Nothing spurs us on more than when our clients tell us they are happy with our work! Here one of the recommendations we have really appreciated!
Q2 & 3 – Marketing Predictions
Quarter 1 of 2022 has come to a close and we are nearly half-way into Q2 . Our prediction for Q2 continues to see further increase in M&As and a consolidation of markets. Throughout Q3 and beyond, we will also see stronger collaboration through joint ventures and initiative. Equally, we will see a down-turn and a change in consumer’s willingness to spend, continued move from global to local markets and an increased use of AI for marketing purposes.
While hospitality and event industries are re-inventing themselves, other business segments are trying to meet the uplift in sales. The job market has turned into a job seeker’s market and the propensity to switch employer has never been higher. There is some slowin
More change is coming and the continued political volatility (caused by more extreme governments, the Ukraine war, the instability around China and the change of conversations in the Middle East ) and a shift from global back to more local markets will continue to drive innovation but also demand more agile (closer to home) supply chains.
The World Bank is predicting slow-down for 2022 and increase of inflation (https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/01/11/global-recovery-economics-debt-commodity-inequality). In the meantime, we will see the META world growing exponentially and non-fungible-tokens become the ‘speculative-happy’s’ favourite past-time. Unfortunately, this will also mean that many will find escape in this surreal world and an outlet for their gambling habits – and while they are not gambling on sports, they will be giving their money away to purchase yet more non-real-life assets.
This is in the minority world.
The majority world, however, is seeing even further market decline and the developmental chasm will deepen. Yet, a number of countries like India and Nigeria might just prove this prediction wrong. Their recent investment in technology and entrepreneurship has the potential to support some of the newly created supply issues the minority world has yet to resolve.
Now what does that mean for marketing? Here our top 7 marketing predictions for Q2 and some of Q3 2022:
Advertising spending will rise initially with a focus on talent acquisition and small business innovation.
Culture wars in the US and somewhat later in the UK will most likely see more radical advertising and marketing campaigns. A good example of this is the recent campaign for Jeremy’s Razors which is not about the razors, but about a worldview. Brands previously following the loudest voice will have more opportunity to express alternative views. This could provide an interesting platform for creatives in the industry. Not just in Q2 and Q3 but beyond.
Brands need to keep an eye on disruptors from the majority world. Including these in any market research of online analysis will be prudent. Disruptors might not be local to the majority world, but might be a competitor who has chosen to take advantage of the increased know-how in majority world countries coupled with the still relatively low pricing.
Marketers will need to engage with the Meta world whether they want to or not. The talent of tomorrow is likely to hang out in this or similar spaces. Advertising in a magazine just does not cut it anymore :).
PR and what was traditionally known as ‘below the line marketing’ will continue to grow in importance. However rather than courting the media, brands will aim to drive more of their audience to owned media as well as courting them in online spaces. The difficulty will be how to balance resources and the vast array of spaces a brand could engage with.
AI for marketing: the sheer amount of work needed to identify, find and engage today’s online audience will see more and more brands use AI to meet the challenge.
Finally, with an increase in inflation, possible food shortages caused by the war in the Ukraine and resulting supply chain issues for agricultural commodities such as fertiliser, and an increased sense of insecurity, consumers will move to buying less and buying cheaper products or products which seem to offer more value. Marketeers need to be aware of this change and consider that anything which indicates price hikes or sacrifice for things such as Net Zero might no longer be welcomed as readily as in previous seasons. A shift in messaging will be away from “Net Zero” towards “Energy” and “Energy Security” in all its forms.
We live in a time which will require marketeers to think very strategically about the long-term market development. More than ever, it will be important to give time and resources to understand not only the economic situation but the impact the political stage will have on business, brands and spending.
(To read our Q1 forecast post, click below.)
Chocolate Freedom
Meet Simon and Sarah Wood, owners of Freedom Chocolate, an artisan chocolate brand, which appeals not to a niche of people, but young and old from all walks of life.
