of the “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” podcast is part of our #BehindTheBrand series, which pulls back the curtain on an iconic brand to focus on the people shaping that brand's communications and marketing strategy.  Linda Descano, CFA®, EVP at HAVAS Red interviewed Brandi Boatner, manager of digital and advocacy communications at IBM. Together, they discuss the 3Ds: digital, data and diversity and how they're shaping Brandi's career path and IBM's mission.  We launched the Behind the Brand series in April 2023, with Gráinne O'Brien, senior director of corporate affairs for Kellogg Europe and look forward to continuing it with other brand insiders.  "Red Sky Fuel for Thought" is a monthly podcast produced by HAVAS Red, examining emerging themes relevant to brand communicators and marketers.      What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?      Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!      For further reading:  New York Women in Communications Public Relations Society of America PRSA Tri-State District “Behind the Kellogg's Brand” with Gráinne O'Brien episode  “Behind the Meltwater Brand” with Dino Delic episode 

In this month's episode of the “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” podcast, host Lara Graulich, merged media account executive at HAVAS Red, is joined by Redsters Nancy Anderson, SVP, social and content, and Audrey Arbogast, associate vice president, to discuss our Red Sky Predictions 2024 surrounding social media and influencers.  Together, they time travel, jumping back to analyze HAVAS Red's 2023 predictions and then looking forward to those in 2024. The goal: to help prepare brand communicators to tackle the virtual landscape ahead.   Nancy explores how our 2023 predictions came to life, covering topics such as TikTok as a recruitment method and how reactive content can be used to insert brands into cultural conversation. When looking to 2024 trends, Nancy breaks down how social media managers will use AI to fuel social strategy and content creation and reduce workload.   Audrey, our resident influencer guru, gives us the lowdown on our 2024 influencer predictions, focused on the “minfluencer,” aka the next generation of young influencers: Generation Alpha. Audrey covers how the minfluencers have already begun to take over the social landscape and the potential impact these mini tastemakers can have on brands. Importantly, Audrey also highlights the legal considerations brands must take when it comes to working with children online.   As you create your social plans for 2024, consider us your trends barometer. Read up on our Red Sky Predictions 2024 to help you navigate 2024's volatile communications landscape.   "Red Sky Fuel for Thought" is a monthly podcast produced by HAVAS Red, examining emerging themes relevant to brand communicators and marketers.    What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?    Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!    For further reading: Red Sky Predictions 2024 

In this month's episode of the “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” podcast, host Ellen Mallernee, Editorial Director at Havas Red is joined by Redsters Linda Descano, CFA®, EVP and client partner Bianca-Maria Cavuoto to discuss our 2023 Word of the Year: “CHAOS”.  Together, they walk through our process of selecting “chaos,” other Words of the Year that have been announced so far (from “AI” to “rizz”) and each of their own personal picks for Word of the Year.  As our survey respondents who selected this word wrote, “Chaos encapsulates 2023's tumultuous global events — embodying uncertainty, disruption and the need for collective solutions. It reflects our shared experience and challenges ahead.”  One wrote that we have “too many changes without clear objectives,” while another pointed to “global waring factions (Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Gaza), U.S. congress disruption, Trump indictments, the impact of global warming on the global temperatures and weather phenomena.”  The opposite of chaos? It's peace. That's our hope for 2024. We hope it's peace that has the last word.  "Red Sky Fuel for Thought" is a monthly podcast produced by Havas Red, examining emerging themes relevant to brand communicators and marketers.    What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?    Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!    For further reading: Merriam-Webster: Authentic   Oxford University Press: Rizz  Collins Dictionary: AI  Cambridge Dict HAionary: Hallucinate  Oxford English: Pay harder  Australia National Dictionary Centre: Mathilda  Germany youth word of the year: Goofy  

In this month's episode of the “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” podcast, Ryan Kisiel, partner and head of Sustain at H/Advisors Maitland, joins host Linda Descano, CFA®, EVP, Havas Red, to discuss trends in climate and sustainability disclosures and reporting, and implications for how brands and businesses communicate internally and externally about these topics in 2024.   2023 has marked another year of climate and sustainability in the spotlight. There's been continued — if not increasing — scrutiny on whether brands and businesses are actually following through with their pledges, particularly around climate and net-zero, and whether there are real data and actionable plans behind those pledges.   In many countries, the push for mandatory disclosures has gained momentum during this period. Back in July, the European Commission adopted the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), standardizing how companies within the European Union report climate change and other ESG-related actions. Meanwhile, in the U.S., where policy on climate disclosures remains in limbo, the state of California has taken matters into its own hands, signing into law the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, known as SB-253, which has implications well beyond companies operating in California.   "Red Sky Fuel for Thought" is a monthly podcast produced by Havas Red, examining emerging themes relevant to brand communicators and marketers.    Note: This H/Advisors' article was referenced in the podcast: “California sets the standard for mandatory carbon disclosures”   What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?    Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!   

In this month's episode of the “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” podcast, Linda Goldstein, EVP of customer experience and marketing at CSAA Insurance Group, joins host Linda Descano, CFA®, to discuss the current challenges of marketing and communications, the keys to creating campaigns that break through and marketing trends to watch out for in 2024. Goldstein, who was recently recognized as one of PR Daily's Top Women in Marketing, provides insight into CSAA's viral campaigns featuring musical artists like Rick Astley and iconic '90s boy band members. She also touches on CSAA's proactive approach to supporting initiatives including a California Wildfire Innovation Fund and the climate resiliency challenge the company spearheaded this past summer. Finally, she addresses the role of comms in the insurance industry in regards to ESG-related issues. This episode is part of our #BehindTheBrand series, which pulls back the curtain on an iconic brand to focus on the people shaping that brand's communications and marketing strategy. We launched this series in April 2023, with Gráinne O'Brien, senior director of corporate affairs for Kellogg Europe. "Red Sky Fuel for Thought" is a monthly podcast produced by Havas Red, examining emerging themes relevant to brand communicators and marketers.   Background reading: ·     The Power Nostalgia & Music Bring to Insurance Marketing  ·     “Boys No More,” Featuring Joey Fatone, Nick Lachey, Joey McIntyre and Wanya Morris  ·     How CSAA Pulled Off the Ultimate ‘Rickroll'  ·     Climate Resiliency Challenge Unveils New Solutions to Address Climate-related Disasters What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?   Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!

Getting Ahead on Generative AI: Ep. 40 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:·     How marketers and PR professionals can use generative AI to make our lives easier·     Where we should not use generative AI from a legal or ethical perspective·     How to strike the balance between being better with AI and being better than AI Now that the dust is settling on the AI maelstrom that's raged for the past few months, our September episode looks at what we've learned about generative AI in particular: the good, the bad and the uncertain. Host Lara Graulich examines how artificial intelligence, or AI, has become a buzzword that elicits many emotions: wonder, excitement, confusion and anxiety, among others. As she says, “One thing is certain: This technology is here to stay, and it's important for us to understand it as marketing and public relations professionals.” To help you make out the full picture of generative AI today, we've divided this episode into two parts. First, Umbar Shakir, a partner and client director at Gate One, gives us a whip-smart introduction to generative AI, what it's capable of and what its limitations are. In part two, we dig into the specific implications that generative AI has in the PR and marketing space. For this roundtable, we're chatting with Rachael Sansom, CEO of Havas Red U.K., and Myrna Van Pelt, head of technology and business for Havas Red Australia. The episode begins with Umbar (pronounced “Amber”), who differentiates traditional AI from generative AI. Traditional AI, she says, is the ability of machines to mimic human intelligence to perform tasks and automate workflows. This is AI as we've known it; it's what's been around for decades, and it's something technology consultants have been implementing for clients for a long time. However, when large language models began arriving over the past five years or so, generative AI stole the spotlight. With generative AI, trillions of bits of crowdsourced data can be used to synthesize new data. Does this new capability represent a threat to human creativity or to job security? No, says Umbar: “As marketers, your whole value add to customers is differentiation and personalization. Even though generative AI can generate content for us, you need the human brain to give the differentiation. And then you need the human heart and emotion. In all the marketing campaigns I've been involved in, an emotive response is really important to memorability. That comes from heart, and a lot of our emotional intelligence comes from our values, beliefs and moral judgments. At the moment, you can't mathematically program that in. What we need to remember is that we've built this tool, and we can interact with it; it might be faster than us, and it might be able to process more data than we can at any point in time, but it doesn't replace our humanity.” Instead, AI can create space for those of us in this industry to get back to our craft and to doing some of the things that drew us here in the first place — to creating human connection, for example — rather than the monotony of data analysis or transcription. Plus, with generative AI, we're going to get richer insights much more quickly than we would on our own.   When it comes to humans' job security, Umbar says, “I've got a slightly provocative view on things. When people worry that generative AI will cause people to lose jobs, I say there are some jobs out there that humans should never have been doing. We have taken really tedious work and turned it into careers for people. We've normalized tedium. How do we unshackle ourselves from some of that tedium? How do we then free up capacity to solve for bigger and better problems for society? How do you use this technology to replace what humans have been doing that fundamentally doesn't tap into our humanity or our values or our creativity?” Umbar's segment ends with her answering these questions, before Lara then welcomes Rachael and Myrna to the podcast. She first asks them what excites them most about generative AI and the capabilities it brings to our clients and which tools they've most enjoyed using. “Gen AI cannot create ideas, but what it can do is take great ideas, by humans, and push them faster and further and help iterate them more brilliantly,” says Rachael. In marketing and communications, Myrna says AI also has a distinct role to play in helping us in the area of rapid decision making. “As humans, we have finite ability to scan volumes of information,” she says. “However, AI does this at a fraction of the time. So, for example, when it comes to understanding audience preferences, or demographic nuances, AI can help sort through this massive volume of content, identifying patterns and trends, anticipating future scenarios, and then categorizing the data. We then have an absolute smorgasbord of useful pre-categorized content we can use to inform campaigns, particularly so in industries where a rapid pivot of a campaign might make the difference between success and failure — particularly so in political campaigns.” Among Myrna's go-to AI tools, she highlights Brandwatch, which provides media monitoring and competitor tracking; TLDR, which summarizes high-tech articles; and DeepL Translate, which can accurately translate content in dozens of different languages. Next, they talk about the inherent risks of using AI, including where we should and shouldn't use it from an ethical and legal perspective — e.g., is a press release fair game? Thank you to each of our guests for weighing in on the transformative power of AI. We hope you'll give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·     ChatGPT·     Brandwatch·     TLDR·     DeepL Translate Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·      Twitter·      Facebook·      Instagram·      LinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·      iTunes·      Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!  

Meaningful Workplace Transformations 101: Ep. 39 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:·     Trends that have influenced the need for increased focus on the employee experience and meaningful work·     What steps an organization can take to maintain the alignment between what they say and what they do·     A framework for building trust with employees August's episode digs into the subject of meaningful transformation and why it's increasingly important for organizations today to think about how to connect the values they espouse with what their employees experience day to day.  Host Linda Descano, CFA®, EVP, Red Havas, starts by asking Hannah Caldwell, principal of Gate One, a London-based business and digital transformation consultancy within the Havas network, to define what “meaningful transformation” means. A “meaningful transformation” is a business transformation that delivers a step change in the impact and results delivered for the business but that's also meaningful for the individuals involved in that change — it's about making it really matter to employees to ensure that it lasts, says Hannah. Hannah cites the statistic that 70% of large transformation projects fail; she then explains why that's the case: “One of the key reasons why those big transformation projects fail is the human element. Fundamentally, it's not organizations that change; it's people that change — or in some cases, they don't. If people don't believe in the vision that leadership is sharing, if they don't trust leadership, they're not going to adjust to new ways of doing things or make the effort required to create a step change in the way you operate, regardless of how brilliant the strategy and rationale is.” Linda and Hanna's exploration of meaningful transformations dovetails with Havas' new 2023 Global Meaningful Brands™ report, “Welcome to the Me-conomy.” The report, which serves as a playbook for how brands can be meaningful in people's lives, was the subject of our May podcast episode. Says Hannah, “A lot of companies are increasingly aware of the need to connect meaningfully with their customers on issues they care about, such as sustainability and supporting Pride, but this has focused more on attracting customers. We're now also seeing a complementary desire to focus on the internal side: what employees experience and the internal culture as a measure of whether organizations are authentically living the values they say they stand for.” So what trends are influencing the increased focus on the employee experience and meaningful work? Three things stand out, says Hannah. First, post-pandemic employees are rethinking the meaning of work and priorities and seeking purpose from work (contributing to the great resignation). And generationally speaking, Gen Z is a purpose-driven generation. Their desire to know how their individual contributions help support the organization's mission differentiates them. Finally, information travels so quickly in the digital age, and social media means many more voices are heard.Linda then asks what steps organizations can take to maintain the alignment between what they say and what they do. What's most critical, says Hannah, is for organizations to listen and understand — without an ego — what people are experiencing within your organization. She also advises bringing together those teams that traditionally only managed elements of external or internal communications so that both have a full view. And if you're building an external campaign on a topical issue such as ESG or DE&I, Hannah says there are a lot of ways to involve employees in those campaigns. When organizations neglect their corporate culture, the repercussions can be enormous. Hannah cites research from MIT that found that toxic corporate culture is 10 times as likely to lead to attrition as poor compensation, whereas positive company cultures are more likely to attract top talent and see 33% higher revenues.The conversation closes with a discussion of practical steps that marketers and communicators can take to drive a positive culture within their teams and the businesses they support. Look and listen for tangible examples of how employees describe your culture and values, says Hannah. “Believe it or not, there's a mathematical equation for building trust!” She tells us of Charles H. Green's Trust Equation, which details four components that affect trust. Three of them increase a person's trustworthiness: credibility, reliability and intimacy. The fourth one, self-interest, reduces a person's trustworthiness.  “If people believe that you're doing these things because you have an ulterior motive, or it's part of a corporate initiative and you're just trying to tick a box, they're all undermined by that,” says Hannah. “So it's really important that you balance that carefully. In an organizational context, there will always be some elements of self-interest because of strategic decisions that need to be made, or economic imperatives, but it's very important that people see that you're very thoughtfully balancing your values with those challenges, and they don't just get pushed to one side when times are tough.” Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·     What It Takes to Be a Meaningful Brand in the Me-Conomy: Ep. 37 of “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” podcast·     Meaningful Brands 2023 report·     Analyzing the Changing Workforce of Young, Highly Engaged Employees: JUV Consulting ·     Putting Purpose to Work: PwC·     Why transformations fail: A conversation with Seth Goldstrom·     Help your employees find purpose—or watch them leave: McKinsey & Company·     Employees Seek Personal Value and Purpose at Work: Gartner·     Gen Z study: EY·  The Trust Equation Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·      Twitter·      Facebook·      Instagram·      LinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·      iTunes·      Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!  

