But democracy won on Inauguration Day and our imperfect country has a chance to move forward if:

1. We turn down the noise.
2. We communicate with people we do not know as if they are friends we want to keep.
3. We fix the things people tried to break (i.e., voting by mail) so next time we do not have to get lucky.
4. We realize we can’t have unity without accountability.
5. We listen with empathy and try to put ourselves in the shoes of others, especially those whose opinions differ from our own.

One of the biggest arguments we have around our dinner table is not really about differing policy views, it’s more about who we should listen to and how. Are the debates playing out on Twitter over people’s unhappiness over an additional $1,400 stimulus versus $2,000 more to be taken seriously? Is it intended to solve something or just cause a fight?

After fighting with my kids about how relevant Twitter or Instagram is to people’s lives, I realize everything is relevant. But politicians should pause, so they (and we) have time to reflect before we react.

More than that, it’s important to pause and reflect on how we neared the brink of the end of American democracy and what each of us – especially those of us with an amplified voice – can do to contribute to a more civil discourse. There are some opinions we can’t tolerate: racism, sexism, xenophobia and support for violence. But outside of those red lines, we in the communication business can try to guide our clients and causes to progress, not attack; to argue, but not fight; and to resolve, but not enflame.

We need more pause, more reflection and less reaction. 

Four years ago on Inauguration Day, I tried to make sense of what was happening by citing the history of the Founding Fathers and how vigorously they fought with each other and through the media of the day to win their debates. In some cases, they even dueled to the death, as I pointed out. 

After four years of fury, anger and division, I see my reference was misplaced. That was not the best way we settled debates – it was the worst. If Joe Biden’s inauguration means anything, it means we have a chance to progress. But we may not get a second chance if we fail to reform democracy this time. 

Perhaps Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman said it better than I could ever hope to.

Brian Feldman is a partner, general counsel and co-leads the agency’s healthcare practice.

How can companies cope from a marketing communications perspective when events happen so quickly and likely will evolve rapidly over the next couple of weeks?  

Below are a few considerations as you chart your company’s path forward through this turbulent time. And if you need some help, get in touch with us at info@allisonpr.com.  

Should my company issue a statement?   

• While we saw several companies, organizations and executives issue public statements condemning the violence at the U.S. Capitol and advocating for the peaceful transfer of power, that is not the appropriate course for all organizations – especially now, a week after the events.   
• If your company plans to specifically address the events of Jan.6, we strongly suggest focusing on internal audiences and close external partners. At a very high-level, we recommend the statements focus on employees’ and partners’ well-being while addressing the company’s pro-democracy position, values and respect for others. However, you may need to consider an external statement if your company has made the decision to sever partnerships or end services with parties believed to have participated in or encouraged the events.  
• Should similar events occur in the days leading up to and immediately following the inauguration (and yes, we realize it’s nuts we even have to say that), we recommend most companies continue to exercise caution and prioritize communications with internal audiences first. Any statement made should be supported by action, where appropriate, so we encourage companies to evaluate all aspects of the organization that may be affected – or subject to criticism – by any statement or action.   

When is it ok to resume our external marketing communications programs?   

• If you have planned a priority announcement or launch, we suggest avoiding the week of Jan. 18 wherever possible. It will be a crowded news cycle, and your priority initiative could get completely lost in it.   

We anticipate it will be appropriate for most news announcements and launches to resume the week of Jan.25. However, we advise having a “pivot plan” at the ready in the event we see such disruptions to civil society as experienced on Jan. 6.  

What are media saying?   

• They’re tired too. Many journalists are spread thin with their reporting duties between the social unrest, political processes and increasing COVID-19 infections and fatalities, let alone their personal lives. Of course, this is not a universal experience. But it’s important to consider this perspective as you approach any media relations program.   
• We recommend companies prepare for scheduled interviews to be cancelled or cut short based on breaking news – especially with broadcast media. As one producer put it, newsrooms are likely to be “underwater with politics-related coverage until February.” Print and online media are in the same position. As another reporter put it, “consumers want to know what’s going on nationally,” and as a result, unrelated stories don’t get the same reporting priority.   
• As noted above, wherever possible, we suggest limiting media relations activities that are not timely or related to the current news cycle.   

What about my social and paid influencer programs?   