Freedom Chocolate makes it possible for those with allergens to enjoy rich, allergen free chocolate.
Simon and Sarah have developed a treat which is also ideal for vegans who love good quality and ethically sourced ingredients!
Simon creates all chocolates by hand and uses only the finest of ingredients. He and Sarah ensure that all ingredients are ethically sourced and of the highest standards. For a small business this can be costly, but both agree: “It is worth it if it means people, especially children, are kept safe a result.”
Pick up some great tips about how to run your own chocolate business. What are the the ins and outs of setting up a chocolate business? How do you take the next steps from start-up to early stage business?
To find out more about Simon and Sarah and Freedom Chocolate, go to:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-wood-ab794a68/
Instagram.com/freedomchocolate
Facebook.com/freedomchocolate
https://freedomchocolate.co.uk
Leadership beyond 2021 – what do we really need?
What kind of leadership do we need in 2021 and beyond?
Will it need to be different? In which way? Or will we simply need good leadership, leadership which reads the times we are in and knows what is needed?
Does knowledge get in the way of leadership?
Is leadership purely transactional, based on knowledge, only based on data or do we need another level of leadership which puts wisdom, experience and possibly emotional intelligence first?
Is wisdom more important that knowledge?
Which countries’ leadership style will serve our future?
In this episode of Zeitgeist Leadership Pulse we explore where leadership is heading through and after the pandemic of Covid19 and what type of leadership will be needed 2021 on beyond. After (or still in) a pandemic, with Brexit in the UK and an increasing call for collaboration, what kind of leadership will succeed and where do we need to think differently?
We are talking to Stephen Gibbs, Principal Lecturer for Business and Leadership at the Institute of Business, Industry and Leadership, University of Cumbria, UK.
Connect with Steve here. He also has a fantastic blog, don’t miss! :
e. stephen.gibbs@cumbria.ac.uk
m. 07544 581601
linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-gibbs-5452a2a/
twitter: https://twitter.com/Stephen_Gibbs
blog: https://bloggulentgreytripe.com/
To find out how we at Zeitgeist Communication work with leaders to develop successful strategies and focus on clear communication with stakeholders and customers, contact us at hello@zeitgeistcomms.com or connect with us on our website at http://www.zeitgeistcomms.com.
Social Media Hashtags 2021
Getting ready for 2021? The more organised, the better you can deliver on your social media and PR goals. There are many hashtag days you could include and it can get confusing what to use and what not.
We have made this easy for you and have curated the most useful hashtags for 2021 for small business owners or marketing and PR professionals working for SMEs or charities.
To get your free copy of the 2021 selection, register below.
Also, if you are looking for a social media planning tool which let’s you plan out multiple categories, schedule the same post several times, post directly to Instagram and more – and yes this is an affiliate link, but we really enjoy this tool and are sure you will, too – head on over to SmarterQueue.
And before we forget: we are also giving you access to a set of free Lake District-inspired social media backdrops. Sign up below and then head over to your email to download this free resource
Reputation, the last thing on your mind? Think again.
Mistakenly leaders invest in PR when it is too late
“In your kind of business, you have to convince people that they need you.” – These words were spoken almost as a through-away comment in a business conversation. Yet, they are so true. Public Relations and reputation management far too often do not come into play until the crisis has hit. Then, naturally, people are convinced of their usefulness.
Business leaders are rightly focused on the next sale, the next hire, the next meeting and the way forward. Excellent business leaders, however, realise that tomorrow’s business relies on today’s reputation. Hiring PR professionals only as a way to ‘clean-up’ or to ‘prevent the worst’ rather than investing in your brand and good standing is a miscalculation.
Steady investment drives business
“Why?” The steady investment in a good reputation and strong relationships with stakeholders and media, while no insurance, provides the backdrop needed to call upon support and understanding when the chips are down. Furthermore, sales depend on reputation.