What You'll Learn in This Episode:Why influencer marketing, ESG and misinformation were the hot topics at this year's Meltwater SummitWhat differentiates companies that succeed in the short term from those that succeed in the longterm This episode is part of our Behind the Brand series, which pulls back the curtain on an iconic brand to focus on the people shaping that brand's communications and marketing strategy. We launched this series in April 2023, with Gráinne O'Brien, senior director of corporate affairs for Kellogg Europe. This month, host Linda Descano welcomes Dino Delic back to the pod (he previously chatted with us in December 2020 about our Word of the Year). Dino has been with Meltwater since 2009, having grown with the company through four promotions and roles in Melbourne, New York, Chicago and now Los Angeles. Now with 27,000 global customers in 50 offices across six continents, and 2,300 employees, Meltwater empowers companies with a suite of solutions that spans media, social, consumer and sales intelligence. Linda kicks off her conversation with Dino by asking him to describe his role at Meltwater, to which he replies, “My job is to help our team help our clients connect the dots as much as possible with all the external data that we collect. What we're really helping companies do is collect information outside of their four walls, make sense of it and make more informed decisions so they can better understand where they're spending money wisely and not spending money.” Dino says he landed in the external intelligence field many years ago, by accident. “I studied marketing, but I got my first sales job at the age of 18; I was just hooked on interacting with people. It turns out, if you like problem solving, sales is a pretty good profession. But I didn't stick around in a sales career for over two decades now because I love sales. It was just through pure luck that I landed on a company that has such an interesting data set.” The company also has an immense following, having recently attracted more than 800 attendees and more than 50 speakers, including Bethenny Frankel and Trevor Noah, to the Meltwater Summit in New York. At the Summit, Meltwater introduced two new AI Assistants, leveraging the latest technology in generative AI (learn more through the link in our show notes). The first is a PR Assistant which helps PR professionals draft press releases and personalize pitches to journalists in record time. The second is the AI Writing Assistant, powered by the ChatGPT API, which drafts highly engaging social content, saving teams time and increasing social engagement at scale.  Dino says, “There's a lot of interest in AI, especially because of how excited people are that automation can save time, but I'm kind of sick of the conversation going into fear mongering about AI. Especially in professions in strategy, customer service, sales, brand marketing, PR and comms, the biggest gripe for everybody is that they're so busy, that they don't have time to do their job because they have to do a lot of manual work. There are so many things that people just pull their hair out about. That's what I'm excited about — is that AI can eliminate all those menial tasks. That shouldn't be replacing jobs. That I think is just hype and hyperbole.” Linda and Dino also talk about what defines a successful company today and how data can be used to ensure not only longevity but collaboration between departments.   “The companies that do better, versus the ones struggling with business, are the ones that have a nice, central unifying mission and set of values, and everybody contributes to those goals,” says Dino. “The companies that do well, but only for a short period of time, are the ones that have a really strong marketing discipline or function, but it doesn't last because they don't work all well together.” He points to use cases highlighted at the Summit, whereby PR and sales teams are working together, using Meltwater's media monitoring tools to track competitors or key accounts and ultimately inform customer service and sales. “The holy grail for PR is to be able to say, ‘We ran a campaign and generated this much business,'” says Dino. “That's next to impossible because that's not how people make purchasing decisions. But a good PR campaign changes user behavior. What keeps me employed and excited is realizing that, especially in PR and comms, people don't often connect the dots between what they're doing and what their company is doing. They're just looking to measure their own performance. With the benefit of data, and the tools that we have, you can really inform strategy, but you can also inform other departments.”  The most popular track at this year's Meltwater Summit was the influence track, says Dino, explaining they couldn't put enough chairs in the room. “What was interesting is when I looked around at all the name tags, and all the disciplines that were in that room, it wasn't just marketing or PR,” he says. “Influencer marketing is becoming such an interesting space, because it's at the confluence of a really good earned campaign, backed by an influencer campaign, and then also a paid strategy. It's customer acquisition, it's building trust, it's creating awareness.” The Summit's second most-talked about topic: ESG and how consumers crave authenticity and desire tangible actions from brands. This is particularly relevant in influencer marketing, where consumers seek a genuine connection with influencers and desire behind-the-scenes content. Dino emphasizes that it's not enough for brands to make promises, such as electrifying their fleet or implementing sustainable practices. Consumers want to know how these promises will be fulfilled and desire influencers who genuinely share their passion for the brand. They want to see influencers who can take them behind the scenes and provide an authentic look at the brand's actions and values. Linda closes by asking Dino a few rapid-fire questions, including what his superpower is, what's the best career advice he's ever received and if he lives by any particular motto or mantra.  Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us! Also mentioned on this episode:Our first Behind-the-Brand episode with Gráinne O'BrienOur 2020 word of the year episode featuring Dino DelicMeltwater announces new AI-powered assistants, summaries and analysis at Meltwater SummitRecapping Meltwater Summit      Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:TwitterFacebookInstagramLinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.iTunesSpotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear f

What It Takes to Be a Meaningful Brand in the Me-Conomy: Ep. 37 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast  What You'll Learn in This Episode: What the “Me-conomy” is and how it's driving the creation of new services, products and purpose narratives How cultural and societal forces are changing what it means for a brand to be meaningful today Key considerations for brands that want to make meaningful connections    This episode of the Red Sky Fuel for Thought podcast examines findings from Havas' new 2023 Global Meaningful Brands™ report, “Welcome to the Me-conomy.” The report, which serves as a playbook for how brands can be meaningful in people's lives, examines the cultural and societal forces changing what it means to be a Meaningful Brand™ today. In the first phase of the research, Havas partnered with leading pollster YouGov to survey more than 91,000 people across 10 markets, generating 782,000+ data points across 1,300 global brands and 42 categories.   Linda Descano, CFA®, and Red Havas EVP, moderates the roundtable discussing the report with its co-creators, Seema Patel, global managing director of Mx Intelligence, Havas Media Global, and Mark Sinnock, global chief strategy officer, Havas Creative Network.  As Seema tells us, Havas has measured Meaningful Brands™ annually since 2009. Now, nearly 15 years into this landmark proprietary study, it continues to be a vital sense check about people's aspirations, guardrails and expectations of brands. The methodology examines a brand's impact and equity based on consumers' perceptions and expectations across three key pillars — its personal, functional and collective benefits (listed across 40+ dimensions and attributes). The most Meaningful Brands™ are the ones performing well on all three metrics.  “[The report] explores the strength of a brand's role and how it translates to business performance through our proprietary metric, the Meaningful Brand Index,” says Seema. “It identifies how brands can meaningfully engage with or through media, customer and brand experiences. It also really helps to identify the deficit or gap between what consumers' expectations are versus a brand's delivery.”  As compared to years previous, Seema says the report signaled an energetic shift from a doom-and-gloom mentality (the last report was called “The Age of Cynicism”) to more positivity and resilience.  “People want to engage with brands that are optimistic, that bring them joy, that support their health and wellbeing, and that at the end of the day, make their lives simpler and easier,” says Seema, who explains that the expanding definition of purpose is leading people to expect brands to provide more tangible benefits in their day-to-day life.   That's where the Me-conomy comes in. People are now acutely aware that we're living amid global crises affecting nearly every aspect of our lives — environmental, economic, political, societal and health crises. All are carrying a huge threat to our ability to survive and thrive. Consequently, people are having to adapt and change, and with that, what they require from brands is changing too.   With 54% of those surveyed saying they're optimistic about the future, despite experiencing crisis in their lives, the time is right for brands to turn their more austere pandemic-era purpose conversations into optimistic narratives that are focused on enabling citizens to do good, says Mark. “People want brands to help them feel more energized and alive. They want to feel good about themselves. [The report has] a strong theme around how brands can help people generate greater well-being.”  After citing the finding that 71% of people feel that companies and brands should be improving and supporting their personal health and wellbeing, Mark says, “That could be a really powerful opportunity for brands moving forward — people want to continue to experience and feel more. They want new ideas about connecting in new ways, building self-confidence and feeling good.”  What else should brand marketers and communicators be considering?  Mark asserts that that are two types of purpose now — a business purpose and a brand purpose. Mark says sophisticated consumers expect a business' purpose to be about doing good in terms of how they treat their employees and deliver on ESG pledges, while they expect a brand's purpose to be about making consumers' lives easier and better. Mark says brands need to get back to basics by entertaining, pleasing, empowering and driving citizens' well-being.   When it comes to the connection between the meaningfulness score of a brand and its financial performance, Seema says top-rated Meaningful Brands™ aren't just good for the world, but also have stronger bottom lines. In fact, they outperform the stock market by 222%, which is consistent across years.  Linda then asks Seema to highlight two or three of the top meaningful brands on the index. She points to “those daily brands that people utilize on a day-to-day basis,” naming WhatsApp, Amazon and Amazon Prime as brands that performed well across all three of the Meaningful Brands pillars.   “I found it interesting that high-end car brands — BMW, Porsche — brands that are very much associated with carbon offset performed really well this year,” says Seema. “So did a lot of utility brands, such as Vanish and Lysol. Daily usage of a brand's products very tangibly makes a difference in people's lives.”  Overall, the top Meaningful Brands™ in 2023 deliver on the “me” as well as the wider world issues.  Linda closes the episode by summarizing what stood out to her from their conversation. “To me, it comes back to brands being very consistent with what they say and what they do. Your products and services have to deliver; they also have to be relevant and enable me to be my best self, make my life better and easier, help me achieve my goals and do right in my community. Because if my community is thriving, I'm also thriving.”   Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us! 

 Behind the Kellogg's Brand with Gráinne O'Brien: Ep. 36 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:·     How an in-house brand team can get the best work from their agency partners·     Insights on communicating effectively through splits, spins and other catalysts of change within a business·     How to listen to the voice of the employee through employee resource groups In our annual predictions report, we said 2023 is the year in which Behind the Brand will become a staple theme in every content marketing strategy. We're certainly making it a theme of our own strategy because we've used episode 36 as an opportunity to roll out a new series called Behind the Brand. Rather than bring in several voices to weigh in on a topic (our normal format), we're pulling the curtain back on an iconic brand — Red Havas client Kellogg's — with a one-on-one interview with Gráinne O'Brien. She currently serves as senior director of corporate affairs for Kellogg Europe and in July will take on a new role as VP, corporate reputation and KNA Communications for Kellogg's. Kellogg's recently announced it will soon become two companies as a result of a company spin off. Kellanova will serve as its global snacking powerhouse, with a leading presence in international cereal and noodles, plant-based foods and North America frozen breakfast, while WK Kellogg Co, will become its North American food company. Nancy Anderson, our VP of social and content, kicks this episode off with a quick chat with Linda Descano, CFA® and EVP, who then embarks on a far-ranging one-on-one interview with Gráinne, starting with a recap of her career journey to date. Born in Northern Ireland, Gráinne tells how she grew up in Sligo. Her father was involved in the country's early civil rights movement with people like John Hume and Seamus Mallon, and her brother was a journalist, sparking her interest in current affairs and politics. She attended University of Ulster in Coleraine, where she studied media studies and history, before taking on post graduate work in journalism in the University College, Galway, under some of the finest journalist and writers in Ireland at the time. Post-college she got her first job with a local radio station and worked for three years covering everything from court cases to local council meetings to agricultural shows. She then migrated out of journalism into PR, when she became a press officer for the young farmers' lobby in Ireland. From there, she made her way into the agency world, working primarily for food and agri clients. In 2015, Gráinne joined Kellogg's Europe in Dublin to set up a regional comms function, before going on to head up its corporate affairs in 2019. As Gráinne tells it, “When I initially joined Kellogg's, I joined to lead the external comms work that we were doing across Europe. That was really about trying to identify the right stories to tell around our brands, across various different markets, and it was about trying to build a team that could do that. At the time, we were quite siloed, and we had various different reporting lines. That was one of the things I tried to fix first — that we were one team reporting into the function together so that we didn't have mixed priorities. Then I sort of created a vision for the team, which was having a best-in-class, agency-style in-house team. That rally cry unified us all.” Linda then asks Gráinne what in-house teams can do to get the best work out of their agency partners. As Gráinne sees it, “PR for the sake of doing PR is very old school thinking. It's so hard to cut through now, [so] you really want to work with agencies, partners, who help you be authentic and help you create the content and stories that will connect your brand or your company to consumers.” When working with these external partners, in-house teams have to be really clear about what they want to achieve, says Gráinne. And they need to understand whether or not they have a track record in certain spaces that qualifies them to tell those stories. She cites two examples from Kellogg's, about how it earned the right to speak on matters of food poverty and men's mental health. “We've invested a lot in measurement in my time in the role,” says Gráinne. “That's really helped inform the types of stories we tell and how we tell them. And it's had an impact across leadership because the more you can demonstrate your improved reach or your improved impact, the more you can argue for funds to execute, and the business takes notice.” When Linda brings up the three P's — the pandemic, polarizing politics and protest around social inequity — the two get to talking about brand purpose and how Kellogg's determines what to focus on and when to act. “Our brands are world famous,” says Gráinne. “They have long histories, and whoever is a particular brand manager at a given time is only a custodian of the brand. So, we did put a process in place. We ask ourselves a set of questions, whether we think a partnership will be deemed low risk or high risk. And if the proposal or the idea is deemed high risk, we go through a process to challenge ourselves around, ‘Do we have a track record in this space? And does it make sense for the brand? Would it make sense to consumers?' We want to avoid accusations such as greenwashing. So we have quite often referred to partners or taken external advice, or indeed [we] talk to our own employee resource groups around their thoughts. So that's the process we've put in place, and it's worked very effectively.” The two wind the episode down with talk of Kellogg's historic split into two businesses — a time Gráinne calls “phenomenally exciting,” explaining how they ushered employees through the changes.   “There has been a regular cadence of comms, have been town halls, have been surveys,” she says. “And the company has been very open and honest throughout the process. Even when we didn't have a lot of news, we engaged. And I think that has brought people through the change. I think people are optimistic for the future, and I think it's been a masterclass in how to do it.” Linda closes by asking Gráinne a few rapid-fire questions, including what her superpower is, to which she replies, “I don't think I have a superpower to be honest. What I would say is, I'm always authentic. I think it's great to work with people you like and to be kind. Even if it's a demanding, high-paced environment, I try to be authentic. I try and meet people where they are and understand what's going on in their personal lives, and at the same time deliver for the business.” Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·      Kellogg's support for school breakfast clubs·      Kellogg's Reaches Gender Parity Target, Three Years Ahead of 2025 Goal·      Kellogg's food hunger research  ·       Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·      Twitter·      Facebook·      Instagram·      LinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·      iTunes·      Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!  

Is the Future of Marketing Earned? Episode 35 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:o  The difference between paid, owned, and earned mediao  Why earned media is more essential than ever beforeo  How to capture the attention of journalists in the current ‘news you can choose' environmento  Advice for brand marketers looking to master the art of earned mediaIn this month's episode, we focus on the sometimes-elusive form of media known as earned. This was the crux of a recent Adweek article, which argues that earned media is the best tool in the marketing playbook due to its ability to appeal to consumers who are wary of ads. (82% of consumers aged 18-24 use some kind of method to avoid seeing ads – and we're finding that clients, too, are wary of spending big money on ads.)We also dug into this topic in our recent News You Can Choose white paper, where we explored three major trends shaping the news environment today. These include the sheer volume of content that people now must filter through, consumers' deepening distrust and apathy toward the news media, and the changing business of news as it becomes more difficult to capture the attention of journalists.However, only about 11% of U.S. marketing budgets are now allotted toward earned, according to a CMO Study. So, what do we make of this?To answer all these questions and more, moderator Linda Descano, CFA® brings in three of our most savvy news pitchers and news makers at Red Havas— Jodi Einhorn, Neil Johnson, and Bianca-Maria Cavuto – to discuss all things earned media.To kick off the conversation, Neil Johnson, Head of Media & Publicity at Red Havas in London, helps to define owned, paid, and earned media.“Owned media is content that the brand itself owns, such as a website, logo, or email newsletter, whereas paid is content that a brand pays for but does not own, such as a TV commercial, paid search results, or a sponsored advertorial,” explains Neil. “Earned media is content that a brand neither owns or pays for, such as an organic newspaper article, a user review, or a comment on social media.”Next up: the growing importance of earned media.“As the merits of ‘earned' media imply, we have to go out and convince media to write about a timely topic at hand,” says New York-based Jodi Einhorn, SVP, Media Relations at Red Havas. “The pros are that it has tremendous reach and opportunity to influence; the cons are that you have less control over the messaging. So, when you pay for coverage or post owned content, there is a bit more of an opportunity to own the messaging. Each has their own purpose, and one is not more versatile than the other.” “There's only so much control you can have with earned media, but there are things you can do to make sure brands are getting a desired outcome.” says Bianca-Maria Cavuoto, Associate Director at Red Havas, based in Manchester, U.K. “Agency partners must manage their expectations and establish clear communication and be upfront about what it is they want to get out of a campaign. Life moves fast, media moves fast, and relevancy moves even quicker.”“We in earned media are storytellers,” says Neil. “With ad spending being cut and shrinking across the board, earned is a trusted bet more than ever before.”Jodi then walks through what it takes to earn the attention of journalists in the current media climate: “Building meaningful connections with journalists starts with understanding what topics will grab their attention. It requires you to listen to what is happening around you. Once you've done your homework and listened to an established connection to inform your strategy, you can start to build out tidbits of news that will tell a compelling story for your audience.”Next, Neil explains how earned media comes with a ‘sheen of credibility': “Authenticity and credibility matter more than ever for brands. Unlike paid or owned media, earned goes through a vetting process, needing endorsement and approval by the journalist, content creator, or influencer you're working with. Ultimately, word of mouth is what we earn through these activations, which is a powerful tool.”Our guests then discuss the notion that we must treat consumers ‘like participants, not targets.'“The consumer is always right,” says Bianca. “When a campaign falls flat, you must learn from it and go back to the drawing board to understand why the intended impact wasn't achieved. Then, you have to take those learnings and reshape your future campaigns and the way that you communicate based on what the consumer wants. There is always a requirement to deliver something that resonates with them.”“When it comes to earned media, media is the channel used to reach the end consumer, as opposed to an owned channel where we're going directly to the audience” says Jodi. “Earned has the added layer of convincing the media to share something that is of note to the consumer. While the playing field is a bit different, the end goal remains the same.”Another key element to earned media is making sure a story is relevant on a local level across global markets. Jodi explains, “We operate on a global platform, and many of our companies are global businesses trying to reach new markets. Tapping into the expertise of relevant regional teams is one of the most critical assets to ensure we can jump on trends and create a narrative that will resonate with local markets around the world and not just here in the US.”To round out our discussion, each of our guests provides one piece of advice for brand marketers and communicators who are rethinking their marketing mix and want to master the art of earned.“Your agency partner needs to be well informed and well connected and needs to be coming to you with some key insights and journalists with an understanding of the news agenda,” says Neil. “Every day is a news day, so every day is a school day.”“Even though it's only getting a small portion of budget, earned should be in consideration from the moment you start to plan and develop an idea for a campaign,” says Bianca. “You have to bring in an agency and your PR specialists to make sure that the campaign is fit for purpose across all the channels, including earned.”“As we think about external communications at a global level, mass media in regions across the globe, in markets big and small, play a key role in the interconnectedness of the world,” concludes Jodi. “To facilitate the cultural exchange of information, brand visibility, and positioning between countries, earned media, international news, and regional publications that capture the nuances of certain regions are critical in not only creating a strategy for brand communications through earned media, but enabling us to tell the story at a local relevant level.”Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·     Red Havas: News You Can Choose White Paper·     AdWeek: The Future of Marketing is Earned·     Patagonia's “Don't Buy This Jacket” environmental campaign·     Wimbledon 2022 nail art campaign (Red Havas client) Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·     Twitter·     Facebook·     Instagram·     LinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·     iTunes·     Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!  