• The upcoming events, holidays and moments (Inauguration Day, MLK Day, potential protests, etc.) may not intersect with your company on a business level. However, they can potentially affect social media followers’ daily digital lives or paid influencer partners. The events also have the potential to drive increased political and social discourse that may dominate online conversations.   
• While many brands and companies might find they can continue managing their owned channels at a fairly regular cadence, we recommend being hyper-conscious of the ever-changing national conversation during Jan. 16-20 in particular, in light of reportedly planned protests.     
• As an easy action, we suggest cancelling all pre-scheduled posts on your shared and owned channels and those of your paid partners. We recommend only posting in real-time to avoid accidental postings that may end up appearing insensitive due to rapidly changing and breaking news.  

Lindsay Hyman is a senior vice president based in the Washington, D.C. office. She works with consumer and corporate clients across industries to build and execute Purpose programs and communicate ESG initiatives.   

But then just three months into my new job in my new office, everything changed. The pandemic thrust us into a virtual landscape where everyone had to quickly adjust, adapt, and every other synonymous verb that boils down to “not really ever planning/needing to change, but you don’t have a choice so get over it.”

I decided my goals wouldn’t change because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like any go-getter, I committed to somehow make it work. I knew full-well it would take hard work, but I didn’t have the slightest idea what that work would actually look like. This is what some call the art of “winging it.” So, I decided to start with my very first connection at A+P – my manager.

At A+P, we have annual goal-setting conversations with our managers to make a roadmap for the year. I used my first meeting as a real get-to-know-you conversation. As someone who's both a manager and a direct report, it’s become incredibly important to me that my manager knows exactly what my goals are and who I am as a young professional. 

In return, I also wanted to be sure I have a clear understanding of the things she wants (and expects) me to accomplish and what it will take for me to get to the next level. Even just four weeks into my job, it was vital for me to gain a clear line of sight of what I wanted to work toward.

Like any good relationship, the manger-direct report dynamic demands trust and open lines of communication. In my first goal-setting conversation, I shared everything I wanted to accomplish. Hefty, ambitious and as big-picture as those goals may have been in January – think travel across the globe to meet other colleagues, attend networking and industry events, and the like – I can now see they set me up for personal and professional success in the most unpredicted year of my life. And no, 2021, that’s not a challenge! 

My manager enabled me to tap into my personal passions by knowing and understanding what those really were in the first place. She also committed to finding ways to help me amplify them in my work here at A+P, giving me tasks and projects that ladder up to what I’d like to accomplish.

From that point on, my quarterly check-ins were both a pulse check and almost an accountability reminder for the things I was manifesting, and where/how I was making progress (if I was at all). These conversations looked something like this:

• How am I working towards my own personal goals but also achieving the bigger department goals, too?
• Have things had to shift or change this quarter, and what did I learn as a result of that? Biggest theme in 2020: PATIENCE
• Are we both working toward the same department goals, or has something caused us to pivot?

As an employee, this both kept me excited, passionate and engaged in my work at a time when that was undeniably the biggest challenge working professionals faced.

Now in December 2020, I can proudly (and humbly) share I’ve accomplished all three things I set out to. I am doing great work alongside some incredible people. I managed to have fun along the way, diving head-first into agency culture. I even made some meaningful connections despite not seeing a colleague in person (with a couple of exceptions) since March 11. 

The secret? I asked colleagues meaningful questions: Hey, how are you doing? What does life at home look like for you right now? How are you really doing? I took the time to genuinely care about people, and in return they did the same for me when I was on the other side of the phone. I also asked where and how I could be helpful, a question that never once went unanswered.

The last goal on my list in January was to write a blog for our agency content hub… thanks for helping me check that one off now!

Amanda Bock is an internal communications associate based in San Francisco. A Florida native and a seasoned communications maven, she strives to inspire, inform and engage the growing workforce of A+P across the globe. Follow Amanda on Twitter @AmandaBock or LinkedIn.

As Wall Street embraces more digital currencies, blockchain and crypto business leaders look hopefully to the Biden administration, which can free the industry from years of regulatory uncertainty and further fuel American innovation. In July 2019, a tweet from President Donald Trump perfectly captured his administration’s attitude about cryptocurrencies: “I am not a fan of Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies, which are not money, and whose value is highly volatile and based on thin air.”

Others beg to differ.

“I think what we see with a Biden administration is an opportunity to get some fresh faces into the key regulatory agencies that might be more willing than some of the other regulators that we have today to move forward on policies that would be good for crypto,” said Kristin Smith, executive director of the Blockchain Association, in a recent interview with Fortune.

In the opening weeks of the presidential transition, the Biden administration set a promising tone when it selected ex-Goldman Sachs banker Gary Gensler to lead the transition team for financial policy and Janet Yellin as treasury secretary. Both figures have deep roots in traditional finance, yet each have made remarks suggesting they will be much warmer to cryptocurrencies and digital assets than the prior administration.

