What's Next, Now: November 2023
This month, our crystal ball predicts the rise of the CCO, fast-tracked tech regulation, a dominant women’s sports market, and more.
From weak or tone deaf messaging leading to massive consumer backlash, to the difficulty of managing brand reputations through mass layoffs, to an onslaught of fraught political issues, communications teams have been navigating a volatile environment this year. To avoid becoming the next Bud Light, brands are bolstering their communications support with new leadership.
Risks to brand reputation by and large play out in the earned and social space, where communications teams play a pivotal role. To shore up communications strategies, top brands have begun strengthening their dedicated communications teams, onboarding new leaders.
AB InBev — parent company of America's now-second favorite beer — brought on Donna Lorenson as chief communications officer, a 20-year strategic communications veteran who will report directly to CEO Michel Doukeri. PepsiCo named a former agency president as its global head of communications. Yahoo poached Lyft’s top communicator as its new CCO. And several other brands, including SAP, AMC, and Walmart, have also recently added Chief Communications Officers to their team.
After the instability of this year, brands are strengthening their communications strategies. These moves also come at a time when consumer attitude toward brand communications is shifting, with many consumers less interested in brands commenting on social and political issues. Recognizing the need to be more intentional about what is said and how, brands are moving PR and comms out from under the marketing umbrella and into its own arena.