2023 SOCIAL PREDICTIONS: Episode 34 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:o  What's the current state of the social landscape?o  Which brands are doing social the right way?o  What is most in-demand for brands on social?o  What should brand marketers be thinking about in 2023?The world of social media is constantly changing and keeping us on our toes, from year to year and month to month. That means our expertise in social is only as good as our ability to change with the platforms. To that end, Redsters stay obsessively up to date on what's happening and how we can make the most of it for our clients.  Our Red Sky Predictions report, which we put out at the top of each year, is one of the ways we demonstrate our evolving expertise in social. In it, we cast several predictions focused on social media, along with guidance about how to best manage the changes ahead. In this episode of our Red Sky Fuel for Thought podcast, host Nancy Anderson brings in two of our global experts on the topic — Redsters Davitha (“Davs”) Tiller and Stuart Hood – to talk about what we can expect for social media in 2023.To start off the conversation, Davs, our EVP of social and integration, gives her overview of what she's seeing happen with social right now.“Over the last year, the social landscape has undergone big and unexpected changes,” says Davs. “From Meta to Twitter, we've seen a major shift away from the ‘go-to' platforms for marketers, with newcomers such as TikTok poised to step in and take over some of that space. And with that, we've seen some exciting changes in behavior and trends.” Stuart Hood, executive director of social and content at Red Havas AU, then chimes in about the growing popularity of TikTok and Instagram for news consumption, referencing our Meaningful Brands study. “People are still looking for entertainment and inspiration on social, but they want to be entertained in many different ways,” says Stuart. “We've found that almost half of all content provided by brands is not meaningful to consumers, and help content is the most desired category from brands today. So, whereas content that rewards or inspires is the most expected, people are really wanting to see that help content which the news agenda is pushing for consumers.” Next, Davs walks through our “Behind the Brand (BTB)” prediction. “Following the pandemic, people-focused storytelling has become a staple in social strategies for brands,” she says. “This trend started with executive visibility and bringing in the CEO perspective but has since expanded to bringing in voices from people on all levels of the organization who are usually behind the scenes. The social landscape has become incredibly competitive, so offering an authentic perspective of what goes on in your business can help to differentiate yourself and break through the noise as a company and as a brand.” The conversation then shifts to brands that are getting it right on social. Stuart lists the following as best-practice brands that take users on a journey of what it's like to be part of them:·     The Daily Aus·     Lurpak Butter·     Red Bull Racing·     Bailey Nelson Davs adds to the list with brands she thinks are doing social the right way:·     Delta Airlines·     IBM·     Trader Joe's Next, both of our guests discuss what's most in-demand from their clients regarding their social channels. “Brands are finally starting to look at paid social as part of their always-on organic strategy,” says Stuart. “Many social channels don't provide very good organic reach anymore, so it's been a bit of a battle to convince clients that while great creative is important, you also need to spend some money to ensure that people are seeing your content. But we're seeing a big shift in how brands are becoming more educated in how paid efforts can boost their organic performance and amplify their brand storytelling.” “We are getting an incredible amount of demand for social listening and social intelligence to look at what audiences are talking about, what they're looking for, what they're missing, and then proactively plugging those gaps through content,” says Davs. “We're starting to use social listening in a much more sophisticated way to look at brand reputation, not just on the social side, but holistically from an earned social, paid influencer perspective as well.” “In the last few months, we've had about five different briefs from separate clients come through asking us to develop a social listening strategy,” says Stuart. “Some clients want to understand what people are talking about from a brand point of view and what their competitors are doing, and other clients are asking for a monitoring service to understand what's happening daily. Overall, brands are really starting to tune into what people are saying about them, and they're using data and insights from social listening to help feed into their content strategy.” To close out our discussion, Davs provides advice for brand marketers and communicators on social: “Having a full understanding of the versatility of social is more important than ever. There is nothing across the marketing funnel that social cannot accomplish, whether it's driving awareness, consideration, conversion, advocacy or customer service; it really spans the gamut. Social is a complex channel, so it is vital to invest in specialism. There's more about it to know than ever before, but there's also a lot that can go wrong. If you're a brand that doesn't have an internal point of contact or agency partner that is versed in all things social and can advise how to activate on the latest changes, then now is the time to get amongst it.” Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·     Red Sky Predictions 2023 report·     Red Havas Meaningful Brands Study·     The Daily Aus·     Lurpak Butter·     Red Bull Racing·     Bailey Nelson·     Delta Airlines·     IBM·     Trader Joe's Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·     Twitter·     Facebook·     Instagram·     LinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·     iTunes·     Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!  

Red Sky Predictions 2023: Ep. 33 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast  What You'll Learn in This Episode: What are we predicting for communicators in 2023? Which of our 2023 predictions stand out most? How did our 2022 predictions pan out?  As Red Havas' new Red Sky Predictions report explores, it's a wild time to be alive. Around us, wars are being waged. The pandemic continues. Our climate is its own battlefield. The economy is hurting and the cost of living growing. Many of us are traumatized, outraged and despairing over the state of social, racial, reproductive and criminal justice. When we pick up our phones — which we do constantly — we're confronted by headlines about these things and more. It's no wonder peace eludes so many of us now.  Of course, this is also the context in which organizations are operating — making it a critical time for brands and employers to consider their purpose and how they want to make a positive impact on the world and earn greater trust with their stakeholders. Our 10 predictions for communicators in 2023 are also the subject of this month's podcast episode. Host Ellen Mallernee, VP of content, speaks to Tom Norquist, SVP of corporate innovation at PlayCore, and fellow Redster Lesley Sillaman, EVP, to walk through our 10 predictions for communicators in 2023, including which predictions stand out most to them and how our 2022 predictions panned out over the last year.  Our 2023 Red Sky Predictions are as follows:  1. ROWING BACK IN THE WAKE OF ROE V. WADE  Companies will need to extend their ESG strategy to include a proactive framework for navigating highly charged political waters in a way that supports and complements their business strategy, especially with those issues that matter to their key stakeholders internally and externally.  2. MALICE, MANIPULATION AND OPPORTUNITY IN THE METAVERSE  We'll have to build confidence and trust among key stakeholders for brands that will want to have a meaningful presence in the metaverse and ensure the security of the people and data that enter. Governments will also need to heed what we have learned from the social media space and get on the front foot with rules and regulations.  3. VIRAL HEALTHCARE MISINFORMATION EXPOSED  Improving individual health literacy and equity will become a greater focus as misinformation surrounding health conditions increases. Artificial intelligence, similar technology tools and digital health literacy efforts are positioned to play a key role in disrupting the viral nature of misinformation.  4. CLIMATE CHANGE-D  The conversation around climate change will continue to change — in the media, in politics, within corporations and amongst the general public — moving away from denial and toward demand, as more climate events occur, the costs of inaction become clearer and more get on board with taking a stand.  5. BRAND VALUES TO INCREASE IN VALUE  As the impacts of global economic and geopolitical uncertainty really start to bite, purpose-aligned brands will be the ones that succeed at talent retention and attraction and supporting sales enablement. But it's going to be an increasingly competitive space as brands across all categories compete for share of voice and mind.  6. THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND GREATER SOCIAL SEPARATION  More campaigns and activations will consider how to reach populations that we have left behind with the acceleration of digital during the pandemic, causing an increased emphasis on user experience, education and awareness about digital inclusion, as well as (re)consideration of more direct interface interactions for services.  7. NEWS TAKES ON NEW SOCIAL SHAPES  Every brand is increasingly seen as a news brand and will be expected to help its audience by providing meaningful social content that equips them with new knowledge or tools. In addition, brands will be more careful about the platforms they use, thinking as much about brand loyalty and love as they do about reputational risk.  8. HERE, THERE, EVERYWHERE: THE HYBRID QUANDARY  As people exert further control over their preferences for the ways, times and places in which they work and live, employers, retailers, landlords and homeowners will need to think creatively about what it means to design with flexibility. We predict more customized spaces that encourage collaboration, relaxation and team building.  9. OUR MENTAL FITNESS MUSCLES ARE FLEXED (FINALLY)  Mental fitness is finally at the forefront, and we expect it to be embraced further, being viewed through the same lens as physical health — and soon it could become a requirement in schools like physical education. We'll also see a greater investment in mental health services by governments, businesses, communities and individuals.  10. BEHIND-THE-BRAND (BTB) TAKES SOCIAL BY STORM  2023 is the year in which BTB will become a staple theme in every content marketing strategy. Both B2C and B2B marketers will prioritize all forms of people-led content production, from employee- and customer-advocacy programs to influencer co-creation and serialized branded content production — as authentic-by-design social storytelling becomes the new norm. Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us! Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:  Twitter  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn   Subscribe:  Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.  iTunes  Spotify  What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?  Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!   

2022 Word of the Year: Ep. 32 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:o  Why we chose “resilience” as our 2022 Word of the Yearo  Other interesting words our survey yieldedo  Other 2022 words of the year from institutions around the globe Since 2020, Red Havas has named a global word of the year (WOTY). The selection of this word is informed by quantitative input (via a Havas Group employee survey) and qualitative input (from a mix of global communications pros and thought leaders across the industry). Ultimately, it's identified by an internal team at the agency who considers all words received, not only numerically but thematically. This year, when reviewing the submissions that poured in from every corner of the world, two categories of words stood out to us. One stream was around words related to flexibility, fluidity, adaptability, agility, comeback and change. The second was around our feelings, behaviors and attributes as people. The category with the most “votes” were resilient/resiliency, grit, enduring, tenacious and persevere/perseverance — all of which are aspects of resiliency. Ultimately, we chose resilience as our 2022 Word of the Year. In this month's episode, host Nancy Anderson, VP of social and content, speaks to fellow Redsters James Wright and Ellen Mallernee to discuss our 2022 Word of the Year and dig deeper into some of the other popular and interesting words, both from our survey and from around the world. To kick off our conversation, James Wright, CEO of Red Havas Group and global chairman of the Havas PR Global Collective, talks through our rationale for selecting resilience as our 2022 word of the year. “I think resilience encapsulates 2022 perfectly,” says James. “It's a great word that has a lot of stretch for what's happened to us all in this last year. I love its connection to resilience theory, which looks at how people are affected by things such as adversity, change, loss and risk and how they can adapt and become stronger as a result. So, it has some symmetry to last year's word of the year, which was adapt.” “It's a beautiful word with a backbone,” adds Nancy. “Resilience is not a matter of getting knocked down by a difficult circumstance and then staggering blindly into the next challenge. Rather, it's about gleaning wisdom from those difficult circumstances and getting back up with conviction and confidence.” “Our word of the year really shows that we have been through the wringer, but we're always going to keep trying,” says Ellen Mallernee, VP of content. “Language has the power to help us reframe difficult circumstances in positive ways, so each year we aim to choose a word that has some forward momentum to it. Resilience just feels right.” Next, Ellen walks through some of the other words of the year chosen by institutions from around the world. Some of the ones she touches on include:·     Gaslighting, chosen by Merriam Webster, which is the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one's own advantage·     Goblin mode, chosen by Oxford English Dictionary, defined as the idea of rejecting societal expectations put upon us in favor of doing whatever one wants to·     Permacrisis chosen by Collins English Dictionary, which is a term used to describe the plethora of ongoing crises that nations across the globe are facing·     Teal chosen by Australia National University, which is an adjective relating to an independent political candidate or politician who advocates for greater integrity in Parliament and more action on addressing harmful climate change·     Smash chosen by DW, an English word popularized among German youth that roughly means to start something with someone, pick someone up, or have sex with someone·     Homer chosen by Cambridge Dictionary, which was searched for nearly 75,000 times on the Cambridge Dictionary website during the first week of May when it was a Wordle answer, disgruntling many players whose winning streaks were ended by the unfamiliar American baseball term Within our own survey, we also received some interesting submissions, including words like transmogrify (to change or alter greatly and often with grotesque or humorous effect) and quiet quitting (doing the minimum requirements of one's job and putting in no more time, effort or enthusiasm than absolutely necessary). Each of the panelists then walk through some of their personal WOTY submissions. “Similarly to last year's word, I chose adaptability, which is the quality of being able to adjust or adapt,” says James. “We now live in a constant state of adapting and adjusting the way we work, live, think and educate ourselves. We also must adapt our expectations for current issues, from equality and climate change to war and conflict; from navigating misinformation and disinformation to adapting our approach to business and politics. The art of adaption is a craft we're all learning to master. The world needs a rethink, and we need to be open to modifying every part of our lives to help improve our communities and society.” “It's always tough to identify a word of the year because it requires introspection and retrospection and the ability to examine the collective experience,” says Ellen. “Ultimately, I chose metamorphosis as my word. We've all been through the gauntlet, and this was the year we got to decide how we wanted to emerge from a painful chapter.” “Most people focused on the positive with their chosen words,” adds Nancy about our survey results. “I think that really ties back to our word of the year, as we're forever resilient, always picking ourselves back up, treating hardships as a learning lesson, and marching forward.” Closing out our discussion, our guests reflect on this year's word and look ahead to what 2023 may bring, foreshadowing our annual Red Sky Predictions report that will be releasing in January. “In 2023, I'm hoping for growth as a nation, as a human race, as a community and as an economy,” concludes James. “But I also think there's a word we may or may not be talking about in a year's time: Twitter.” “I hope that next year, our word isn't so much about having to cope,” adds Ellen, rounding out our discussion. “So, while I haven't identified what my ideal word for 2023 would be, I just I hope for good things for all of us. We deserve a break.” Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·     Twitter·     Facebook·     Instagram·     LinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·     iTunes·     Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!  

Marketing With a Cause: Ep. 31 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:o  What's the current state of cause marketing?o  The implications of cause marketing on a company's relationship with its employees, community and clients/customerso  What should brands and nonprofits consider before entering a cause marketing relationship?In this month's episode, hosts Linda Descano, CFA®, and Lara Graulich speak with nonprofit leaders and advisors Arlene Fortunato, Katy Sherratt and Dr. Merary Simeon to explore cause marketing, including whether or not it's still relevant and what brands and nonprofits should consider before entering a cause marketing relationship. To kick off our conversation, Arlene Fortunato, founder of Fortunato Consulting Group and interim chief development officer at YW Boston, thinks of cause marketing as a vehicle that companies can use to engage existing and future employees—something particularly important in light of the Great Resignation and tight labor market.  She then describes the essential ingredients for a successful cause marketing initiative: “It's all data-driven. Corporations know who their customers are and what they care about, and they're looking for relationships with nonprofit organizations that are going to deliver on those promises. The key on both sides is authenticity.” “The cause marketing partnership is more than the money,” concludes Arlene. “Establishing relationships with companies at the leadership level can create opportunities for thought leadership and networking that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. The more that you can knit together the two entities, the more value there is for the nonprofit and the corporation alike.” Next in our discussion, we speak with Katy Sherratt, CEO of Back on My Feet, and Dr. Merary Simeon, vice president of human resources at PepsiCo and member of Back on My Feet's board of directors. Back on My Feet is a Red Havas client. “It's important for your customers to feel that it's a genuine relationship, integrated into more than just the marketing sphere,” says Katy. “If your core values align and you're looking to make meaningful impact that helps both communities and individuals, then it's a natural partnership.” “It's about transforming lives every day,” adds Merary through the lens of Back on My Feet. “We go out every day and find those powerful stories in the community — it isn't just finding one story and using it for the rest of the year.” Next, both guests describe what it takes to establish a successful partnership. “Successful partnerships are multifaceted — integrated at every level of the organization,” says Katy. “It takes a village. We need, as every nonprofit does, all the support we can get to continue to have impact and to grow.” “You must have a passion for investing in humanity and for making meaningful changes in society,” says Merary. “These are human lives — fathers, sons, brothers, sisters, mothers, daughters. They aren't just a box to check.” Closing out our discussion, both guests offer advice for nonprofit marketers and communicators to consider when forming partnerships. “Don't go blindly into partnerships — do your homework,” says Merary. “You have to be clear on what you're offering in your cause marketing relationships, not just for the communities you're working to benefit, but also for the organizations themselves.” “Be selective about the partnerships you do take on,” concludes Katy. “Take a step back and reassess if you feel unsure about their commitment to the work you're doing. Ask more questions, and make sure that you're on the same page about what this partnership means for both of you.” Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·     Twitter·     Facebook·     Instagram·     LinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·     iTunes·     Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!  