In many ways, the race toward a future of digital money is a lot like the race toward 5G. In both instances, the U.S. and Western Europe must contend with Asian counterparts that got there early and are willing to make some enormous bets. For example, the Chinese government has committed to blockchain technology as part of its Five-Year Plan and is currently testing a Digital Yuan, a digital currency (not crypto) issued and backed by the country’s central bank. China joins a number of G20 countries with similar initiatives.

As America shakes off the COVID-19 downturn and looks toward the fertile fields of cryptocurrencies and digital money, I recall the famous words typed in 2010 by Satoshi Nakamoto, the fabled anonymous creator of bitcoin: “If you don’t believe it or don’t get it, I don’t have the time to try to convince you, sorry.”

If you’d like to learn more about how our technology and healthcare teams can support, get in touch with Todd Aydelotte at todd@allisonpr.com

Todd is a managing director in the New York office of Allison+Partners who specializes in technology and healthcare communications.

The short answer is, no one knows. We’re all navigating blind and learning as we go because this is a situation that no one has ever been in before. This makes 2021 predictions all the more challenging, given the unpredictable nature of the world we currently live in. However, as we reflect on what we have learned this year, we have shared five predictions below of what we expect to trend in the coming year for both Consumer and B2B PR and marketing. 

1. Spokespeople with a POV will be more important than ever. A spokesperson that plays it safe or sticks to a branded script will no longer make news. The competition for media presence will be even more fierce. As industries continue to evolve and shift in unprecedented ways, media crave brand representatives who stand for something and aren't afraid to say it, and can offer insightful commentary and content on what the future holds.

2. Bylines are back. While we’ve talked about bylines since the dawn of PR time, there will be a new importance to them in 2021. As media teams continue to shrink, publications are more open to receiving byline content from PR practitioners. Content will still need to be fresh, so it’s worth baking bylines into 2021 PR plans to best prepare the most compelling narratives.

3. Investing in unique ways to make and maintain media relationships will pay off. In 2020, it often felt like walking on eggshells when reaching out to journalists. Is now a smart or sensitive time to pitch? Is my pitch still timely with the current news cycle? Building relationships with the contacts you work regularly with will continue to be critically important. And to do this might range from investing time (allocating time for teams to read journalists’ content and share kind feedback separate to outreach on behalf of a client) to investing in resources (perhaps you Deliveroo the journalist’s favorite meal to chat about your news over a virtual lunch). Taking the time to be thoughtful, appreciative and supportive will continue to pay dividends.

4. Content will be the King of Overwhelming. In the face of the pandemic, the seas of content have turned into oceans, and target audiences are drowning in it. This will continue in 2021. What does this mean for marketing and PR pros? To stand out, you will need to say something different to your competitors. “Quality over quantity” has never been more meaningful. Instead of pushing out loads of content without a unique perspective, it’s critical to invest the time and resources to understand the DNA of your brand, monitoring the competitive set, and thus producing content that shares something different to breakthrough and offers your target something meaningful.

5. Companies will be held accountable for Diversity & Inclusion promises. In 2020, Diversity & Inclusion issues were catapulted to the forefront of conversation as companies and individuals were challenged to recognize biases and injustices, and put an action plan forward to do better. The importance of doing better isn’t going anywhere, and companies and industries will be held accountable. It will be critical for organizations to continue to act upon Diversity & Inclusion initiatives and keep it top of mind to make change-forward decisions and campaigns. 

Looking to 2021, one thing is for sure - marketing and PR practitioners will need to stay agile and nimble. The quickly changing landscape will continue to shift and surprise us as we face new challenges. But if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s our resilience. Game on, 2021. 

To find out more on how our European teams can help you take forward new PR and marketing strategies and programs for 2021, click here.

Despite having lived through the pandemic for nearly three quarters of a year, much remains unknown about the spread of the virus or when some level of normalcy will return. To be prepared for what comes next, we must look to the past and learn from what worked and what didn’t.  

One of the most critical lessons we learned during the first wave of COVID-19 was we must take this virus seriously. It seems obvious now. But in spring, many businesses were slow to shift to remote work or institute changes that would prevent the spread of the virus. These types of missteps exposed brands to countless reputational risks and potential crises. Regardless of industry, the appearance that your brand has not done everything in its power to curtail the spread of COVID-19 among employees, customers and the communities you operate in is a major risk to your business reputation. And it’s one that will likely be difficult to overcome in a short period of time.  