Trigger-happy finger pointing
The current Zeitgeist in countries such as the UK and USA is marked by purchase decision-making which is no longer based on products and prices. Rather, we are seeing a strong desire to see brands contribute to the community in one way or the other. Unfortunately, this is compounded by trigger-happy finger-pointing at brands which do not measure up. The result is brand damage and loss of sales.
Public Relations must be part and parcel of any marketing strategy in today’s business environment. It cannot be an add-on.
Excellent reputation management will include three core elements:
– a consistent stakeholder strategy,
– an engaged social media strategy,
– committed media relations with long-term focus.
It is only through ongoing relationship building and dialogue that brands will be able to ascertain where the market and customers are heading. A clear Public Relations strategy identifies where reputational issues might pose a threat. Strong relationship management can build the understanding businesses need to create sustainable success. It is here that brand loyalty is won.
In today’s climate, business owners and leaders who spend little time and money on brand reputation are likely to be making a very bad investment decision.
Return on investment is about finances. Reputation is its breading ground.
If you are not thinking about reputation as a key vehicle to drive your ROI, think again.
Threads or Twitter
A running commentary on Meta’s new “Threads”, pros, cons and everything in-between:
Ease of use
I joined Threads last night and the first thing I have to say is that it was incredibly easy to join – definitely a plus there. Contacts from Instagram were added or suggested right away, which makes things easier.
Not so straightforward was the structure of Threads, so where is everything? Where are the tags? Are there tags? Are there categories? At present it reads a bit like a ‘ramble’ of thoughts, not necessarily as any coherent threads
Integration with Instagram
The connection with Instagram is clear and makes things easier. When using the ‘story’ function, your thread post will go to your traditional Instagram audience. Neat is the Thread background behind the story if you do not choose one yourself.
Using thread on the web
Sure, mobile tech is at the heart of all social media, but it forgets that much work is still done online. While Meta has promised there will be an online version or, at least access to Thread accounts via your computer or notebook etc.. this is not the case, yet, and makes using Threads somewhat limited. For marketing agencies, too, this is cumbersome.
So, what is there to know about how to use Threads?
In a few bullet points:
- Threads are limited to 500 characters
- To mention others at the @sign and their username
- To reply to other people’s post, you do the same
- To repost (no, it is not called ‘re-thread’)
- DMs? there are none
- NOTE: you cannot edit or threads once posted!!!
- ANOTHER NOTE: you cannot delete Threads without deleting your entire Instagram account. So, really, you will want to keep things consistent!
- No hashtags, which makes things less interesting in terms of finding out what is trending
Friendlier than Twitter?
Zuckerberg claims that Threads will be friendlier place than Twitter. The ‘glee’ in this statement alone, tells us that this is unlikely and human nature tells us, too, that this is an unrealistic idealistic assumption. It also does not take into account the benefit brands experience from controversy. I predict that Threads will shift in tone within the next 6 weeks. That will be enough time for people to find their way, brands to understand how to leverage the platform and for polarisation to take place. Well, we will see.
2:23pm status
At this point in the day, I am neither for nor against Threads, but, like many, I have seen the news that Twitter is concerned about IP rights and ready to ‘pick a fight’ with META. Let’s see where that story takes us – it could get interesting. In the meantime, what thread will you spin?
Keep an eye out for more updates on Threads, right here…
$3-6 billion gone: Bud Light Marketing Campaign
It’s important that we, as marketers and business leaders, pay attention to the marketing stories going on around us. There is much to learn for any of us. One of these events is the recent story of the Bud Light marketing campaign which lost the makers of the world-renowned beer a reported $3 – 6 billion (there are varying numbers out in the public).
So, what happened?
To get some of the backstory, do an online search on ‘Anheuser Busch loses + Bud Light’ and you will find the story.
But let’s have a look at the marketing side of things.
First, all of marketing is, despite all the data we try and collect, to some extent ‘trial and error, empirical exercise’. It is never perfect, it never fully addresses customers’ needs and will get it wrong in one way or the other. The Bud Light story is one of these, albeit a more extreme version.
How did it come about?