Creativity in a Time of Change: Ep. 30 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:o  What does creativity in communications look like in an increasingly polarized marketplace?o  How can communicators stay inspired and keep their creativity flowing?o  How can brand marketers and communicators elevate the creativity of their campaigns in 2023?In this month's episode, Red Havas' Linda Descano, CFA®, is joined by two creative thinkers and culturally savvy storytellers: Andrew Stevens, executive creative director at Red Havas U.K., and Aaron Padin, founder of design firm VSLMTH and former head of art and design at J. Walter Thompson. Together, they explore the theme of creativity and their takeaways for brand marketers and communicators who want to keep their creativity sparking in a post-pandemic, purpose-driven and highly polarized marketplace. “Creativity is about using ideas to solve problems,” says Andrew, kicking off our conversation. “That's where we can add real value for clients. You have to ask yourself, ‘Is my idea new, novel, unexpected or surprising in some way?' And crucially, ‘Is it aligned to what's happening in culture?'” “Creativity really brings purpose to life,” says Aaron. “It boils down to the purpose of what we're trying to solve, whether it's a business solution or awareness play.” Next, our guests talk about how creativity can help bridge the divide between brands and consumers. “People need to fall in love with brands,” says Aaron. “The top brands in the world, like Nike or Apple, don't reach that point overnight; they have been years in the making. Consistency is the key to establishing authenticity for your brand.” “You need to stand for something, otherwise you stand for nothing,” says Andrew. “It's one thing for a brand to say it's doing something with purpose, but creativity allows you to show what that purpose looks like and why it matters to your audience. Some brands don't want to take a position on anything because they fear they'll alienate certain audiences. This has led to creative outputs that are overly earnest or bland, which is disheartening because creativity should excite, inspire and illicit an emotional response.” The conversation then shifts to how both of our guests stay inspired and keep their creativity flowing. "I approach the world with open eyes," says Aaron. "The world can be jaded and dark sometimes, but I keep a sense of innocence, optimism and acceptance, which creates cool creative opportunities for me and excites me to wake up every day. It also helps to hear about what others are doing in the creative space and how it can inspire my own work." “I try to expose myself to as many different things as possible,” says Andrew. “In order to be creative, I need to be able to view things in new ways and from different perspectives, which requires setting up points and counterpoints. It's all about creating new contexts for your brain to do its work and reach that ‘eureka' moment.” Our discussion closes with advice for how brand marketers and communicators can elevate creativity in their campaigns and communications in 2023. “You need to be honest and empathetic,” says Aaron. “As creatives, we must be able to put ourselves in other people's shoes to understand and talk to them in a way they connect with. You also need to be provocative, whether it's being fun and whimsical or triggering an emotional response. Brands can't play it safe.” "Brands need to be radical and daring," says Andrew. "The world is in a state of radical disarray, and we have everything to lose and everything to gain with the solutions we put forward in response. We all need laughter and positivity right now. Start putting bold ideas in front of your clients that may not have been approved or well-received just a few years ago." Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·     “Human Motivation” by Robert Frank·     ‘Imagine' gender equality campaign by CPB London·     British Museum Disputed Artifacts Tour by Vice·     'The Lost Class' gun reform stunt by Leo Burnett·     Cadbury ‘Chocolate Fingers' sign language campaign Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·     Twitter·     Facebook·     Instagram·     LinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·     iTunes·     Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!  

Marketing to Women with Authenticity: Ep. 29 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:o  The current state of the female consumero  How brands can effectively reach women and avoid ‘pinkwashing'o  How social media has helped women take over brand marketingo  The importance of authentic representation of women in media In the late 1990s, the phrase ‘marketing to women' became part of the corporate lexicon. Seemingly overnight, financial services brands, among others were waking up to the power of the female consumer. Some brands responded with a ‘shrink it and pink it' strategy – just changing the size, color, or packaging of products; others created bespoke products & services designed for women by women; and others changed how they marketed to women, in terms of how they featured women in their advertising and spoke to them with email or other communications. Over the ensuing two decades, many brands put forward real game-changing campaigns, but not without a fair share of tone-deaf ones as well.  In this month's episode, Red Havas' Linda Descano, CFA® is joined by Aliza Freud, Founder and CEO of SheSpeaks Inc., and Jeannine Shao Collins, President of SeeHer, to explore the state of marketing to women and offer actionable tactics for how brands can build more authentic, meaningful connections with women across different touch points, whether advertising, marketing or PR-driven. Aliza kicks off the conversation with a look into the current state of the female consumer and how women are responding to brands, a topic covered in a recent survey conducted by SheSpeaks. “Women are feeling burnt out,” says Aliza. “The instability caused by many outside factors in the last few years have interrupted the lives of women and impacted the way they are feeling, both mentally and physically.” Aliza goes on to explain how this has changed the expectations women have for brands trying to reach them: “Women have hit a point where they have too many important things to focus on and don't have enough time or energy to cut through the marketing of it all; they are looking for brands to talk to them authentically about how their product will make their lives better and easier." “When women are seeking out brands, they want to understand a company's purpose, values, and what they stand for,” says Jeannine. “Standing up for what you believe in as a company can be a driving force for growth for your business. We've also seen that when a company has high gender equality scores, women are more likely to make purchases and have a better perception of its brand reputation.” Next, our guests discuss some insights from their personal experiences for creating meaningful engagement with women and avoiding ‘pinkwashing.' “Women want a benefit-driven conversation,” says Aliza. “You also need to be highly aware of the macro-environment, such as the political and economic landscape, because women are very much plugged into how these issues affect themselves and those they care about.” “We believe that if you can see her, you can be her,” says Jeannine. “Through that intersectional lens, we deal with the seven tenants of inclusivity, which include race, gender, race, and ethnicity, body type, age, and ability. We make sure that we are talking to all women, not just one type of woman. In our research, we found that ads perform better and lead to better sales when women are portrayed as counter-stereotypes, doing things that are unexpected and being represented in their full lives.” Our guests then discuss the creative shift occurring in brand marketing as more women begin to have a seat at the table. “The advent of social media content creators has democratized brand marketing for women,” says Aliza. “With 86% of social media influencers being women, they are dominating in terms of building followings and creating engaging content. When you compare a piece of content from a female influencer with a brand-developed asset, the influencer content is winning every time, largely due to the benefit-driven messaging it provides.” Jeannine talks about SeeHer's series of “#WriteHerRight” guides, which were developed to help writers, show runners, media executives, and actors to understand how to portray women authentically. The series also includes guides specifically centered around portraying Black female characters and Latina characters, with more in the works. “It's important that women are represented in all aspects, whether it's front of or behind the camera,” adds Jeannine. “There is a lot of unconscious gender bias that people don't realize they're putting forward when there are no women present in the room.” To close out the conversation, both of our guests provide one recommendation for brand marketers and communicators to keep in mind when marketing to women as they plan programs and campaigns for 2023. “In this environment, gender equality is not something to take for granted,” says Jeannine. “Equip yourself with the tools and resources needed to combat your unconscious gender biases so you can better understand what consumers want and how you can produce creative that resonates with them.” “It's important to recognize that women are not a monolith,” says Aliza. “You need to be mindful that not every woman believes or thinks the same way. Be aware of this as you come up with your campaigns, messaging, and the products and services you're offering to the women's market.” Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·     SheSpeaks Women's State of Mind Survey·     SeeHer #WriteHerRight·     Fidelity's influencer program·     Always #LikeAGirl campaign·     P&G #ShareTheLoad campaign·     Adidas x Havas Liquid Billboard case film Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·     Twitter·     Facebook·     Instagram·     LinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·     iTunes·     Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!   

Inclusive Communications and the Language of Gender: Ep. 28 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought podcastWhat You'll Learn in This Episode:o   How the language of gender is evolvingo   How communicators can be more gender inclusive in our internal and external communicationso   How we can model gender inclusivity in our everyday interactionsIn March 2021, we released an episode on the topic of inclusive communications, focusing on practical steps for ensuring that equity, respect and a sense of belonging are  integral to the employee and customer experiences brands create. During that conversation, we briefly touched on how gender and identity were playing out on the larger stage of brand communications.In this month's episode, Red Havas' Lara Graulich (she/her/hers) and Shane Blackburn (he/him/his) are joined by John Kelly (he/him/his), Ari Humirang (she/he/they/them), and Cathy Renna (she/her/hers). Together, they dig deeper into understanding how gender is approached across organizations' work on internal and external communications. As more people publicly identify outside the “traditional” gender binary of male and female, showing this understanding is now a must for any global organization.To kick things off, John Kelly, senior director of editorial at Dictionary.com, sets the stage with an update about the ever-evolving language surrounding gender. “Because gender is evolving, it's our responsibility as communicators to learn this new terminology and become fluent in it,” says John. “We need to internalize new best practices, such as using the language that people use to refer to themselves.”John then walks through the appropriate process of asking about someone else's gender and being a “linguistic ally.”“First, take some time to research and learn some of these challenging gender terms and concepts. Then, be sure to conduct the conversation at an appropriate time in a non-public format that doesn't make a person feel pressured or put on the spot. Begin by sharing a little bit of yourself and taking the lead. That way, you can facilitate a conversation where you include yourself in this as opposed to unintentionally othering a person.” Finally, John offers reassurance for anyone concerned about making mistakes on their path to becoming more gender inclusive.“We all make mistakes. It takes time. If the heart of your linguistic allyship is in the right place, and you're being honest in your efforts, you're well on the road to achieving more gender-inclusive communications.”  Next up in our discussion are two prominent voices in the LGBTQ+ space: Cathy Renna, communications director of the National LGBTQ Task Force and principal of Target Cue, and Ari Humirang, reception and concierge manager at Havas, IPA iList 2022 winner, and the British LGBT Award 2020 winner with Havas Pride.Of the steps organizations should be taking to establish relationships with the LGBTQ+ community and create communications that are more inclusive to all gender identities, Cathy says, “‘Ally' is a verb. You have to roll up your sleeves and do the work to get to know folks. Be willing to ask questions, but don't make assumptions. Be curious, but also be respectful and listen. It takes more than waving a rainbow flag; it's about building relationships with community members, organizations and markets.”Next, our guests provide their thoughts on brands putting action behind their words to promote gender inclusivity.“Saying you're an ally is one thing, but taking affirmative action is what goes the mile rather than just the inches," says Ari. “If you firmly believe in effecting change and being a voice for those who aren't being represented, just go for it. Don't hold back in fear of people looking down on you or possibly losing customers that don't share your beliefs.”“It's not about what I am, it's about who I am,” says Cathy. “The LGBTQ+ community is a microcosm of a larger culture, including issues of gender expression and gender identity. But we're very loyal. And we see who's taking meaningful steps to being more inclusive in their campaigns and communications.”Wrapping up our discussion, Ari shares how personally meaningful it can be for someone to see LGBTQ+ and gender-inclusive representation in media.“There is a sense of empowerment that comes with it,” says Ari. “It can be difficult to grow past the hardships that many people experience just for being different. Seeing progress being made by media and brands that don't typically enter this space has been impactful in breaking the mold and creating a more inclusive culture.”Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·      10 Ways To Be More Inclusive In Your Language·       How To Use Gender-Neutral Language To Promote Inclusivity·      Demigender, Maverique, And Other Gender Terms You May Not Know·      Gender and Sexuality Dictionary·      Gendercool.orgFollow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news: ·      Twitter·      Facebook·      Instagram·      LinkedInSubscribe: Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. ·      iTunes·      SpotifyWhat did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you! 

Revisiting the 2022 Red Sky Predictions: Ep. 27 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought podcastWhat You'll Learn in This Episode:How some of our 2022 predictions are playing out What brand communicators and marketers should monitor heading into 2023Each February, we publish an annual Red Sky Predictions 2022 report that forecasts 10 fundamental trends shaping the integrated communications and PR landscape. It features the collective insight of Redsters from around the agency's global network and is intended to serve as a playbook for brand communicators and marketers to help make sense of the lessons the pandemic has taught us.In this month's episode, Red Havas' Linda Descano, CFA® is joined by fellow Redsters and agency leaders James Wright, Lisa Davidson, Lesley Sillaman and Matthew Thomas to discuss the current state of our 2022 predictions, including what has played out as anticipated and what in on our radar for the rest of the year heading into 2023.To start things off, James Wright, who is global CEO of Red Havas Group and global chairman of the Havas PR Global Collective, sets the scene for the current state of our 2022 predictions.“A lot of these predictions are coming to the fore in a big way,” says James. “With the unpredictable environment that we've been working and living in over the last couple of years, it can be challenging to come up with these types of predictions. But some of them have manifested themselves quite clearly in the last six months.”First up for discussion is our “Corporate Purpose or Bust” prediction, which focuses on the continued shifts in substance, style and tonality of brand communications to allow for deeper connections with consumers. “One of the biggest challenges for many of our clients is how to navigate around purpose and demonstrate it in a meaningful way,” says Matthew Thomas, executive director of corporate affairs for Red Havas Australia. “The social media conversation around major events is moving faster than some corporations can keep up with, which makes their communications feel a step behind or reactive. Fundamentally, it's about raising the profile of communications within organizations to demonstrate purpose in a period of significant change.”“Employees have been a big driver for the shift in corporate purpose," says James, referencing our “From Pledges to Progress” white paper. "Businesses have had to shift from communicating and demonstrating the 'why' of corporate purpose to demonstrating the 'how' of corporate purpose. The pressure and expectation for organizations to take a stand on key social issues has increased dramatically in recent years. Employees now expect that the companies that they work for and buy from have a purpose beyond their own profit.”“Companies also need to show an aptitude to act on their purpose very quickly,” says Lesley Sillaman, EVP. “You need to be purposeful with your purpose by determining which set of issues to stand for, where you have the right to engage, where you've earned a place in the conversation, and what is material to your business so you can speak up in a credible way with your audiences.”“It's about purpose built from the inside out, starting with employees and going outward,” says Lisa Davidson, managing director at Red Havas Health. “The companies that are genuinely invested in the issues they stand for, rather than only supporting issues as a means to an end for business purposes, will be the ones that succeed.”Next, our “Personnel Gets Personal” prediction is revisited. This prediction sees employees leveraging their voices to reshape the world of work as we know it — driving greater relevancy, meaning and value for workers personally. This trend was also explored in a recent PR Week Roundtable co-hosted by Red Havas, and is underscored by a recent ManpowerGroup survey which clearly indicated that workers want more choice, autonomy and consideration for their well-being, particularly around their mental health.“Through the pandemic, we've had to reimagine what the workplace is, how we interact with our teams and how you build culture and continue to be successful in that environment,” says James, who recently touched on this topic on the PRovoke Media podcast. “There's a rebalancing occurring between organizations and their employees as we go back into the office, because too much flexibility has created certain problems for the delivery and the outcomes that businesses are trying to deliver. The ability to be as flexible as you can is going to be vital as we move from this great resignation of the last few years, into the great reimagination of the workplace.”In many ways, moderator, Linda Descano, CFA, added, “On-site has become the new off-site, with employees using office time to drive connectivity, collaboration, and inspiration, while getting the bulk of their work completed at home.”“This has become a large conversation between employees and their employers, and some excellent ideas have come out of it,” says Lesley. “Even in our own agency, we've heard ideas from every level of employee to help us become a better place to work and establish a more productive environment while in the office.”“Patient Choice, Patient Voice” was another of our 2022 predictions, which focused on Big Pharma taking a human-first approach to addressing issues of health equity and inclusion. Red Havas recently touched on this topic at the PR Week Healthcare & Pharma Comms Summit + Awards.Lisa provides insight from her personal experience in the health sector: “Everyone is now a guru for their own health, so healthcare marketing is shifting from being purely creative to focusing more on the patient. We're seeing more programs that use inclusive messaging, a resurgence of experiential activations and collaborating with communities to help co-create solutions. Issues of inclusion and equity transcend everything — from the C-suite of pharma companies where decisions get made to clinical trial recruitment, and even building hospitals.”Linda points to various companies who have taken steps toward these initiatives, such as Johnson & Johnson's health, equity, and innovation challenge which enlists local communities to help create healthcare solutions for minority groups; GSK's inclusion of LGBTQ+ community members in its digital films and product messaging; AstraZeneca's commitment to increasing representation of BIPOC in its leadership ranks; and the American Society of Clinical Oncology and Association of Community Cancer Centers, which issued a call to boost participation rates among racial and ethnic minority groups who have been historically underrepresented in cancer studies.Finally, our guests discuss the “Experiential Retail Renaissance” prediction, which outlined the opportunity for brands to reimagine their brick-and-mortar shopping experience to complement e-commerce efforts to bring a brand more fully to life.“Whether it's in person or online, shared experiences are key to building lasting relationships between brands and audiences,” says James. “The online shopping experiences has changed and is on the rise with brands embracing a new form of brand experience for customers, and it feels like nothing is off limits now.”“We've seen many outstanding examples of brands bringing immersive, exciting, and loyal new experiences to consumers,” says Lesley. “Everybody wants an experience that is tailored to them, and they're all looking for different things out of their shopping experience. So, it gives brands an opportunity to create experiences that bring a different level of loyalty from consumers who aren't coming into a store to just make a transaction, but for an experience that makes them feel like part of the brand.”To close the discussion, James provides his takeaways for brand communicators and marketers heading into 2023.“It's more important than ever to understand your business' place in the world in terms of what you want to be known for and what you stand for,” says James. “The evolution of the 'S' in ESG has changed for organizations as they embrace social issues, labor standards, human rights, social dialogue, pay equity, diversity, and access to health care. All these areas have become much more important than ever before to employees, shareholders, and stakeholders, and it's here that businesses can find their own unfair advantage by positioning themselves in a way that makes them an attractive place to work and a brand that you want to be loyal to in the future.”The episode wraps with Red Havas VP of Content Ellen Mallernee Barnes and our Red Questionnaire guest Linda Descano, CFA®, (playing double duty this episode!) for a conversation spanning various topics, including her go-to travel destination (Machu Pichu, Peru), her favorite book (“The New Megatrends” by former Havas PR CEO, Marian Salzman), and how she would describe her job to a child (“I help tell stories about people, places and things using words pictures and music”).Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·      “Red Sky Predictions” 2022 report·      “From Pledges to Progress” white paper·      PRovoke Media Podcast featuring James Wright·      PR Week Healthcare & Pharma Comms Summit + Awards·      PR Week: Employee Engagement Roundtable·      ManpowerGroup Employee Sentiment Survey·      “The New Megatrends” by Marian Salzman·      “The Agent” podcastFollow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news: ·      Twitter·      Facebook·      Instagram·      LinkedInSubscribe: Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. ·      iTunes·      SpotifyWhat did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you! 