Additionally, this will cause irreparable and long-term harm to employee morale and recruitment capacity. Throughout this pandemic, businesses have focused on how they treat employees. Creating innovative remote work schedules, increasing benefits for front-line workers, and improving health and safety protocols are just a few examples of the many changes companies have made to keep their employees safe and productive. Conversely, companies that did not attempt to improve their employees’ morale and safety received a significant amount of negative attention.  

Those that established themselves as leaders and innovators in their COVID-19 response will benefit in the long-term in their ability to show the quality of their work environment and the care their leaders put into the safety and well-being of their employees. Those that struggled with this will be at a disadvantage moving forward, particularly in industries that received the most attention, such as tech, retail and food service. Making informed decisions based on the lessons learned in the early phases of this pandemic will be crucial to ensure you maintain brand reputation through the difficulties ahead.  

The FDA approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has prompted many to feel the end of the pandemic is near. The first American immunizations began on Dec. 14, starting a process that will take months to complete. The vaccine is a light at the end of a very long tunnel, and it will take some time to return a sense of pre-pandemic normalcy. Even by optimistic projections, widespread access to the vaccine will not be a reality until late spring to early summer. Because of this, brands should make mid-to-long-term plans that incorporate lockdowns and additional safety mandates that make in-person work difficult.  

For some industries, this may mean extending remote work. For others, where in-person work is required, this may mean improving safety protocols or ensuring existing protocols are strictly adhered to through more frequent training and communication from leaders. Making decisions based on caution will not only protect your brand, but it will also protect your people and the communities you work and live in.  

As we look to a post-pandemic world, actions taken today will likely resonate with current employees and customers as well as future ones. As a second wave puts our hospitals on the brink and our nation on edge, we should take this moment as an opportunity to reflect on what we have learned, apply what we know are effective strategies for navigating this period and consider how we plan for the coming weeks and months.  

How your company managed the COVID-19 crisis will be a future reputational benchmark for businesses within every industry. Because of this, ensuring your customers and employees are safe should be a top priority, as it will be a determining factor in your brand’s long-term reputation.      

If you’d like to learn more about how our global reputation risk management team can support you during this time, get in touch with Barbara Laidlaw at barbara@allisonpr.com. 

Barbara Laidlaw brings 25 years of experience developing and running programs that help companies prepare, protect and defend their brand reputation through global and national events, recalls, litigation, data breaches, regulatory issues and labor disputes. 

Josiah Adams works on Allison + Partners’ global risk + issues management team and provides federal, state and local policy insights. 

In your own words, what does ANS do?

The American Nuclear Society is the premier association for students and professionals in the nuclear scientific community. We want to see nuclear embraced as a technology for improving people’s lives and preserving the planet. We provide forums for sharing information and knowledge within the community. In addition, we increase awareness of the benefits of nuclear technologies through K-12 education programs as well as through our public advocacy.

How does marketing help ANS achieve its mission?

Our external marketing function grows our members’ collective voice, increasing their impact on society. In addition, internal marketing among our members and the nuclear science community strengthens bonds and connections.

What is the secret to getting internal buy-in and support for the marketing function and initiatives?

While our board of directors and membership are very supportive of marketing initiatives, we maintain that support by working closely with volunteer leadership to obtain directional inputs. By working with volunteer leadership, we also ensure messaging is consistent and avoid doing any disservice to the technology with misinformation. We also try to build support by meeting and exceeding marketing metrics, such as growth in membership and member engagement. Additionally, we track website and email analytics, touchpoints in our education program outreach, as well as meeting attendance and revenue numbers.

What marketing functions are most valued by leadership and why?

Marketing the benefits of nuclear science and technology are most valued. Members want us to promote what they do for the betterment of society beyond the ANS community.

What is uniquely difficult about doing marketing for a scientific society?

We are challenged by misperceptions of the scientific nuclear community. Sometimes, members take for granted that people outside can understand the technology, its benefits and its safety measures. We often communicate very technical content that needs to be distilled down for the public to comprehend.

What do you find the most gratifying aspect of marketing for a scientific society?

Working for a passionate and dedicated community that really cares about what they do and their impact on society. Working with volunteers who go above and beyond to further their field.

Scientific societies are well-positioned to address public perceptions. What is the key to doing that effectively?

We have a very clear strategy for communicating what ANS does and what we are trying to achieve. The complexity of nuclear technology makes it challenging to create awareness about what our members do. We focus more on the positive attributes, rather than getting defensive about the perceived negative aspects. When talking about why nuclear society is a positive for society, we focus on the impact that nuclear has on people’s health and other critical areas. As the representative of more than 10,000 nuclear scientists and engineers, we are very adamant that nuclear is a very safe technology but we do not dwell on perceived safety issues.