If you have followed our posts, you will know that we forecasted an increase in culture-war related marketing for 2023. As the culture wars continue, a number of brands such as Nike, Jack Daniels, Twitter, Ben and Jerry, Jeremy’s Razors and most recently, Anheuser Busch, Bud Light’s parent company, have ventured into the culture war space.
The approach has left brands at risk of losing existing customers – as Bud Light’s VP of Marketing has just found out. Her recent marketing EDI (Equality, diversity and inclusion) campaign resulted in a powerful backlash from customers and key influencers. Following this, she is currently on leave of absence according to Bloomberg.
We could argue that, to some degree, brands have always considered political leanings when developing their target audience profiles. What we are seeing now, however, is the use of political messaging in spite of customer needs, leanings or wants. It is not that seasoned marketers don’t know that they are risking customer support when pursuing politically charged content. They are making a calculated choice, but on occasion miscalculate the outcome.
So what was the reason for this campaign?
Multi-billion dollar organisations depend on a multiplicity of stakeholders, not simply customers. Yet, in this case, it would seem that one of the stakeholders, that is the core customer segment was not considered or dismissed. The purpose of Bud Light’s campaign is not really clear. From a marketing point of view, let’s look at four potential motivating factors behind the campaign:
Potentially, the marketing team at Anheuser-Busch, wanted to change their target audience completely.
How likely do you think that is?


Maybe their aim was to provoke their existing customers and make a political statement.
Which other brands are you aware of that do just that?
Maybe they really did not understand their customers at all.
Is this likely?


Could it be that the ESG and ECI (DEI) score and resulting financial benefit was behind the decision?
If you are a marketer, have you considered the impact of investors’ requirements around ESG on your ability to freely market to the customer?
Let’s look at these options.
Did Bud Light want to change its target audience completely?
Accordingly to the VP of Marketing in charge of the Bud Light brand, the company was hoping to make the brand less ‘fratty’ and more inclusive. This is an interesting term considering that Bud Light drinkers would not consider themselves ‘fratty’ at all. Surmising here, but, potentially, there could be a disconnect between Harvard educated marketing leads and more down-to-earth consumers of the brand. The company’s US CEO, Brandan Withworth’s comment about not wanting to do anything to divide, seems to indicate that a complete change of audience was not envisaged.
Did Anheuser Bush want to provoke existing customers and make a political statement?
This is a timely question considering that US presidential elections are nearing with a number of pre-election milestones ahead. Potentially, the brand was signalling who they are siding with or, quite simply, the VP of Marketing used the brand to make her own personal stance clear. Again, it is not clear. If this was the motivation for the campaign, it would tell us one thing for sure: playing with politically charged content was not a good idea. Key customers and influencers who perceived the campaign as politically motivated, made it very clear that they did not agree with the beer maker’s approach. Several influencer Country singers boycotted the brand and went as far as using video to make their point: shooting at a table full of Bud Light. A number of restaurants no longer serve the brew as a result.
So why is this a problem from a marketing point of view?
Losing your customer base and influencers over a political point, is forgetting that you, as a marketer, have a dual responsibility. The first responsibility is to create an ROI for your brand either through sales or through the strengthening of the brand for long-terms success. Neither happened here. The opposite, in fact.
Secondly, when a marketing campaign has the potential to create a backlash of this proportion, it might damage your brand’s reputation, but, more importantly, it can impact jobs. Using politically motivated promotion in this way might well indicate that you neither care about your job, nor about – in the case of Anheuser Busch – the 30,000 plus employees of the firm which pays your salary. It is, to say, at the least, irresponsible. Again, we can only guess if this was the reason for their approach.
Did the marketing team simply not understand its customer base?
According to statements made in the press, the the brand was trying to add to the customer base by adding a different type of target audience. Sure. As brands develop they will, of course, consider attracting other segments of the market. Doing so while losing a brand’s core customer base, means that the business is not adding, but replacing their audience. The latter potentially being a strategic choice.