How to Write Content that Cuts Through: Ep. 26 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought PodcastWhat You'll Learn in This Episode:·      Why are companies struggling to find strong writers? Are writing skills are a dying art?·      How can writers break out of their comfort zones and avoid block?·      What are some tricks for writing copy that actually gets read?Writing and storytelling are two of the most powerful ways to put ideas into the world. As written communication skills decay around us, both skills have also become competitive advantages.  This observation is the basis for Red Havas' newest whitepaper “Content That Cuts Through,” which explores how to write content that modern audiences can't help but read. In this month's episode, Red Havas' Vice President of Content Ellen Mallernee Barnes, author of our recent whitepaper, is joined by Sadie Dean and Jeanne Veillette Bowerman, two accomplished writers who frequently speak and write about the craft of writing — screenwriting in particular. They also cohost the “Reckless Creatives” podcast. Together, our guests discuss the craft of writing. The conversation begins with an assessment of society's collective writing skills, and whether or not companies are struggling to find strong writers because it is, perhaps, a dying art.“There are a lot of tools and AI services now that are hindering the real written word and killing the essence of a really good writer," says Sadie, who is also editor of Script Magazine. "Good writing is about clear messaging, which AI may never fully grasp in comparison to human writing.” Jeanne, who is an executive at Pipeline Media Group and editor-in-chief of Pipeline Artists, explains how focusing on her intended audience allows her to write with more clarity: “We writers like to think of ourselves as clear thinkers, but the clear thinking part of it comes in during the rewrite. Anything I write needs to be rewritten to become clear. And since writing is about getting people to feel, I have to put myself in the reader's shoes and ask how they will interpret it and whether I'm getting the message across.” Jeanne then discusses the importance of moving past the barriers within your comfort zone to become more vulnerable and “naked” in your writing.“It takes practice to be comfortable being raw and honest," says Jeanne. "And honesty is so important on so many levels, even in marketing. People can smell somebody blowing smoke a mile away, and if they're selling hope. It takes a certain level of honesty for the person writing the copy to let the company be vulnerable, honest and transparent with your audience. I think it just takes practice. It's very scary the first time you write something personal, but once you start writing with reckless abandon, you get more comfortable.”Sadie then provides her personal take on another mental barrier (writer's block) and how to approach it, saying: "People want writer's block to be real since it's an excuse not to write, but it's all in your head. Overcoming blockage requires just sitting down and writing, which is the toughest thing to do. But once you're not thinking about it too much and you get out of your own way, it becomes much easier."Next, Jeanne walks through the editing step of the writing process and how to best approach feedback.“Once you feel your work is as good as it can be, the first step is to hand it over and ask for feedback, which can be very hard, especially for fiction,” says Jeanne. “The second step is looking through the feedback, asking yourself how you feel about the suggestions and what your gut feeling says about it, and determining if it's still true to the story you want to tell.”Sadie compares writing great headlines to writing great loglines — those one-line sentences that set up a scene and hook you into reading a screenplay. Walking us through her headline-first approach to this process, Sadie says, “When I was first starting out, I would write the script first and then write the logline, and would end up getting confused because they were not matching up. Writing the logline before the script can make a huge difference because you've set up a very simple blueprint of where you're going with your story.”The discussion wraps with the art of writing more with less, to which Jeanne adds, "As an editor of online content, I always break paragraphs up a lot. But in terms of learning that skill set — to write concisely and with meaning — I would say when Twitter was 140 characters, that was the best teacher in editing yourself. I loved that; I was really upset when they expanded the character limit. I also always come back to Ernest Hemingway's bit of writing 'For sale: Baby shoes, never worn.' It tells a whole story in six words."The episode concludes with Red Havas VP of Social and Content Nancy Anderson and our Red Questionnaire guest Melanie Klausner, EVP.  Together, they discuss a myriad of topics ranging from Melanie's go-to travel destination, her favorite podcasts and how she describes her job to a child.“I help brands tell stories, connect with people, and build and maintain a positive reputation,” says Melanie on the latter. “What I love most are the clients and media relationships that we build, and the opportunity in my role to coach and encourage our colleagues to find their voice and passion and figure out how to shape, visualize, influence and secure the stories that we tell for brands.”Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·      “Content That Cuts Through” whitepaper·      "Reckless Creatives" podcast·      10 Things Before the Opening Bell by Business Insider·      The Broadsheet by Fortune·      The Good Stuff by CNN·      A Slight Change of Plans with Maya Shankar·      Making Space with Hoda Kotb·      Crying in H Mart by Michelle ZaunerFollow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news: ·      Twitter·      Facebook·      Instagram·      LinkedInSubscribe: Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. ·      iTunes·      SpotifyWhat did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you! 

Tackling the Health Literacy and Equity Conundrum: Ep. 25 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought PodcastWhat You'll Learn in This Episode:·      The relationship (and discrepancies) between health equity and health equality·      Health equity as a reputational management issue·      The importance of cultural context in communications·      The power of partnership in achieving health equity·      Turning increased recognition of health equity issues into resultsWhen it comes to health care access in the United States, not everyone is equal. This reality has only been reinforced as we've all dealt with COVID-19.  Major deficiencies in health care literacy have also become far more prominent over the past two years — in many cases exacerbating an already troubling situation. In this month's roundtable discussion featuring our Global CEO James Wright, we take a deep dive into the current state of health equity and literacy and the role that brands can play to increase health care knowledge, continuing a recent conversation hosted by Red Havas at the 2022 PR Week U.S. Healthcare + Pharma Awards & Summit.So, what is health equity? It's about ensuring equal access to quality health care for everybody by ending institutional and discriminatory barriers, whether it be systemic racism, sexism, poverty, or unequal distribution of resources. Healthy equality, on the other hand, means giving everyone equal opportunity and distribution of the care and services available. While achieving health equality can resolve some disparities, not enough progress can be made without also addressing health equity and the many social factors which influence people's health and wellness. Health inequity has never been more high profile than it than it is today for our clients across the health and pharma industries," says James. "These underlying problems go back hundreds of years but have clearly surfaced during the pandemic. This is a complex issue that requires businesses, health care systems and governments to work together to address. It's driving greater diversity in the product and service portfolios of our clients, and it's increasingly becoming a subject in marketing as organizations seek to learn more about these groups to better reach and service them."While health equity is a moral issue, it's also emerged from the pandemic as a reputational management issue. Organizations now must clearly define what their role is, whether it's raising awareness and education on health inequity, helping clients better interact and learn from different population groups, building messaging and proof points, or promoting the products and services that are being provided and launched to diverse groups. Any brand that engages with the public must think about healthcare and how they are addressing access, equity, and inclusion.PR experts must also look through a health equity lens to determine the preferred terms, language, and distribution channels of various diverse groups. Beyond that, we must also consider things from a cultural context — to learn how different demographics view health care providers. For example, research has shown that people from under-served populations or under-resourced populations feel more comfortable working with a provider who comes from their community or background and can instinctively understand some of their challenges, thought processes, and cultural norms."There's an increased recognition from the media, governments and big pharma that we need to focus on addressing health inequity," says James. "Now, that recognition needs to turn into results. We need to focus on the success of programs that have been launched and learn from areas that haven't succeeded to continue to build momentum and effect change."The episode wraps with Red Havas VP of Content Ellen Mallernee Barnes and our Red Questionnaire guest Claire Davies, strategy director at Red Havas U.K., for a conversation spanning various topics including Claire's outlook on time management, her favorite podcast (“The Secret History of Hollywood") and how she'd describe her job to a child."It's like working in shop, but instead of selling items, we sell ideas," says Claire on the latter. "I like the mental image of a shop with rows of jars with different sparks and ideas in them, waiting to be plucked and formed."Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·      2022 PR Week U.S. Healthcare + Pharma Awards & Summit·      PR Week: Healthcare is Big Business for PR Firms·      4,000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman·      "The Secret History of Hollywood” podcastFollow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news: ·      Twitter·      Facebook·      Instagram·      LinkedInSubscribe: Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. ·      iTunes·      SpotifyWhat did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you! 

Is It Time for an ESG Reset?: Ep. 24 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought PodcastWhat You'll Learn in This Episode:·       The relationship between purpose, CSR, ESG and sustainability·       The various ways that the ‘S' in ESG is being defined·       How the events and experiences of the past two years have changed the ESG landscape at a high level·       The importance of simplification and clarity surrounding ESG effortsThe recently elevated attention on company purpose has proven to be a watershed moment for ESG, as stakeholders seek to align on the different approaches on values and purpose, what constitutes ‘best in class' programs and efforts, and how to harmonize different ways of reporting key metrics. Further, within ESG, we've seen a particular focus on the ‘S' and what it does or does not encompass in terms of the important factors that link to a company's reputation and brand equity. In this month's episode, Red Havas' Linda Descano, CFA® is joined by guests Mike Tyrrell and Jeffrey Whitford to explore the current state of the ESG landscape and whether it's time for a reset in a post-pandemic future.The conversation begins with a look into the relationship between purpose, CSR, ESG, and sustainability, and how organizations can clarify these terms for audiences.They're all dealing with roughly the same area of the wider social responsibilities of a company, but there are nuances between them as well,” says Mike Tyrrell, editor, SRI-Connect. “The two that are most tangible are purpose and sustainability. Sustainability is the overarching term that we all need to achieve as a society to ensure our survival. But purpose accords most neatly with companies. Companies have two purposes: they have to make money to satisfy their shareholders, and they also have to deliver on other societal responsibilities, which break down into governance, environmental, social, economic, and ethical.”“The most important thing that we can do to get employees on the journey with us is to focus on simplification and clarity surrounding what is included under the sustainability umbrella,” says says Jeffrey Whitford, Head of Sustainability and Social Business Innovation for the Life Science business of Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany. “It's also important to make sure that the lived experience of employees matches what they're hearing or seeing from organizations on a meaningful scale. All the work you've done over the years disintegrates the moment your employees lose trust in your efforts.”Mike then provided a perspective on how the ESG landscape has evolved over the past two years: "We have seen the world change both in terms of the volume of interest in this area, but also the sophistication with which investors are using the information that they receive. Investors are much more up to speed with this, their clients are demanding it much more from them, and companies are talking to them more openly and clearly about how these factors are affecting their business performance."“You need to be very clear about where you're going to have impact, rather than trying to boil the ocean,” continues Jeffery. “You need to understand what your stakeholders expect of you and what matters to them in relation to your business, which then gives you a roadmap of how to focus in on key issues while ensuring all other issues are still included in your approach.”Next, the conversation shifts to how the ‘S' in ESG is being redefined.“One of the tough parts about ‘S' is that it doesn't have a clear definition, and you can't measure it,” says Jeffery. “It is a sea of lots of different things that are inconsistent between different businesses and brands, so it becomes more challenging. For this area to become a clear driving force forward, you must be able to boil it down into something that people can just grab and run with.”Adds Mike, “Over the last few years, there has been a renewed focus in some markets on DEI issues and public health. I think investors have a pretty good framework for considering social issues, and these newer issues have slotted into that framework quite well. We often talk about ESG issues as if they're all about managing downside risk, but in this social space, one of the things that we've seen is when companies articulate purpose, what they're really doing is capturing that upside social value.”To round out the discussion, each of our guests offers advice on how to prioritize and communicate ESG issues to stakeholders, along with one thing they would reflect on from the past few years.“My guiding principles are always data and transparency as an anchor, followed by simplification,” says Jeffery. “For communicators, you must figure out how you simplify this, because it is complex; there's a lot of data and detail. But you need to be guided by data and transparency as your guiding light.”“If you're communicating to investors, you must bring your investor relations officers into the picture,” says Mike. “Communications is often mistaken as being an outbound activity. From an investor's point of view, we very much want to hear the inbound that communications can bring. If you're sensing a change in your customers based on preferences for climate awareness or DEI issues, then investors need to hear that from you so that we can judge whether this company is or isn't aware of the brand risks and opportunities available to it. That sort of listening exercise is something which investors could really benefit from as these issues become more complex.”The episode wraps with Red Havas VP of Social & Content Nancy Anderson and our Red Questionnaire guest Amy Takis, Senior VP of Red Havas Health, for a conversation spanning various topics including her go-to travel destination (London), her favorite author (Mel Robbins), and how she would describe her job to a child.“PR is all about connecting with people to tell stories. And the people that I work with are usually people who are sick and want to tell their stories so others don't get sick,” says Amy on the latter. “Working with the media is like giving those people a really big microphone to tell their really important stories. This microphone is super loud and makes the story spread far. And we know if the PR works by counting how many people we reached.”Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·       SRI-Connect·       MillipporeSigma Sustainability·       Mel Robbins·       BBC: Rejuvenation of woman's skin could tackle diseases of ageingFollow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news: ·       Twitter·       Facebook·       Instagram·       LinkedInSubscribe: Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. ·       iTunes·       SpotifyWhat did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you! 

A New Lens on Brand Experience: Ep. 23 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:·      What the future looks like for brick-and-mortar retail experiences amid a surge in e-commerce trends·      How brands are getting audiences involved through co-creation of experiences·      How brands can determine whether to jump into new trends such as the metaverseIs 2022 the year of an experiential renaissance in retail? That's what we posited in our annual Red Sky Predictions report — namely, that 2022 is the year that brands will fully merge experiential and retail to completely reimagine the shopping experience. And, by turning a store into a destination, brands can ensure that brick-and-mortar shops not only remain relevant, but that they complement e-commerce efforts and more fully bring a brand to life.  In this month's episode, Red Havas' Linda Descano, CFA® is joined by fellow Redsters Steve Fontanot, Michael Ozard, Kana Phung and Courtney Myers, co-authors of our new white paper, A New Lens on Brand Experience, which explores the factors that are reshaping the brand experience landscape in 2022. The conversation begins with a look at the future of brick-and-mortar retail experiences amid a surge in social media selling and shifting e-commerce trends. “The idea of blending physical and digital elements together has become incredibly critical,” says Steve. “I think good brands have found ways to blend those together. But now that the world is opening up again, how do we ensure physical elements matter just as much as digital?” “Social is playing a pivotal role in e-commerce, and platforms like TikTok have really turned this concept on its head,” says Michael. "But with so much focus on e-commerce and social, there's a real opportunity for brands to differentiate themselves by providing unique in-store experiences that add value through deeper and more connected moments in a way that digital cannot.” The conversation then shifts to the topic of co-creation between brands and audiences. “We're being introduced to this evolved category of brand collaborations, called co-creations,” says Kana. “I think we can see that the mindset is really shifting from creating campaigns for audiences, to creating campaigns with the communities that we value. Essentially, the rewards are greater if we can understand how audiences can be part of the creation process.”Says Courtney, “Amid unprecedented employee turnover, organizations are increasingly recognizing that people are their greatest assets. As we reimagine our hybrid ways of working, brands should start viewing employees as co-creators to help create engaging employee experiences in both physical and virtual environments.” Finally, our guests share their thoughts on brand experiences moving forward, and how to decide whether to take a leap into new digital experiences such as the metaverse."I think we've already seen some immersive multimedia experiences that really play on the metaverse in its current form,” says Michael. “It's really important for brands to look at ways that they can collaborate with the existing digital platforms to tap into these new and far-reaching audiences and next level communities." “Sometimes brands can jump into trends without even knowing if their customers or their employees are there,” says Courtney. “I think the first things you need to understand are who your audience is, where they are engaging, whether they're interested in this, and if it is the right way to reach them.” Says Kana, “In contrast to the mass marketing strategy, it's okay to take a step back and see how the bespoke elements and meaningful brand experiences of the past have evolved in their own ways. There's a huge space for speaking to individual needs and offering a unique experience through micro events.” Closing out our discussion, Steve offers his final thoughts on the topic: “Overall, the focus should be on creating meaningful brand experiences. But it's important for brands to understand that what they think is meaningful, might not be meaningful to their consumers. Spend time thinking about what your holistic brand experience is, because too often we've seen brands invest time and resources into great things just to be let down by one small thing.” The episode wraps with Red Havas VP of Content Ellen Mallernee Barnes and our Red Questionnaire guest Mel Panabi, business director at Red Havas Philippines, for a conversation spanning many topics, including his go-to podcasts (“The Black Tapes” and “The Magnus Archives”), his guilty pleasures (his expansive collection of CDs, perfumes, and action figures), and how he describes his job to his children.“Companies and brands want to get their message out, and some of them need help doing that,” says Mel on the latter. “My job is to make sure that whatever it is that they want to say is accurate and has an impact on their target audience.”Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·      A New Lens on Brand Experience White Paper·      Red Sky 2022 Predictions Report·      Dojacode Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·      Twitter·      Facebook·      Instagram·      LinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·      iTunes·      Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!  