Policymakers can heavily influence perceptions about science and technology given their platforms and influence. What role should a scientific society play in influencing the policymaking influencers?

We believe it is important to educate policymakers on nuclear science and technology, clarify misperceptions, and open a dialogue. Conversations on the local level are as important as the national level. We engage with a proactive, ongoing communications approach and not just when specific initiatives of importance arise. We are the leader in the nuclear professional field, with a significant membership in academia conducting research, and that lends to strong credibility with policymakers.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the way scientific societies like yours does marketing, and what further impacts on marketing are you anticipating in 2021?

The pandemic presented us with an opportunity to accelerate some changes that were already in progress. We enhanced our online content to reach a broader audience, increased the number of webinars and moved our annual conference online. While we attracted about 800 people to our annual in-person meeting last year, we hosted 2,300 in this year’s virtual format.

How do you create and disseminate content that effectively builds audience for ANS?

In our experience, broader topics perform better than specific topics. The best content is both informative and entertaining. For example, webinars featuring past, current and future initiatives at U.S. national nuclear labs or developments in advanced nuclear reactors attract strong viewership. As we are seeing a lot of webinar and Zoom fatigue, topics that are easy to listen to in the background are best. For many of our members, nuclear science is their hobby as much as their profession. Like a good documentary, our audiences want a broadly appealing subject that offers a break from their day-to-day experiences. In terms of content distribution, we have found success building audiences through co-branded webinars and reciprocal marketing with like-minded organizations, for example, North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN) and U.S. Women in Nuclear (U.S. WIN).

What can an outside marketing partner bring to a scientific society and what do you do you look for in a partner?

We look for a partner that brings an outside perspective to help determine strategy. Staff at societies wear many different hats in one organization. Partners that offer a specialization and experience with many different organizations offer the ideal complement.

On a personal note, why have you chosen a career in marketing for a scientific society and why do you stay in it?

I truly enjoy working with ANS members who are passionate about what they do, especially those who do a lot to advance their field and improve our society. The scientific nuclear community will have a profound impact on our society and environment. Building a positive reciprocal working relationship with the many bright members of our staff and the larger ANS community keeps me engaged and grateful for the opportunity.

Prior to the pandemic, progress was made, evidenced by an increase of women in leadership roles across industries. The pandemic now threatens that progress, and we are at risk of a major setback. Some have even called it a “pink recession.” While I don’t love that term, I believe organizations of all shapes and sizes need to understand the possible threat and negative implications of a mass exodus of women leaving the workforce.  

While the “Women in the Workplace” study presents some challenging realities, we female leaders need to be part of the solution to combat this threat and come up with integrated and flexible solutions to help solve it.  

After reading a CNBC op-ed by HP Chief Human Resources Officer Tracy Keogh and HP Chief Diversity Officer Lesley Slaton Brown, I feel more hopeful. The duo point out there’s not a silver bullet to retaining women during the pandemic. We must be innovative and individualized in our approaches to accommodate all working women. Flexibility is the No. 1 thing experts call out. Everyone’s situation is different, and therefore a one-size-fits-all approach simply won’t work.  

An article in Harvard Business Review offers some advice for retaining working moms right now. Empathy was the thing that stood out the most to me. We’ve all seen the “we’re all in this together” messaging. But for us to truly live that motto, we need to be empathic to individuals and their struggles. That also means avoiding microaggressions or negative comments that can prohibit empathy.  

After reading the McKinsey study, subsequent articles by leaders on possible solutions and reflecting on my own personal situation, I think there are several key things we female leaders can do to ensure we don’t reverse decades of progress.  