Assuming that the CEO really did not want to lose customers, it would seem that the brand did not understand its customer base enough.
It missed the most potent of all segmentation aspects: culture.
It is here that the deepest emotions and values sit. It is also here where customers’ resolve comes from to either defend a brand or to shed it. It is this culture, the strength of feeling among the core Bud Light audience, which backfired on the brand. The timing of this campaign was not ideal either considering current debates around women’s sport and campaigns by women sport activists Riley Gaines and Taylor Silverman in the USA.
It is possible that the lack of understanding of the customers’ culture and the strength of feeling in the current Zeitgeist of culture wars which to led to a failed campaign and resulted in a ‘we will spend our money elsewhere.’
This takes us on to the fourth option which does speak to ROI and potentially, tells us that the campaign might not have really failed, in fact, could have done exactly what it was meant to do, at least for now.
Could it be that the ESG and ECI (DEI) scores and resulting financial benefit were behind the decision?
This option is slightly more complex, but in many places of today’s world of business linked to creating a return of investment. The return, in this case, does not come from customers, but from investors.
Many investors use the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) score to assess which businesses they want to fund. Contributing to the ESG score is an index which Anheuser Busch signed up to around 2008, called the CEI (Corporate Equality Index). This index can lead to investors favouring brands which use marketing that clearly supports diversity-led themes. So, potentially, this campaign was indeed very stakeholder-focused (minus the customers) in that it was meant to raise the brand’s investment rating and therefore create greater ROI. It is certainly part and parcel of today’s corporate strategies. Marketing for the purpose of attracting dollars by any other means than through your customer base can be high risk if investors and customers do not see eye-to-eye. In the case of Bud Light, this very well seems to have been the case.
If this was the reason for the approach, then Bud Light’s marketing team actually did play to its target audience – that is to investors and the wider stock market. And if this was the reason the campaign potentially will have succeeded long-term to convince investors that the EDI criteria is being met. It would have succeeded in signalling to investors what they want to hear.
“It just simply ‘forgot’ to factor in in its customers.”
Whatever the reason was, to overlook customers or ignore their views, attitudes, cultural leanings, misses the heart of marketing.
The culture wars continue. Money from investment is potentially outweighing the purchasing power of the customer – yet, at some point, if customers leave, the investors, too, will say ‘no’ – even if it is their requirement that causes the demise of the brand they had hoped to cash in on in the first place.
CTA – never used it, have you?
Marketing is full of acronyms, marketing-speak and what looks like complicated marketing funnel sequences. Yet, one of the simplest concepts is the CTA.
CTA’s, Call to Actions, are the direct invitation for a customer or stakeholder to act, to engage with a brand in a specific way. And this does not need to be a purchase.
Typical CTA’s we have all seen might say: “Click here for more information” or “Claim your discount now” or, of course, “Purchase here”.
It seems simple enough. Yet some CTA’s are better than others in the they achieve higher returns; one of the measurements in digital marketing being the Click Through Rate or CTR.
First of all, brands should not be shy in offering CTAs. Human nature enjoys the interaction with CTAs.
Anticipation – Expectation – Reward
We enjoy the idea that there is something special behind a closed door, a wrapped gift or an event about to happen. Being able to trigger the special moment via a click – or offline via a phone call or sms – is enticing. We anticipate and equally we expect the outcome to be positive, to satisfy a need, possibly just a feeling. When we click and then find our expectations met or superseded, even better. Our compliance to click, to act and our bravery in doing so as well as our patience in getting there is rewarded. The more CTA’s create a positive reward, the more likely we are to engage in the call to action in future.
This is where brands fall short. If the CTA does not result in a reward of some kind, and ideally in an additional reward, customers are unlikely to come back.
Which CTAs work?
FREE versus discounts
We tend to think more in terms of discounts, but offering a free trial can be more effective. Allowing the customer to ‘taste’ or ‘experience’ you product/service without payment is highly effective in turning onlookers into buyers.