Red Sky Predictions 2022 Report: Ep. 22 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode: How our 10 Red Sky Predictions are playing out and shaping the 2022 communications and PR landscape, including these trends:·     “Corporate Purpose or Bust”: the evolution of corporate purpose·     “Personnel Gets Personal”: changing employee engagement tactics·     “As Seen on Social Is the New As Seen on TV”: social as the e-commerce tastemakerEach year, Red Havas publishes an annual “Red Sky Predictions Report” forecasting 10 fundamental trends shaping the integrated communications and PR landscape. We identify these trends by tapping the insights of Redsters from the agency's 10 markets around the world, coupled with a landscape analysis of media coverage over the past year and proprietary research from Havas' Prosumer and Meaningful Brands surveys.In this month's episode, Red Havas' Global CEO James Wright is joined by Sportradar's Andrew Bimson, Equitable's Kathryn Reichert, and Redster Davitha Tiller to discuss our 2022 predictions, which span the marketplace and the workplace, customer safety and retail experience, the future and the past, the digital and social media space, and healthcare and technology.First up for discussion was our “Corporate Purpose or Bust” prediction, addressing the recent push toward purpose-driven communication.“A company's purpose must be authentic and rooted in its corporate DNA,” says Sportradar COO Andrew Bimson. “In this rush to stand for something, some firms and brands risk putting the purpose story itself ahead of the plan and actions, and employees and others will be quick to call a company out for doing so. Purpose is not exclusively a marketing discipline and should resonate throughout the organization and be the fabric of what that firm stands for.”Kathryn Reichert, who is Equitable's director of employee engagement, says, “The power balance between employees and employers has shifted. Employees want to feel that their work matters, and they need visible action from the company they choose to work for that aligns with their personal values.” Regarding our “Personnel Gets Personal” prediction, which celebrates how amplified employee voices will lead to more transparent employee relations, Kathryn says, “Every person in the world had a unique first-time experience when it came to the pandemic. In the absence of credible information from public health officials and [with an influx of] conflicting information, people turned to the organizations they knew, namely their employers.” “Employees are being viewed as influencers and brand ambassadors,” says Red Havas' Davitha Tiller, EVP of social and integration, regarding the social aspect of employee relations. “More and more, we are seeing the value of, and increased engagement from, authentic employee-generated content.” To close out our discussion, each of our guests weighed in on the role of social media, and TikTok in particular, in influencing consumers and driving sales (see our “As Seen on Social” Is the New “As Seen on TV” prediction). “What an employer puts on social media influences everything from talent acquisition to how employees connect with the company,” says Kathryn. “The thing that I find so interesting about TikTok is that it reaches people in a younger demographic, enabling brands to get in front of people early while they're still forming opinions.” Andrew adds, “I think there's now a generational impact of people understanding what it means to be on these screens and to be exposed to that type of content. This creates a challenge for marketers to be conscious about a share of mind or a share of screen time when choosing how much to push through those particular channels.” Finally, Davitha provides insight on the future of social content: “It's truly the year of the creator. When we look at all our social- and content-related trends in the current report, creators and influencers are the common denominator. As marketers and brands, we need to make sure we're considering how to work with creators in the most powerful ways.” Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·     Red Sky Predictions 2022 ReportFollow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·     Twitter·     Facebook·     Instagram·     LinkedInSubscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·     iTunes·     Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you! 

What You'll Learn in This Episode:·     Themes and lessons that communicators and brand marketers should keep in mind in 2022·     How the past 18 months have created a watershed moment around purpose·     How employee relations have become more accountable in an era of empowered employeesAt the start of 2020, the idea of a worldwide pandemic that would trigger a massive pivot seemed unthinkable—as did the idea that we'd still be talking and living through ‘unprecedented' times in 2022. The last two years have been as sobering as they have been defining for all of us—personally and professionally. And, as communicators, it proved how important it is for us to be prepared to ‘flex with the times.'In this month's episode, Red Havas' Linda Descano, CFA® is joined by fellow Redsters Richard Clarke, Karina Heffers, and Lesley Sillaman, to discuss some of the key take-aways from 2021 and things to consider in brand communications and marketing for 2022.“This year is all about the era of acceptance,” says Lesley Sillaman, an EVP with Red Havas U.S. “We as communicators need to be accepting of our audience's ability to choose the way they want to live and how they want to receive communication and then think about how we make strategic and brand communication decisions going forward.”U.K. Executive Director Richard Clarke spoke to the watershed moment around purpose over the last 18 months: “When the pandemic hit, we started to see corporate emails and communications to employees become much more inclusive, empathetic, and purpose oriented almost overnight, treating employees less like an audience and more like a key stakeholder.”“We've seen a shift to employees being given a voice and the notion that engaging is very different from broadcasting,” added Karina Heffers, EVP and Head of Strategy at Red Havas U.S., regarding a recent shift in employee engagement. “Employers now have to be accountable and understand that if they ask a question, they have to be prepared to act on the answer.”To close the discussion, Richard provided advice for brand marketers and communicators moving into 2022.“Consider the importance of PR and look to protect the investment in marketing budgets. There is a real role for PR and communications to help deliver positive brand images and community spirit, which I think are going to play a major role in helping drive businesses forward.”The episode wraps with Red Havas VP of Social & Content Nancy Anderson and our Red Questionnaire guest Lesley Sillaman (playing double duty this episode!) for a conversation spanning many topics including her go-to book, her favorite travel destinations, and how she would describe her job to a child.“One piece that doesn't really get discussed in all of the talk about the challenges of working at home is the window through which this has helped kids actually watch their parents work,” says Lesley on the latter. “I think that really humanizes us to them in a way that wasn't previously seen. Hopefully, there are some good examples they see when I'm interacting with colleagues and clients that help them learn about how to be professionals in their own careers.”Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·     Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen·     Clara in the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro·     The Four Americas by George Packer (The Atlantic)Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·     Twitter·     Facebook·     Instagram·     LinkedInSubscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·     iTunes·     Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!  

As communicators, we are absolute nerds about words. We like rearranging them, adding and subtracting them from sentences, and learning new ones. Heck, we even like inventing them (vaccinfluencer, anyone?). That's why, in 2020, when our agency launched the inaugural Word of the Year, we challenged ourselves to identify one word to describe what had turned into the most unconventional year in modern memory. To get our one word, we went to people who are generally of many words—fellow comms professionals—and asked them to narrow their experience down to a single word. (Unmute? Unmasked? New normal?) Or, following in the footsteps of major dictionaries, did more conventional options come to mind? (Pandemic? Coronavirus? Lockdown?) In the end, pivot and unprecedented rose to the top and ended up sharing billing as our Word of the Year. This year, we were eager to continue our explorations—with not only our colleagues, but our clients and partners globally. (Remember: We didn't intend to produce a statistically precise or significant thought leadership piece, rather, our aim is to foster a discussion to engage colleagues, clients and creators around the world about our shared passion of brand communications.) We asked some 200 of our closest friends: What one word or phrase would they use to describe how communications have shapeshifted in 2021? And they delivered—more than 170 words were put forward, coalescing around two major themes:•     Adaptability/adaptation/adaptive/adapt, including agility, adjust, evolving and transforming•     Resilience/resilient/flexibility/flexible, including endurance, bouncing back, relentless and overcoming Drumroll, please!

What Nonprofits Need to Do Now: Ep. 19 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:·     How the 3 P's (Pandemic, Polarizing Politics, and Protests around social justice) have affected nonprofit organizations·     Why partnerships between nonprofits and grassroots organizations will be essential to equity·     How nonprofits are reimagining their operating models to survive and thrive after the pandemic The pandemic affected nearly every organizational system around the globe, and the 1.3 million nonprofits in the United States were no exception. As a follow up to Red Havas' June 2020 white paper Too Good to Fail, these challenges and opportunities were revisited 18 months later in a new updated report, which includes interviews with executives and communicators from various U.S.-based nonprofit organizations. In this special episode, Red Havas' Linda Descano, CFA® is joined by fellow Redsters, Melanie Klausner, EVP, and Joseph Giumarra, AVP, to expand on the numerous ways nonprofits have adapted in recent months, including by utilizing partnerships with other organizations, adjusting operational models to survive the pandemic, and re-evaluating DEI and employee outreach to meet the moment. “The truly smart nonprofits have created a space to have real conversations with their stakeholders, employees, volunteers, and donors” says Melanie on the latter. “It's no longer enough to rely on the fact that your organization is doing good and is purpose-driven. You need to be actionable by denouncing racism and intolerance and hold yourself accountable to those actions.”To make it through the pandemic, many nonprofits had to change their operational models altogether to adjust to a rapidly changing world. “What I would say has defined the nonprofit sector over the past 18 months is agility and resilience,” says Joseph. “Many nonprofits had to reassess their strategy and had to be agile to understand what they were going to do because they didn't have the same lanes of fundraising, and the needs for their community were completely different. Now, they're more innovative than ever before because they understand what it is to go through a crisis.”Partnerships between competing organizations also factored into the survival of many nonprofits, especially for grassroots organizations which were more likely to experience a drop in funding in the last year. “The economic downturn led to a lot of fear within nonprofits that donations were going to dry up, so they set aside the competition and leaned on each other,” says Joseph. “The digital transformation and loss of door-to-door communications caused grassroots organizations to shift and reprioritize.”To wrap up the discussion, both guests provided advice for brand managers moving forward, reflecting on lessons learned in the last 18 months.“It is okay to be overwhelmed with everything that is going on,” says Joseph. “You have to embrace that. But don't be paralyzed by it. You're in the position you are because you know what the mission is, you know the organization, and you know the community. So, take a step back and look at it holistically. There is a solution to everything that is out there. It's just a matter of time until you find what that solution is.”Says Melanie, “You always have to expect the unexpected, and try as best you can to plan for it. You need to make sure that you have alternative solutions and have thought through best and worst-case scenarios. Be proactive in controlling what you can control and navigating the unknown.” Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:·     Too Good to Fail: How Nonprofits Can Meet the Communications Challenges of a Pandemic-Altered World·     Too Good to Fail: How America's Nonprofits Can Communicate to Rouse the Most Support·     Team Rubicon Vaccination Efforts·     Feeding America DEI Initiatives·     Broadway Cares COVID-19 FundraiserFollow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:·     Twitter·     Facebook·     Instagram·     LinkedInSubscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.·     iTunes·     Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!   [LD1]Should we add the two white papers for completeness? Didn't we also reference something from Step Up that was also in the white paper? Let's include that.

A Whole New World of Employee Engagement: Ep. 18 of Red Sky Fuel for Thought Podcast What You'll Learn in This Episode:· Why communicating with HEAT (Humanity, Empathy, Accountability and Transparency) is imperative· How to act on mission and purpose through interactions with employees and stakeholders· Different ways companies are driving connection in a hybrid work environment· How the 3 P's (pandemic, polarizing politics, and protests around social justice) have changed employee engagement and internal communications As offices closed and sent workers into an unfamiliar remote environment amid the height of the pandemic, internal communications rapidly became more essential — and more human — than ever before. This is according to Red Havas's recent white paper, A Whole New World of Employee Engagement, which features interviews from top internal communicators worldwide to bring forth five key findings about the new era of employee engagement. In this episode, Red Havas' Linda Descano, CFA, is joined by Rebecca Reffell, strategy director at Havas People and Kathryn Reichert, director of employee communications at Equitable to dive into these findings and discuss how current events have combined to change perceptions about employee engagement, internal communications, and company purpose. “A strategy should seek to connect employees to the mission and vision of where they're working, connect employees to senior leaders, and connect employees to each other,” says Kathryn. “Internal comms have become more honest, more direct, and more of a partner to employees rather than just pushing out information.” Says Rebecca, “Purpose is really important to people. Engagement from employees increases when they're able to make a strong connection between company's purpose and what they do on a day-to-day basis.” To round out the discussion, both of our guests reflected on their personal experiences and offered advice for communicators and brand marketers going into 2022.“Make sure that your brand, both internally and externally, reflects your mission, vision and values,” says Kathryn. “Make sure that it really speaks for who you are as a company.”Says Rebecca, “We must always ask, what does this mean to the people we're trying to communicate with? These people are not just employees; they're humans. What do they need and want out of this situation? I think internal communications has a great opportunity to connect with other parts of the business that influence employee engagement and employee experience.” The episode wraps with Red Havas VP of Social & Content Nancy Anderson and our Red Questionnaire guest Steve Fontanot, managing director at Red Havas AU and Havas Blvd. Their conversation spans many topics, including his go-to show or podcast (other than this one, of course!), his favorite travel destination (Thailand) and how he describes his job to his family.“There are some days where I count lots of numbers, and there are some days I get to look at some really cool videos,” says Steve on the latter. “The part I love the most [about my job] is finding interesting stories to share with people.” Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Also mentioned on this episode:· “From Pledges to Progress: Proving Brand Purpose Today” white paper· How to Be a Meaningful Employer in the Age of Cynicism from Havas People· The Artist Formerly Known as Internal Communications· Kayo Sports app· "Formula 1: Drive to Survive" on NetflixFollow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:· Twitter· Facebook· Instagram· LinkedInDon't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.· iTunes· Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!

What You'll Learn in This Episode:· How the pandemic has accelerated a fourth industrial revolution· Why prosumers' favorability of Big Tech companies has increased during the pandemic· How the way we view tech has evolved from important to essential· Ways that prosumers want Big Tech companies to be held more accountable How is it that, despite intense scrutiny and criticism in recent years, Big Tech companies such as Amazon, Google and Facebook have seen their favorability drastically improve among consumers? In a word, it's the pandemic, according to Sebastien Houdusse, chief strategy officer of BETC Paris. As everyone isolated within their homes, technology was the thread that kept us cheerful, entertained, informed and connected, he says.A guest on this month's episode, Sebastian authored the latest edition of Havas Group's Prosumer Report. Called “Tech Forward, Why The Tech Trial Won't Happen,” the report is rooted in an expansive study of 16,000 people across 32 markets and asks whether or not these companies can maintain this newfound public support.In this episode, we take a deep dive into the implications of this report and what it all means for consumers, with a discussion moderated by Red Havas' Pattie Sullivan, joined by Sebastien and Jeremy Dale, CMO of Likewize. “We were actually very surprised by the data at first,” says Sebastien. “But when you think about it, Big Tech actually helped us amid the pandemic to stay connected with our loved ones, to stay entertained, and to continue to work, shop, teach, and learn. At a time where some governments were seen as failing, trust in tech was rising. We already knew that tech was useful in our daily life. But thanks to the pandemic, we realized that we couldn't live without it.” Says Jeremy, “We know we're living in the fourth industrial revolution, where the speed of change is like nothing we've ever seen before. The pandemic has just accelerated that change even more, and I don't think we will ever entirely go back to the way we were before.”While it may seem that we have become overly reliant on technology, consumers have widely expressed that tech innovations have improved their lives. Regardless, many consumers insist on holding tech companies accountable for the collateral damage they cause.“80 percent of our prosumer sample think that tech giants have acquired too much power in our society,” says Sebastien. “They say these companies should treat their employees better, should support local businesses in the countries they are settled in, and should practice sustainability.”The episode wraps with Red Havas VP Ellen Mallernee Barnes firing off a new set of questions for Red Questionnaire guest Nigel Hughes, managing director at Red Havas UK. Their conversation covers a myriad of topics from current guilty pleasure (The royal family) to how he describes his job to his own family (it's not so easy!) to the book he's currently rereading (“The Fame Formula: How Hollywood's Fixers, Fakers And Star Makers Created The Celebrity Industry").The latter traces the origins of the public relations industry, men who stepped out of the circus life carrying the legacy of P.T. Barnum and applied it liberally to vaudeville and the movies. Says Nigel, “If you tell somebody they can't do it, they'll want to do it. For publicists, that's one of the oldest tricks in the books.”Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!Connect with Red Havas: Also mentioned on this episode:· Sodajerker On Songwriting· The Fame Formula· Lack of lorry drivers in UK leads to empty shelves and uncertain futures· Piers Morgan and Louis Theroux lead celebrations as Emma Raducanu wins US open: ‘Pure class' Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:· Twitter· Facebook· Instagram· LinkedIn Subscribe:Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.· iTunes· Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next?Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!