• Remember Wonder Woman is a Fictional Character. You can’t do it all well all the time. There are days when I feel I could do more for my kids’ development, but it’s challenging to reconcile that with work deadlines. After virtual school ends, there are days when my kids are left to their own devices, most of the time playing video games. And that’s OK. I mean, some big tech companies see gaming as a strategic skill and one to tout in a job interview, right?  
• Find a Mentor. If you don’t already have a mentor, now is the time to get one. I’ve found comfort in talking with other working mothers who have experienced similar struggles. It may not be at the same time, but they can relate. We’re all navigating this for the first time, and having a mentor who you can confide in and be brutally honest with is helpful. Mentors can offer an outside perspective and invaluable guidance. At Allison+Partners, we have several mentor programs. And our Women’s Leadership Program has female mentorships that can, and should be, tapped during this critical time.  
• Take Breaks. Burnout is real. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. I found myself close to burnout about a month ago, and my husband was a critical help to me during that time. He essentially took over all the homework responsibilities, meals and daily home tasks so I could focus on work – and I’m grateful. Asking for help is not a weakness. It’s a strength and a tool that can help you manage it all. I also realized I need to take more breaks during the day. Even for five minutes to spray some lavender and breathe, take the dogs for a quick walk, or play a quick game of Ping-Pong with my kids.    
• Lead with Empathy. I’m a big Brené Brown fan. Her talk on empathy vs. sympathy has always resonated with me, but it inspires me even more so now. She explains, “Empathy fuels connection and sympathy drives disconnection. Empathy is a choice, and it’s a vulnerable one.” As leaders, we need to share our own struggles and vulnerability, so others feel comfortable to do the same. Our boundaries between work and home have all but dissolved. This opens the door for vulnerability and empathy – and that’s a good thing. Check in with your teams, ask how they’re doing and what they need. If we’re all in this together, then we need to show up for each other. 

In the days and months ahead, I will try to continue to heed my own advice and work to ensure working mothers feel supported and empowered and have the full commitment of our agency behind them.      

Tracey Cassidy is the General Manager of Allison+Partners NYC office, the largest in the network. She is co-chair of Allison+Partners Women’s Leadership Program (WLP). Tracey brings more than 20 years of experience building brands and safeguarding their reputations. Follow her on Twitter @TraceyCassidy or LinkedIN. 

Whole Foods offered amateur cooks a safety net by teaming up with Progressive Insurance for its
“Thanksgiving Turkey Protection Plan.” With more Americans planning smaller Thanksgiving gatherings, the brand anticipated an increase in first-time cooks attempting to tackle the traditional turkey dinner. Turkey “fails” were rewarded with a gift card redeemable at Whole Foods.

Budweiser introduced a Bud Can Turkey Grill Stand that encouraged outdoor turkey prep and hoped to minimize people gathering inside kitchens, where social distancing is difficult. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants put a twist on the traditional Friendsgiving and launched a Solobrations menu – take-home Thanksgiving meals for one.

Building on the pre-pandemic trend of branded pop-up shops, beloved food brands have introduced quirky holiday items designed to elicit smiles from diehard fans. Pizza Hut teamed up with weighted blanket maker Gravity Blanket to make the “Original Pan Weighted Blanket,” which looks like a giant cheese or pepperoni pizza. Launched in response to a “heavy” year, the blanket has a 72-inch diameter, weighs 15 pounds and sold out in less than a day. 

Building on the popularity of branded merchandise, some brands expanded their offerings this season and marketed them as collections. Snack giant Frito-Lay introduced “holiday bundles” in its first holiday shop. There, fans can find “ugly” Doritos Christmas sweaters, adult-sized Cheetos hooded onesies and Tostitos fuzzy socks, each bundled with a bag of the corresponding snack. Taking a play from fashion retailers, Dunkin’ dropped in mid-November its full line of holiday merch, including clothing, accessories, housewares and even a branded tandem bike, on ShopDunkin.com. When last checked, most of the items were already sold out, proving brand love is a powerful purchase driver.

The retail sector has been one of the hardest hit during the pandemic, having lost billions in U.S. sales since store shutdowns began in March. While retailers approach this holiday season with an abundance of caution, Old Navy's holiday campaign sets out to remind people holiday festivities can still be fun, even in the midst of a pandemic. The brand kicked off its holiday marketing campaign with TV personality RuPaul starring in five new spots. The commercials each include the drag queen's song "Hey Sis," my favorite of which hypes the brand's holiday-themed pajamas and suggests people can "normalize conference calls in their pjs." A four-part content series, titled "RuPaul-iday," premiered on Old Navy's YouTube channel on Black Friday. Each video showcases the reality TV star's twists on various holiday-inspired activities, such as wreath-making, cookie decorating, gift wrapping and crafting cocktails.

While some brands have leaned into humor, others look to set an optimistic tone and reinforce the importance of connection during the pandemic. Gap’s new “Dream the Future” TV commercial features a colorful song and dance that highlights togetherness even during a time of crisis. In the spot, casually dressed people meet in the center of a white room and react to construction paper signs sporting handwritten words like "hope," "trust" and "connection."