Social media links
Never thought of social media links as a CTA? The simplicity of them hides the fact that it is an invitation to click and see more. Not offering social media links on your website, means that you are closing the door to further engagement with your brand.
Event link
This is an obvious one, yet we can forget that while the call to action might be to sign up for an event, it also becomes a valuable PR tool. Every possibility to find out more about your brand, be it simply to see, in this case, what an event is about, is another opportunity to promote all you have to offer.
Windows into products and services
When it comes to products and services a call to action need not be a purchase. Rather, it can be part of the exploration stage, offering prospects more information, potentially a case study to add third party support.
Form submission
This is the obvious one, but consider using quizzes rather than pure informational type forms. People love to find out more about themselves, see how they compare to others or discover something they did not know. Gamification of CTA’s is an ideal way to get prospects and existing customers to keep coming back for more.
Having a variety of CTA’s on your website or as part of your social media communication creates better engagement along the customer touch points. It ensures that prospects do not feel there is a constant sales pitch.
What CTA will you use next?
Fall ’22 Marketing Forecast
The summer has gone, fall is on its way. With it comes a multitude of negative forecasts, talk about cost of living crisis, energy crises around the globe and continued volatility in markets in general.
Taking stock of our last marketing forecast in April, we now look towards the end of 2022. Fall 2022, will continue to see an increase in digital advertising. Search advertising continues, but watch out for new Google requirements around destination. The lines between owned and paid media are becoming more blurred. Brands tapping into the sustainability and low carbon agenda are at risk of getting lost in a sea of the same brand messaging from their competition. Now is the time to find your USP again!
Here, in blue, the predictions we made in spring::
Advertising spending will rise initially with a focus on talent acquisition and small business innovation.
– What does that look like for the rest of the year?
Advertising spend continues on an upward trend, without any major jumps up or down. While digital advertising continues to capture the largest share of the available advertising spend, traditional media seems to be stabilising in terms of its share. The top 5 markets to spend on advertising are the USA, China, Japan, the United Kingdom and Germany (in that order, see Statista “Advertising Worldwide”).
Culture wars in the US and somewhat later in the UK will most likely see more radical advertising and marketing campaigns. A good example of this is the recent campaign for Jeremy’s Razors which is not about the razors, but about a worldview. Brands previously following the loudest voice will have more opportunity to express alternative views. This could provide an interesting platform for creatives in the industry. Not just in Q2 and Q3 but beyond.
– Will political interests continue to dominate the conversation?
Culture wars continue via traditional and digital media. Brands across countries such the UK and USA are using owned channels and social media (which while it looks like owned is not really) to tap into politically motivated messaging. Siding or disputing messaging or even blocking potential customers from accessing their products (Ben and Jerry’s) or, in Elon Musk’s case, casting doubt on others (Twitter) has raised eye-brows and brands.
As the US heads towards its midterms and then towards another presidential election, we will see increased support from influencers and brands for either side of the messaging divide. This will spill over from owned media into social media and then paid media with the lines blurring in the digital communications space. Interesting will be to see if and how messaging in the UK might change. The Queen’s funeral and most recent appointment of a new Prime Minister with more conservative messaging and policies could bring about considerable change. Watch that space.
Brands need to keep an eye on disruptors from the majority world. Including these in any market research of online analysis will be prudent. Disruptors might not be local to the majority world, but might be a competitor who has chosen to take advantage of the increased know-how in majority world countries coupled with the still relatively low pricing.
– We hold that this is very much still true. Equally, the energy crisis creates opportunity for innovation and this could come from from smaller national brands. This, a threat to incumbents but an opportunity for start-ups. This is the time to be brave in terms of messaging and advertising.
Marketers will need to engage with the Meta world whether they want to or not. The talent of tomorrow is likely to hang out in this or similar spaces. Advertising in a magazine just does not cut it anymore :).