What You'll Learn in This Episode: · What TikTok is and what it isn't · What differentiates TikTok from other platforms · How TikTok can sell—even Brussel sprouts! · What success looks like on TikTok Far more than just an app to share funny videos, TikTok has become a social force to be reckoned with. Three billion worldwide downloads to date place it as the fifth non-gaming app to do so since 2014. And, in the first half of 2021, TikTok was the most downloaded non-gaming app in the world with 383 million downloads. It's quickly become a meeting place for diverse communities, organizations and individuals ranging from teenagers to master chefs to some of the largest brands in the world—all looking to entertain and be entertained. In this special episode, Linda Descano, CFA®, EVP, corporate communications and executive visibility, sits down with Dan Brough, head of US agency partnerships at TikTok, to talk about the power of this cultural phenomenon. Dan discusses what it is: “the next generation entertainment platform, really reinventing how people and brands connect,” and what makes it different: “it really is the only platform where they come together for two reasons, to co-create and co-experience content.” Dan also reflects on the evolution of TikTok, from being perceived as a “dance app for teenagers” to its rapid transformation through the pandemic to becoming a place people can go for all sorts of content based on their tastes and interests—fashion, music, travel, cooking, cars, art—you name it, TikTok has it. “You might have heard the phrase of ‘tech talk made me buy it.' It's a trend we see across the platform. 47% say they bought something because they saw it on TikTok, which is almost half of all users!” Dan shares some interesting data about their growth, algorithms and the average user—who they are, how much time they spend on the platform, and how they create or participate in trends—which makes Linda smile. “I really love what you said about letting loose, but not letting go. In a time when so many of us are working remotely and have been communicating virtually, we've broken through the wall that separated our professional and personal lives. And that's my takeaway from TikTok, that it is this unifying force that allows you to really tap into those passion points and engage with others.” Their chat is followed by a roundtable discussion with Gabe Oropreza, customer engagement manager and social media manager at Eegee's, and Audrey Arbogast, account supervisor, Red Havas U.S., moderated by Lara Graulich, account fellow, Red Havas Health. Gabe shares his team's successes with TikTok, being able to think outside the box, partner with creators, leverage trends and have lots of fun, while effectively promoting their brand. Gabe explains, “TikTok is that new, trendy platform where we can get away with some content that may not work for Instagram or Facebook. Eegee's is getting to that point where a lot of people are just going to start following us because we post funny or outside-the-box content…even though they're not from Arizona, or they've never heard of Eegee's before.” With a recent video of Eegee's interns, his team reached more than four million views overnight. “We were reaching people from the UK and India, and some of these people were commenting, I've never been in the U.S. but once I go, I'm gonna try an Eegee's.” Audrey agrees, “If you're ever having a bad day, there's always something funny going on in their comments section. So that engagement factor, you know, Eegee's does really lean in and has fun with what they're doing.” In closing, she adds, “In terms of what success looks like on TikTok, I think there's a lot of opportunity for brands to experiment. Perhaps a brand that has typically been a little bit more curated in their social media content can have a bit more fun. And there's a lot of opportunity for organic reach… while the risks to playing around and experimenting are pretty low. So, if you're not experimenting with the platform already, you definitely should be.” Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us! Connect with Red Havas: Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news: · Twitter · Facebook · Instagram · LinkedIn Subscribe: Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. · iTunes · Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next? Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!

What You'll Learn in This Episode: · Which of our 2021 communications predictions have traveled well · Whether the “Vaccinfluencer” has been had more of a positive or negative impact · How society's perception of social media changed during the pandemic Once a year our agency does something particularly brave. We predict the future. Released at the top of the year, our “Red Sky Predictions” report forecasts 10 trends we expect to drive change throughout the global communications and PR landscape. These predictions represent the collective insight of top minds from around Red Havas' 10 markets. We like to think the report has become required reading for our industry. This year, though, the stakes were higher and our assignment more daunting. We looked at everything through the lens of the pandemic. How had COVID forever changed the digital and social media space? Healthcare and technology? The workplace and travel? Of course, we don't believe in simply flinging predictions into the universe and then quickly walking away. It's important to us to return to the predictions we made—to see how, and if, they're unfolding the way we suggested. This month, we've devoted an entire episode to it with a discussion moderated by Red Havas' Linda Descano that brings some of this year's soothsayers back to the table: Global CEO James Wright; U.S.-based social guru Davitha Tiller and Steve Fontanot, our managing director in Australia. So, how did we do? Says James, “We had a number of [predictions] that have really traveled really well this year in terms of coming to light and becoming a reality. Everything from the Vaccinfluencer to how mental health has come to the fore to how employees have become more and more empowered and the rise of the empowered employee. So, lots of interesting subjects to get into today.” The episode wraps with Red Havas VP Ellen Mallernee Barnes unveiling a fresh set of questions for Red Questionnaire guest Aleisia Gibson Wright, an executive vice president at Red Havas Health. Their chat runs the gamut from Aleisia's must-follow TikTok account (Jason Derulo) to what's keeping her awake at night (healthcare disparities and inequities). Of the latter, Aleisia says, “Having worked in this industry, we noticed [the inequities], but it becomes like white noise. It's a problem. We know it's there. But over the past year and a half, since COVID, there has been a lot of conversation about it. And with the George Floyd murder, there's just been a lot of conversation about inequities in general. Now, we will see how that plays out in the health space. It's a problem that I know big companies are really working hard to resolve.”   Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!   Connect with Red Havas: Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news: · Twitter · Facebook · Instagram · LinkedIn Subscribe: Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. · iTunes · Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next? Remember to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!

What You'll Learn in This Episode: ·      How the pandemic changed Cannes—both the festival's format and its content ·      What work stood out from the PR Lions in 2021 ·      Advice for brand marketers who want to win a Cannes Lion next year   Even though the pandemic had most of us homebound for a year, that didn't stop some movers and shakers in the communications industry from dreaming up world-changing creative ideas. That's why, for our 14th episode, we travel virtually to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity—considered the largest gathering of the advertising and creative communications industry. As the festival wishes, roundtable panelists James Wright and Rachael Sansom (a juror for the PR Lions this year) ensure that creativity is indeed celebrated. They go over what won, what knocked their socks off, and what's next, in a conversation moderated by Linda Descano. The episode wraps up with a Q&A with Josh Richardson, Red Havas' new London-based creative director.   Connect with Red Havas: Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news: · Twitter · Facebook · Instagram ·      LinkedIn   Subscribe: Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. · iTunes · Spotify What did you love? What would you like to hear about next? Remember  to rate and review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!   Also mentioned on this show: ·      Rachael Sansom for PRWeek: Cannes Lions insights: six trends from the top global PR campaigns ·      Dumbcatsru on Instagram · Good News Movement on Instagram

What You'll Learn in This Episode: · How expectations of brands to demonstrate Pride have changed · Examples of brands getting it right · Best practices for gender pronoun usage in the workplace Guests · Ari Humirang, Building Services/Concierge/Induction Coordinator at Havas and Social Media Officer and Non-Binary & Trans Representative for Havas Pride. · Dev Mistry, Internal Communications Executive, Campaigns at Virgin Media · Christina Roth, Senior Manager Global Marketing, ManpowerGroup · Dana Tahir, General Manager, Red Havas Middle East Referenced links: LinkedIn stats

What You'll Learn in This Episode: · Why reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine vary so widely from country to country · The implications of the pandemic on the future of health, the medical community and brands · What consumers expect of brands post-pandemic and how brands can accommodate those expectations How is it that the COVID-19 vaccine, in the midst of its historic global rollout, is being met with such a staggering range of reactions? Marianne Hurstel, chief strategy officer for BETC Paris, tackles this topic in a roundtable segment with podcast host Linda Descano, CFA®, EVP of corporate communications and executive visibility at Red Havas. Marianne co-authored Havas Group's new Prosumer Report, “Health and Hygiene in the Post-COVID-19 Era,” which springs from a massive study of Prosumers that Havas fielded at the beginning of 2021, drawing on reactions to the current global health crisis from more than 15,000 participants across 31 markets. The report tracks variances in attitudes to the vaccine by country and culture and analyzes what the aftermath of the pandemic can be expected to mean for healthcare, the medical community, and brands. What are Prosumers? Havas identifies them as the leading-edge 15-20% of consumers, usually 6-18 months ahead of the mainstream, forward thinking, influential, proactive and socially and/or environmentally conscious. Often the best indicator of what's to come for brands and businesses around the world, Prosumers are certainly worth paying attention to.  As Linda and Marianne explore together, trust in science, scientists, and government authorities has become a critical component of mitigation efforts in the age of pandemic. While most global Prosumers expressed faith in the COVID-19 vaccines available at the time of the study, nearly two-thirds of those in the Czech Republic and around half of Prosumers in France and Belgium did not. Among Prosumers who don't trust the vaccines, the vast majority (83%) worry that the development process was “too rushed,” while—more worryingly—around a third simply don't trust the people and institutions promoting the vaccines. Marianne explains, “Trust is one of the things that is key in the way people will get vaccinated. When we looked a bit deeper, we saw that the level of distrust was really linked not only to the rushed elaboration process of the vaccine, but to a deeper distrust in the institutions that promote the vaccine.” When Linda goes on to ask what the relationship between hygiene and health will be like going forward, Marianne says, “COVID, for 83% of Prosumers, heightened our awareness and aversion to germs. Now we see [germs] more or less everywhere, on every surface, on clothes, in the air. If someone starts coughing in the subway, everyone looks at him like if he was a terrorist.” The Prosumer study also found that, post-COVID, more people will pay attention to keeping a clean home and to the cleanliness of bathroom stalls, restaurants, and public transportation, as far more people now correlate cleanliness with health. The implications of this on everything from the market for germ-killing products to pharma companies to healthcare systems will be profound. For our Red Questionnaire segment, which asks a different industry leader the same set of questions each month, Shailo Rasanayakam, integrated senior account manager, global clients, for Red Havas U.K., picks the brain of Rachael Sansom, managing director at Red Havas U.K. A comms leader and brand reputation expert in the U.K. with over 20 years' experience, Rachael has experience leading agencies as well as working in-house for leading brands such as Motorola and Random House. She is confirmed as judge at the Cannes Lion creative awards this year and has been included for the second year running in the PRWeek Power Book. With Shailo, Rachael discusses everything from her favorite interior design Instagram account to the fate of TikTok (“I think a lot of brands are very nervous about TikTok; however, those that have embraced it have really shown how powerful it can be”) to her perspective on life after the pandemic. “My key message to everybody is just live your life,” says Rachael. “If COVID has taught us one thing it's that life can be very short. It's important that we all get the most out of, frankly, the lovely texture that is life moving forward.” Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!   Connect with Red Havas: Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:  - Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Subscribe:  Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. - iTunes - Spotify What Did You Love? What Would You Like to Hear About Next? Remember to Rate and Review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!   Also Mentioned on This Show: · Havas Prosumer Report: “Health and Hygiene in the Post-COVID-19 Era” · Charli D'Amelio on TikTok ·        Retrouvius Instagram account

In this episode you will learn: · Why transparency and authenticity go hand in hand with brand purpose · How operationalizing purpose can help companies mitigate risk and serve as a competitive advantage · How to measure brand purpose and why companies must Even before the global pandemic erupted in tandem with social justice protests, consumers were applying more pressure on brands to demonstrate their purpose and take a stance. The “vote with your wallet” concept was easy for consumers to apply to their day-to-day purchases. The bestselling book written by Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, “Conscious Capitalism,” had landed him on Oprah's podcast, further empowering a new generation of consumer activists. And Havas' Meaningful Brands research had found that 77% of consumers prefer to buy from companies and brands that share their values. Beyond influencing how people shopped, purpose had also begun to have bearing on where they worked. A study by Deloitte found that two out of three millennials—the generation predicted to comprise 75% of the global workforce by 2025—primarily choose to work at a company because of its purpose. However, in 2020, the onus to drive change shifted away from consumers who were locked in the pressure cooker of a pandemic and onto corporate leaders for whom 2020 was the year to show what they were made of and what their company stood for. This is the subject of our April episode as well as a new Red Havas white paper, “From Pledges to Progress: Proving Brand Purpose in 2021” (available for download here). In a conversation moderated by Red Havas' Linda Descano, two representatives of Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose—better known as CECP—explore how the role of the corporation in society is evolving and the implications it has on how companies communicate and engage with employees, communities, policymakers, investors and other key stakeholder audiences. A think tank that helps companies transform how they engage with stakeholders, CECP can claim CEO members representing more than 200 of the world's largest companies from across different industries, totaling more than $11.2 trillion in revenues and 14 million employees worldwide. Together, Nandika Madgavkar, who is head of The CEO Investor Forum at CECP, and Alexa Yigit, head of sustainable finance for CECP, trace the changes they've charted in brand purpose and what it all means for corporations. “Put aside everything else, the focus is on employees, because your employees are the reason a company will survive, thrive, exist for the long term,” says Madgavkar. “If you don't have engaged employees who feel that the company and the CEO in particular has their best interests at heart, they are not going to show up. They're not going to produce. They're not going to be there for the long term. They are looking for a company that shows heart more than it shows the bottom line.” And the business benefits of operating from a place of purpose, especially during a crisis, are beginning to make themselves known, too. As Yigit says, “An authentic corporate purpose, when experienced through the brand and lived through the strategy, can help create shareholder value while positioning companies to realize a return on purpose over the long term.”  While the purpose landscape has changed indelibly over the past year, in particular there's been a shift in the substance, style and tonality of brand communications, both internally and externally, about three key themes: employee wellbeing; diversity, equity and inclusion; and the climate. Episode 11 concludes with a conversation between Red Havas Senior Account Manager Shailo Rasanayakam and Simone Gupta, CEO of Havas PR Australia, who answers the questions we ask of a new guest each month to understand what inspires them and makes them tick. In particular, she calls out The Naked Beauty Podcast by friend Booke Devard as a must listen! A strategic and holistic board-level business lead and leadership coach, Simone is currently managing Havas agencies Red Havas and One Green Bean after her recent promotion in Q1 2021. She has been active in the gender equality discussion for many years, hosting industry panels on women in senior creative and management roles. She was founding deputy chair of PR industry body the PR Council of Australia, founding chairman of girls' rights charity One Woman at a Time and is an experienced leadership coach. Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us!   Also Mentioned on This Show: · Red Havas' “From Pledges to Progress: Proving Brand Purpose in 2021” white paper · CECP's “The Return on Purpose: Before and During a Crisis” paper · CECP's The CEO Investor Forum   Connect with Red Havas: Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:  - Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Subscribe:  Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. - iTunes - Spotify What Did You Love? What Would You Like to Hear About Next? Remember to Rate and Review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!

What exactly are inclusive communications, and why do they matter? In the wake of Black History Month and in the midst of Women's History Month, a roundtable of expert communicators weigh in on the factors that can contribute to a lack of inclusivity in brand communications, both internally and externally, and how to avoid bias when crafting messages on behalf of companies and clients. The Red Questionnaire segment is devoted this month to Stacey Gandler, global managing director of the new Red Havas Health. Guests: · Brandi Boatner, Manager, Digital & Advocacy Communications, IBM · Carmella Glover, President, Diversity Action Alliance · Sébastien Houdusse, Chief Strategy Officer, BETC · Stacey Gandler, Global Managing Director, Red Havas Health Also Mentioned on This Show: - Red Havas Expands Global Health Offering with Launch of Red Havas Health - Havas Prosumer Report: “The Future of Aging" - National Geographic: “The New Face of Hunger” - One in Six Americans Could Go Hungry in 2020 as COVID-19 Persists   Connect with Red Havas: Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:  - Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Subscribe:  Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. - iTunes - Spotify What Did You Love? What Would You Like to Hear About Next? Remember to Rate and Review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!