No holiday season would be complete without a spot that tugs at the heartstrings, and Kohl’s latest from the "Give With All Your Heart" campaign does that and more. The emotional 90-second film depicts a sweet friendship between a little girl and an older neighbor in lockdown during the pandemic. The spot is a wonderful celebration of friendship and the power of connection that leaves us all with a sense of hope this holiday season.

If you're interested in learning how our consumer brands team can help your brand during this time, get in touch at lisa.rosenberg@allisonpr.com  

Lisa Rosenberg is a partner and president of Consumer Brands at Allison+Partners. She has more than 30 years of experience leading brand initiatives across the beauty + personal care, CPG, Food + Beverage, Automotive, Travel + Hospitality, Consumer Health + Wellness, Luxury Goods and Retail sectors and has been a hands-on force for many successful brand journeys. 

What truly matters most are the stories about hope, a family member or friend, or an issue that has really touched you. It’s important nonprofits remember it’s their services and impact that motivate their donors, not just fundraising. Stories about successes, services and inspiration can be shared year-round, not just during the Giving Tuesday time window.

Our agency conducted a survey a few years ago titled, “Powerful Connections” and found 38% of people who followed someone online who was authentically touched by a cause would donate or volunteer. Think about this – not 1% to 3% like direct mail. So, if we are personally touched by something, we can forward a call to action to our own contacts to create momentum that could raise much more than a traditional donation.

Not every charity can create an Ice Bucket Challenge. But the art of the story carried the Ice Bucket Challenge to levels unheard of in 2014. And it all started with a simple story. Pete Frates and Pat Quinn, who recently died, met through the ALS Therapy Development Institute’s Young Face of ALS. Together, they created the Ice Bucket Challenge. Their call to action reached politicians, athletes, performers, you and me.

Scott Allison and I did the Ice Bucket Challenge five years ago and challenged our friends and family, just like so many others did. It became a real movement. What amazed me was how many people I knew who were somehow touched about ALS. Working with Scott Kauffman, George Olexa, Shannon Shryne, Rob Goldstein, Carol Hamilton, Dr. Steve Perrin and so many others, we developed marketing opportunities to help keepalive Pat and Pete’s vision to find a cure.

Being introduced to other people with ALS made it even more personal and created additional reasons to want to help find a cure: Augie Nieto, the founder of Augie’s Quest, and his wife Lynn, who have personally raised millions of dollars to help find a cure; Anthony Carbajal, diagnosed with familial ALS and has raised more than $4 million dollars to help launch a precision medicine program that allowed more than 300 people to participate; and the Reich family, our tax consultant whose son was diagnosed with ALS and developed grassroots programs to raise funds for ALS research.

Their stories inspire, and their passion is unlike anything I have ever seen. Making a donation to their cause is not because of an email. It’s not because there is no cure yet for ALS. It’s their leadership and their drive that make me want to donate to their cause.

I know I can never donate enough, but if I can share their stories, I can also help them raise more. If I can encourage causes to further share their stories to others, they too will see the long-term impact on their organizations.

Good luck with Giving Tuesday! And please share your stories year-round, not just during the holidays!

Scott Pansky is a co-founder of the agency and leads Allison+Partners’ Social Impact group. Scott has extensive experience providing communications and crisis counsel to education, corporate and nonprofit organizations.

One of the most important things Tony recognized was how important it was for everyone at Zappos to embrace their core values:

1. Deliver WOW through service
2. Embrace and drive change
3. Create fun and a little weirdness
4. Be adventurous, creative and open-minded
5. Pursue growth and learning
6. Build open and honest relationships with communication
7. Build a positive team and family spirit
8. Do more with less
9. Be passionate and determined
10. Be humble

Tony had trained his team well. And, I had the opportunity to meet with one of his Delivering Happiness  team members, Robbie Richman.

After a great tour of Zappos, Robbie and I sat down and began discussing different ways to address and build culture. He asked me numerous “why” questions about our agency’s growth, client retention and acquisition, and retaining and hiring great talent. If we could positively see the agency come together and grow, I would be fulfilled. According to Robbie, if Tony saw that success, he would be “happy.”

Then, Robbie asked me what I would do next. I told him that we would regroup, revisit and focus on our core values. As agency founders, we discussed hosting a retreat – an Allison University – with our junior staff. We began re-building our culture with a bottom-up approach. We bought everyone in the agency a copy of “Delivering Happiness” and made it mandatory reading to give us a foundation to start our new journey.

We looked at and better defined our core values:

1. Be Enthusiastic
2. Nurture a collaborative environment
3. Exceed expectations
4. Be an entrepreneur
5. Empower others

Tony’s “Delivering Happiness” became a lightning rod to reignite and focus us on our core values. Ten years later, the agency has grown more than five times its size with more than 30 offices around the globe, nearly 500 people, and some of the biggest brands and coolest startups around the globe.