– The META world and the continued rise of Tic Toc
Meta continues to widen its digital footprint. Yes, it is struggling with talent retention and might possibly have moved slightly out of sync with customers adoption speed, but its past tells us that META is here to stay. In lie of an alternative which offers users greater value, it is here that more digital ad spend is expected. Then there is Tic Toc, with an estimated 12 billion dollars in advertising spend, this is the most in-demand social media advertising channel of our time. It has grown up and is attracting users across generations with an almost equal split between the age groups 10-19, 20-29, 30-39 and 40-49 (the younger bracket still slightly ahead in the count). The platform is particularly interesting for B2C marketing but starting to see some traction for B2B brands as well.
Complacency is never a good idea in marketing. It is all about the target audience and the following audience does not follow Tic Toc trend: The ever-increasing age group of those over 55 years of age with a high amount of expendable income are mainly found on Facebook, Pinterest and Youtube. To clarify, Pinterest particularly applies to the female demographic. (see Statista 2022).
Find more statistics at Statista







PR and what was traditionally known as ‘below the line marketing’ will continue to grow in importance. However rather than courting the media, brands will aim to drive more of their audience to owned media as well as courting them in online spaces. The difficulty will be how to balance resources and the vast array of spaces a brand could engage with.
– Certainly the above is still true. Key here the ever-increasing pressure to conform with market messaging such as messaging around climate change and sustainability, has started creating brand confusion rather than differentiation. This an issue brand the PR professionals will need to tackle if they are to successfully break through the thick fog of the green ‘us too’.
AI for marketing: the sheer amount of work needed to identify, find and engage today’s online audience will see more and more brands use AI to meet the challenge.
Finally, with an increase in inflation, possible food shortages caused by the war in the Ukraine and resulting supply chain issues for agricultural commodities such as fertiliser, and an increased sense of insecurity, consumers will move to buying less and buying cheaper products or products which seem to offer more value. Marketeers need to be aware of this change and consider that anything which indicates price hikes or sacrifice for things such as Net Zero might no longer be welcomed as readily as in previous seasons. A shift in messaging will be away from “Net Zero” towards “Energy” and “Energy Security” in all its forms.
– The last two points are still very much true. The increased need for digitally aware communication professionals who can use data and artificial intelligence to communicate well and who can think ahead, pre-empt and change course in an increasingly volatile market has never been more prevalent as today.
As 2022 heads towards its wintery end, there is a lot to keep brands and their marketers on their toes.
Are we reaching people’s reality?
Not META nor Twitter nor their messaging are at the heart of people’s reality. Just one look at Queen Elizabeth’s memorial events and the outpouring of grief, love, recognition and respect tells us that their reality lies elsewhere. It is not necessarily about the monarchy, yet it is deeply rooted in the values the Queen represents which, resonate with everyday people: the importance of family, hard work, kindness, charity, tradition, leadership, service and for very many also faith. I wonder if we will let this moment go by without taking stock and resetting how we do life, how we do work and how we treat those around us?
2: Communication know-how and leadership success with Josh Hoffman, Bechtel
Josh Hoffman from Bechtel shares his thoughts on leadership and the need for purposeful communication. We discuss that leaders often fail to get the best out of people due to lack of communication skills, inability to express what they really want and unwillingness to listen first. Josh also talks about leadership in the wider sense and is own growth as a leader.
Josh grew up with his two parents and older sister. Due to the nature of his dad's job in oil and gas, they lived in Washington State, USA, California, USA, Singapore and the UK. From an early age, he enjoyed tinkering and was very inquisitive. This, along with his dad's engineering influence, was the reason he chose to study Mechanical Engineering at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. While at university, he was able to break out of his shell and develop his passion for continuous learning. He started his career moving to Houston, TX working for Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals as a Project Engineer. This gave him the opportunity to dip his toes into the corporate world and utilize his engineering degree. 11 years and many assignments later, he lived in Soyo, Angola, travelled to New Delhi and London to train co-workers and commissioned a liquified natural gas facility in Western Australia. Along the way, he met his wife, Lizzie, and managed to squeeze in their wedding a week before the world shut down due to COVID. He enjoyed stints in Engineering, Business Development, Financial Planning and Analysis and now finds himself working as a Senior Cost Engineer in Pittsburgh, PA. Josh has always been fascinated with the sociological dynamics of the workplace, getting to know people, what motivates them and how different people communicate and lead effectively.