Even as we continue to face some harrowing unknowns, the lessons that communicators have learned this past year have shown us that agility and resilience are the insurance we need to press forward. That nothing matters if we don't have our health—and one another. Even when the closest we can get to one another is to leave heart-eyed emojis on each another's Instagram posts. Even while many of us stayed home, life went on. Especially across the digital and social media space, we tracked enormous evolutions. We explore these and many others in the new 2021 “Red Sky Predictions” report, which centers on how the pandemic has changed the way marketers and communicators must proceed in our work across industries and disciplines. We're closing out the final episode of a three-part series on the predictions with Red Havas' EVP of Social & Integration Davitha Tiller and Havas Health & You's Chief Content Officer Lars Bengston. Together, they discuss how the traditional rules of social content creation are losing relevance as a result of so many new and disruptive formats. The also explain how a year of physical isolation is giving way to a new golden age of connection and community for social media. Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us! Also Mentioned on This Show: · 2021 Red Sky Predictions report “10 Predictions for Communicators in 2021” Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:  · Twitter · Facebook · Instagram · LinkedIn

Earlier this month, Red Havas broke out our crystal ball when we launched the 2021 “Red Sky Predictions.” Our 10 predictions this year span digital and social media, healthcare and technology, the workplace and travel. Each reflects on the opportunities and challenges posed by the global pandemic. In this second episode of a three-part series, Rachael Sansom, managing director of Red Havas U.K., talks with Richard Clarke, executive director of Red Havas U.K., about three of those predictions. Together, they introduce a new type of influencer—the Vaccinfluencer and tell us why “Get out the vaccine” will be the new “Get out the vote” for influencers and the brands that employ them. They also examine 5G, exploring its potential to transform the digital experiences that marketers can create in the virtual world in 2021. And speaking of experiences, they explain why 2021 will be the year when experiential comes to its senses—all five of them. Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us! Also Mentioned on This Show: · 2021 Red Sky Predictions report “10 Predictions for Communicators in 2021” Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:  · Twitter · Facebook · Instagram · LinkedIn

Episode Summary: Each year, expert Red Havas communicators from around the world collaborate to research and identify the 10 global trends that will shape the integrated communications and PR landscape over the next year and beyond. This year, our 2021 “Red Sky Predictions” center on what the pandemic has taught us. In this first episode of a three-part series, Linda Descano, CFA®, Red Havas' EVP of corporate communications and executive visibility, leads a roundtable discussion with James Wright, Red Havas' global CEO, and Ruth Harper, ManpowerGroup's VP of global strategic communications on the two predictions that have sprung from the workplace this past year: “The Rise of the Empowered Employee,” in which we will see companies harness employee-generated content in a post-pandemic world, and “Mental Muscle Matters,” whereby mental health will at long last go­­­ mainstream, giving physical fitness a run for its money as a priority, for both individuals and employers. Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don't forget to rate and review to help more people find us! Also Mentioned on This Show: · 2021 Red Sky Predictions report “10 Predictions for Communicators in 2021” · ManpowerGroup report “The Future for Workers, By Workers: Making the Next Normal Better for All” · McKinsey & Company “Igniting Individual Purpose in Times of Crisis” · McKinsey & Company “What's Next for Remote Work: An Analysis of 2,000 Tasks, 800 Jobs, and Nine Countries” Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:  · Twitter · Facebook · Instagram · LinkedIn

New year, new episode—and this one is full of heart. First, you'll listen in on a conversation with Jake Wood, the CEO of Team Rubicon and author of the recently published “Once a Warrior: How One Veteran Found a New Mission Closer to Home.” He tells us what he learned about the connection between love and leadership from his experience in the Marine Corps, three traits to look for in every potential hire, and how to inspire the best possible performance from the teams you lead. And in our Red Questionnaire segment, Gus Worland, Australian television/radio host and founder of the Gotcha4Life Mental Health Foundation, speaks to the toll the pandemic has had on mental health the world over—and why it's a call to action for all of us to show up for our loved ones. In This Episode You Will Learn: - Leadership tips and observations from Team Rubicon's cofounder and CEO and Marine veteran Jake Wood  - How to ground an organization in purpose—and why every organization must do this - What it means to build “mental fitness” and why it's the new year's resolution we all need to make Connect with Red Havas: Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:  - Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Subscribe: Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. - iTunes - Spotify What Did You Love? What Would You Like to Hear About Next? Remember to Rate and Review today's show; we'd love to hear from you! Also Mentioned on This Show: · Team Rubicon website · Jake Wood's book website · Jake's “Once a Warrior: How One Veteran Found a New Mission Closer to Home” book · Jake's “Take Command: Lessons in Leadership: How to Be a First Responder in Business” book · Gotcha4Life website · Gotcha4Life on Facebook · Gotcha4Life on Twitter · Gotcha4Life Instagram · Gus Worland on Twitter · Gus Worland on Instagram

In our final episode of the year, we reveal the results from our very own Word of the Year survey of communicators. Dino Delic, Meltwater's director of enterprise analytics and insights, joins us for that conversation and then goes on to highlight how purpose-driven some of the biggest and best-known brands have been in their pandemic-era communications. And for the Red Questionnaire segment, we chat with Bukola Garry, Havas' manager of diversity and inclusion, about how to make strides toward eradicating racism after this tumultuous year. She also tells us what she considers to be an emotional superpower, and shares the personal mantra that keeps her invigorated for life—spoiler alert: it's a great one.   Quotes: “To me, the word that would describe [2020] is backlash. It's a negative word. So I don't love it for that sense, because I do think of myself as a little bit more hopeful and optimistic about 2021… But backlash to me, of course, has been political backlash about governments not doing the right thing with COVID, or doing things too strongly, or not enforcing things. … But when a company or a corporation or a brand was involved in a backlash and not a political figure, it was usually because they were trying to do something that they felt like was the right thing to do.” —Dino Delic, Director of Enterprise Analytics and Insights, Meltwater “There is so much pressure on companies to do the right thing, and the right thing is so subjective.” —Dino Delic, Director of Enterprise Analytics and Insights, Meltwater “First and foremost, I would say authenticity [is required of brands who navigate successfully through a crisis]. If they're doing it just to address a challenge, or if they're doing it to avoid a backlash, or if they are doing it just because they think that that's what people want, that's when they've typically gotten themselves into trouble.” —Dino Delic, Director of Enterprise Analytics and Insights, Meltwater “In an effort to try to help customers navigate through this tricky concept of injecting purpose into a brand, we try to take what is squishy or qualitative and make it quantifiable and measure the things that are typically subjective. And we found, like other times when we've developed metrics like this, it's entirely possible to do so.” —Dino Delic, Director of Enterprise Analytics and Insights, Meltwater “There's a great quote that says, ‘When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.' And I just think that the temptation with uncomfortable conversations or topics is to try and push past them. Like we try and flick a switch or move on to something you know. But in reality, there are people that are constantly being retraumatized and made to feel less than … The reality of racism is just that it's a reality. And until we're all triggered by it, I think real change is still so far away.” —Bukola Garry, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Havas “There have recently been more moments and moments in time when we were having to check into our humanity… so many opportunities for us to really do some self-reflection, to ask ourselves, ‘How do I be more of an ally? How do I be more of a supporter, and how do I kind of recognize and validate, and learn about experiences that are different from my own?'” —Bukola Garry, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Havas   Connect with Red Havas: Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news:  - Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn Subscribe: Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app. - iTunes - Spotify What Did You Love? What Would You Like to Hear About Next? Remember to Rate and Review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!

When our work lives and home lives were all but tossed into a blender in March, we witnessed a drastic change in the way we work and interact with colleagues, vendors, suppliers and partners. Same goes for the way we run our households; everything from how we purchase groceries to how we educate our children has transformed. In Red Havas' latest white paper, and in the Trends Brief segment of this episode, we explore how pandemic-era consumers expect far more from the technology that is helping us hold it all together from day to day. Panelists include James Wright, global CEO, Red Havas and chair, Havas PR Global Collective; Rachael Sansom, managing director, Red Havas U.K.; Aarti Shah, executive editor, PRovoke Media; and Pattie Sullivan, SVP and head, B2B practice, Red Havas U.S. The panel is moderated by Linda Descano, CFA®, EVP, Red Havas U.S. Together they discuss how consumers now want fast, efficient and easy all the time. This has had a profound effect on both business-to-business (B2B) companies and business-to-consumer (B2C) companies when it comes to delivering services, experiences and products—not just to their immediate consumer but to people in general. As our panelists discuss, if there's anything to be gained from this changed communication landscape, it's that we were quickly reminded of the true humanity we all share. We are people first and foremost—and we've begun to relate and communicate with this understanding at the forefront.In this episode you will learn: The four rules of engagement for P2P communication Why the pandemic has further driven consumers to insist brands demonstrate purpose in action up and down the supply chain, not just in the end product Why employee-generated content provides the most value for brands (and is often the most underutilized form of influencer content) Which generations are most interested in working for employers with a well-defined purpose (even valuing purpose over pay check) In the Red Questionnaire segment, Georgina Thompson, senior account director for Red Havas U.K., chats with Jeffrey Whitford, MilliporeSigma's head of sustainability, social business innovation and life science branding. In each episode, we ask our guests the same set of questions—e.g., first job, favorite cliché, number of stamps in their passport. We also plumb our expert guests' experiences for predictions about what we can expect to happen next in their respective industries. Jeffrey has plenty of interesting things to say about how the conversation about climate change will shift during the United States' transition to a new presidential administration. Says Jeffrey, “What you've seen, or started to see, in regards to climate is more specific actions. And I think that's the kind of thing that I always am reverting people back to--rather than taking a look at the commitments, how are we taking a look at the action that's taking place, and the change that is happening?” Quotes: “In light of the Pfizer news that came out yesterday, it really sort of struck me again that we do need trusted sources of information … so people can make good decisions. So I think this idea that P2P actually does equal higher quality information is really interesting and can facilitate trust, especially when that's being eroded.” —Aarti Shah, Executive Editor, PRovoke Media ‘While we've seen a number of industries have been hit hard by the pandemic, audiences are not prepared to give brands a hall pass during this time. In fact, they expect brands to stay true to their purpose, despite the challenging business environment… Brands that put purpose on pause in the short term may very well find themselves that they've lost the public trust and confidence over the long term, and regaining it can certainly be an uphill climb.” —Pattie Sullivan, SVP and Head, B2B Practice, Red Havas U.S. “Every kind of CEO I've spoken to has talked to me about their own personal stories and how they felt a much greater connection to their own employees [during the pandemic]. And therefore, I think that that gives you more confidence to one, think about how you can embrace your employees, how you can support them, but then also how you can utilize them as brand advocates?” —James Wright, Global CEO, Red Havas and Chair, Havas PR Global Collective “It's not just about saying all the right things; it's about doing the things and making sure that you've reconciled what you say versus what you do, and you're minding the gap. Because your employees are more likely to call you out on it if they're not seeing that follow through. And that creates a whole other sort of set of reputational risks that then the company has to manage.” —Linda Descano, Executive Vice President, Red Havas U.S. “2021 will be a year of recovery: recovery of the economy, recovery of health, and recovery of confidence in all parts of society. But that isn't going to happen immediately in January; it's going to happen over time. The role that organizations, corporates, businesses and brands can play will continue to be at the forefront of that.” —James Wright, Global CEO, Red Havas and Chair, Havas PR Global Collective “One of the dynamics we've seen around experiences is that some brands who perhaps have been at the forefront of physical experiences have slightly struggled in the new normal … whereas we've seen smaller brands, who are perhaps a bit more agile, have really kind of embraced this challenge and taking it to the fore. One of the things about the virtual experience space—it lets small companies be able to hold experiences that many people can participate in at a relatively low cost. So they're not tied into buying big properties or big events.” —Rachael Sansom, Managing Director, Red Havas U.K. “You do need to continually evaluate your content in the context of what's happening now. More than ever, the situation we're living in, and that we're working in, is very fluid. And content that was appropriate a few months ago, a few weeks ago, a few days ago, may seem out of touch. And even though things are uncertain, don't keep company leaders under wraps, they should be visible, they should be communicating internally and externally with empathy, because after all, it's that human connection that's the very foundation for person-to-person communication.” —Pattie Sullivan, SVP and Head, B2B Practice, Red Havas U.S. “For those of us who work in the [sustainability and climate] sector, we're really pushing to say, if we can provide more data, then we're going to be able to have more transparency about the areas of focus. Because on the whole, to be honest, what you and I do individually isn't the big lever. That's not what's going to do it. It's kind of got to be what industry does [and] what … big utilities do.” —Jeffrey Whitford, Head of Sustainability, Social Business Innovation and Life Science Branding, MilliporeSigma Connect with Red Havas: Follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news: Twitter Facebook Instagram LinkedIn What Did You Love? What Would You Like to Hear About Next? Remember  to Rate and Review today's show; we'd love to hear from you! Also Mentioned on This Show: Rethinking B2B and B2C: A Case for Person-to-Person (P2P) Communications What Does Person-to-Person Mean for B2B Communications? Quick Study: Summarizing the Four Rules of P2P The Fortune 500 Adapt to the Sudden and Unprecedented COVID-19 Global Pandemic

Whether they like it or not, brands today have a maelstrom of problems to reckon with: a pandemic, protests for racial justice, a presidential election. Our roundtable of top creative agency execs discuss how these events have transformed consumer expectations. We also talk to WEX's Tiffany Wirth, an SVP in healthcare marketing, about the pandemic's silver lining and prioritizing your shuteye.   Show Notes This week holds several firsts for Red Havas' brand-new podcast: It marks our debut on Apple, Spotify, Google and all your favorite podcast hosting sites; our first roundtable discussion; and the first time we're providing these podcast show notes to guide your listening experience.   Cohosted by Red Havas' Nancy Anderson and Georgina Thompson, this podcast represents a truly global effort to bring you the latest insights, brightest thinking and emerging trends in communications from the industry trendsetters themselves.   Trends Brief: A roundtable discussion [01:20] First comes a roundtable discussion led by Red Havas Executive Vice President Linda Descano, CFA® who extends some poignant questions to our guests about how brands are navigating shifting expectations magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, recent protests and America's highly charged political environment.   Roundtable guests include: James Wright, CEO of Red Havas and global chairman of the Havas PR Global Collective Maria Garrido, senior vice president of brand marketing in the Vivendi Village, and chief insights officer of the Havas Group Sarah Knakmuhs, managing director and head of theWashingtonD.C. office of Abernathy MacGregor   Together, they discuss how consumers want to buy from brands who share their values, and why they often hold retail, finance, travel and tourism brands to higher standards. The role of employees as brand ambassadors is also explored, as is the call for companies and CEOs to act as agents of change in lieu of strong government action.   The Red Questionnaire: WEX's Tiffany Wirth [26:08] We close every episode with "The Red Questionnaire," asking the same questions of our guests to better understand how they operate and what inspires them:   What was your first job? Early riser or burn the midnight oil? How many stamps in your passport? Your favorite social media follow (and why) The headline grabbing your attention-If we read up on anything this month, it should bewhat,and why. Clichés are clichés for a reason: what's your favorite? What's your message of encouragement and enlightenment?   Our guest this month is Tiffany Wirth, who is senior vice president of healthcare marketing at WEX. She tells us about her favorite social media platforms and handles, what media she's reading and consuming every day, and what she tells her children about how following their passion will lead them to the career they need to be in.   We close each Red Questionnaire segment with some words of encouragement or motivation that send you off into the world ready to take on the day. Says Tiffany, "The last six months have given me the time to recenter and connect with my family and what's important to me. [The pandemic] has been a great opportunity for all of us to really slow down. We were all overscheduled, crazy busy, traveling, doing all these things that were super fun and engaging, but ... now we've been able to stop and reflect. And this is an opportunity we likely will never again get in our lifetime."   Episode quotes   "Boardrooms real and virtual have become war rooms as brands had to decide how to keep the wheels turning [and] how to stay aligned with their ideals around purpose during a super political polarized time, particularly in the United States." -Linda Descano, CFA®, executive vice president, Red Havas   "Even before COVID-19, we know that that a lot of political uncertainty around the world was leading people to say that companies have a more important role than governments in creating a better future and helping solve societal and environmental problems. What we've seen happen this year is just an acceleration of trends that were already there." -Maria Garrido, senior vice president of brand marketing in the Vivendi Village, and chief insights officer of the Havas Group   "The biggest watchout for brands right now is to make sure they're being authentic, and their actions are matching their words. The worst thing that brands can [do is] come out right now and say, 'We care about this, we're doing something about this,' and not actually be doing it, doing a one-off contribution, or a one-off meeting with employees, and really making sure they're connecting with each of those stakeholder groups." -Sarah Knakmuhs, managing director and head of the Washington D.C. office of Abernathy MacGregor   "The decisions you make today, think about your grandchildren as being key stakeholder of that decision. You know, will it benefit them and their generation? Will they be proud of the decisions that you made today? And I think if you think about that, through that lens, I think that you will make smarter choices and decisions, and not just ones that get you through in the short term, but ones that also will set you up for a sustainable and successful future." -James Wright, CEO of Red Havas and global chairman of the Havas PR Global Collective   "The critical piece of advice I always give younger teenagers, including my own, is you just have to get out there and do something to understand where your passion lies. And from there, everything will sort of fall into place." -Tiffany Wirth, senior vice president of healthcare marketing at WEX.   What did you love? What would you like to hear about next? Don't forget to subscribe to the show using your favorite podcasting app.   Subscribe: iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts   Also remember to Rate and Review today's show; we'd love to hear from you!   And follow Red Havas for a daily dose of comms news: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn   Further Resources Meaningful Brands study "Beyond COVID-19" prosumer report "Leading Through Crisis: Communications and Lessons" white paper 2020 USC Annenberg Global Communications Report

The Red Sky Fuel for Thought podcast helps you navigate the latest communications insights and media trends like the pros do. In our second episode, Richard Clarke interviews Kenny Yap, GM of Social and PR from The Red Agency in Singapore about the COVID-19 situation in Singapore and how brands are adapting to meet consumer needs during this time. We also introduced The Red Questionnaire – our segment where we spotlight one person from our industry or network  to understand a bit more about what makes them tick. The guest is never the same, but the questions always are. This episode features co-host Georgina Thompson, Senior Account Director of Red Havas UK, speaking with Char Vilchez, Business Director of Red Havas Philippines and Havas Media Ortega.

Red Sky Fuel for Thought podcast helps you navigate the latest communications insights and media trends like the pros do. In our inaugural episode, host Richard Clarke interviews Red Havas' Global CEO James Wright about COVID-era comms.