Favourite Book: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Favourite Leadership Quote: “Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” – Colin Powell
How to connect: LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-hoffman-89a01034/
Welcome Lizzie
#GrowingTheBusiness – We are excited to welcome Lizzie Hoffman as a new team member. Lizzie has come aboard as Digital Marketing Specialist.
Lizzie will be supporting our work in the UK and USA with a focus on the development and running of our clients’ Marketing campaigns. We asked Lizzie about coffee – well, we like coffee and just wanted to know where she stood :). Here what she said: ” I am an admitted coffee snob, and a big fan of independent business – we have a regular coffee haunt where my husband, dog Delilah and I wonder off to after a nice long hike.”
Well, we think that ticks the good coffee box and we are sure that Lizzie’s creativity and experience will certainly tick all the right boxes for the work with do with our clients. WELCOME LIZZIE! #Cumbria #LakeDistrict #USA #Strategy #CampaignPlanning #PR #Marketing
2022: M&As, IPOs and ‘true community’ brands
2020 and 2021 turned business upside down. On the one hand we’ve seen plenty of businesses close. On the other, in 2020 more than 4.3m new businesses started up in the USA alone (Forbes). Combined with the increase in digital innovation across SAAS and app development markets and the shift towards sustainability, the market is ripe for further growth, change and quite quickly also consolidation.
what’s the forecast?
2022 (and 2023) will be a year of mergers & acquisitions, listings and strong brands. The market is shifting. Bloomberg estimates that the global market will grow by 4.5% in 2022. This, of course, means very little if not compared against a backdrop of pre-pandemic predictions. The 2019 outlook, as per the International Monetary Fund read: “Global growth remains subdued. Global growth is forecast at 3.2 percent in 2019, picking up to 3.5 percent in 2020”. Now, of course, we realise that the pandemic created some interesting changes in the market and predictions, based on fiscal support, even estimated a 6 percent growth in 2021.
However, the 2022 figure is much more interesting. It is a reflection of forecasts which see a petering out of the Covid pandemic, stabilising of the supply chain and a drive to encourage spending. It also takes into account a globally new-found entrepreneurial spirit, the incessant drive to #netzero and, the every-rising influence of the new super-power, China and the wider Asian markets.
Deals will be made
Deals will be made, no doubt. Organic growth will continue, but quite quickly, we are likely to see consolidation, particularly in the clean climate industries which are under pressure to deliver at speed.
Will your brand be META or GREEN – or is there another way?
It is here that strong brands will be needed. The market is crowded with new new names, new brands, new ideas. It is in the midst of all this noise, that brands will need to find new ways to raise their game, lift their name and stand out from the rest.
So, what kind of branding are we likely to encounter? My prediction is that we will see two trends. One heading in the virtual direction of the META’s of this world and the other in the direction of even more green and simple.
Design-wise this will mean a move towards the psychedelic, tech inspired and, on the other hand, presenting the clean and simple a move towards ‘non-design’.
The Third option
Then there will be a third group. A group of brands which will capture people’s heart, tap into their need for true community (not simply artificially constructed online) and desire for stress-free, worry-free, common-sense clarity.
How to create a stand-out brand in 2022
For a chat about how your brand can achieve this and be part of community rather than dictating to the consumer, contact us. We’d love to help.
Oh, by the way, we can make flyers, but we don’t. We specialise in strategy.
Need PR support for your merger or acquisition?
And if you are looking at a merger or acquisition and need strategic PR support, reach out. With more than 25 years’ experience across industries, not-for-profits and education and dealing with M&S for Fortune 500s, our strategy consultants can help.

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