Tony’s spirit lives on through people like Robbie and Jenn Lim at Deliveringhappiness.com. Tony made a big difference in thousands of people’s lives at Zappos, but he also helped many others enhance their companies.

RIP Tony.

Scott Pansky is a co-founder of the agency and leads Allison+Partners’ Social Impact group. Scott has extensive experience providing communications and crisis counsel to education, corporate and nonprofit organizations.

This week, MDC Chairman and CEO Mark Penn sent Allison+Partners and other sister organizations a note, and one paragraph really caught my eye:   

“Advertisers need to be mindful of some key themes as we come out of the campaign season and, hopefully soon, the pandemic: hope, sensitivity and value. People are searching for optimism and unity wherever they can find it amid both the pandemic and the country’s continued polarization,” Penn said. “Brands that can strike those tones while clearly articulating how they are additive to consumers’ life will win out.”    

Having lived in the purpose space my entire career, I cannot image companies taking a step back – I only see this movement on purpose strengthening.  

Today, our nonprofits suffer, small businesses suffer, equity and decency suffer, and climate issues won’t magically disappear. And Corporate America knows it. Their communities know it, and so do their consumers and employees. Their engagement to make an authentic, transparent, and responsible decisions and commitments will earn them brand loyalty, employee retention and, in the end, higher profits.  

Now is the time to act. Now is the time for companies to step it up. And brands… we are watching!  

Scott Pansky is a co-founder of the agency and leads Allison+Partners’ Social Impact group. Scott has extensive experience providing communications and crisis counsel to education, corporate and nonprofit organizations. 

I spoke to A+Pers across the UK team to find out the biggest lessons we’ve learned this year to take forward into 2021.

Dan Whitney, Managing Director, Content Strategies

“Working from home has really brought a renewed sense of personalisation to our working relationships. Before, you only saw clients on the other side of a boardroom table: now we are inside each other’s lounges, bedrooms and studies! While perhaps not our ideal scenario, the insight into our personal lives has removed barriers and allowed for a mutual respect and understanding of what we’re collectively going through. Re-evaluating how we work and where we work is something we can all carry forward to next year.”

George Collins, Account Executive 

“I really enjoyed Partner and Co-founder Scott Pansky’s recent advice in a training session on trying our best to avoid using “but” and replacing it with “and…” Encouragement of conversation is something, particularly in 2020, we must carry forward in work and personal life.

I’m proud of how I’ve embedded myself as a member of the London team, considering I only had 1.5 days working out of the Kings Cross office before lockdown started! Despite not being physically present with my colleagues, I’ve been warmly welcomed into the team and feel mutual trust as a colleague to my co-workers.”

Andrew Rogers, Account Director

“It sounds obvious, but actually talking to people is still the best way to get things done. Yes, Zoom can be awkward and weird, but it’s always best to find a way to talk, whether that’s with clients, journalists or other team members. You get more done in a 5-minute video call than in an hour of emails going back and forth.” 

Jess Docherty, Senior Account Manager, Integrated Marketing

“I have loved watching communities come together. Where I live in Kentish Town, a local graphic designer Karishma Puri started an incredible photographic project @isolating.together, which shares stories of how my local community has come together to support and uplift each other.

This inspired me to value the small moments and invest time in connecting with neighbours and local projects, and live the project’s motto that “no matter how difficult times get, together we are capable of extraordinary things.“

Jim Selman, Partner + Managing Director, UK + Ireland

“We have made more of a priority to talk to each other about matters not necessarily directly linked to work, and I think that has been extraordinarily enlightening, as well as helping to strengthen relationships, and our culture.”

Jill Coomber, Managing Director, Integrated Marketing Europe

“We could not be prouder of the team than we have been this year. Their agility, passion, energy and commitment through these challenging times has been beyond outstanding.

Best advice? Take a moment, step back, see the bigger picture and think in threes: the now, the near [future] and the long [term].”

And finally, a word from me. I’m so proud of how all of my colleagues at A+P have tackled this year with gusto, exceeding expectations all year round. Nelson Mandela once said, “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” For me, this nails the ethos we’ve all shared this year.

Collaborating with colleagues and clients throughout the uncertainty has led to new projects, scopes and skills across the board. As we look forward to recharging over Christmas and New Year, we will return wiser and stronger, ready for whatever 2021 brings.

To find out more on how our European teams can help you take forward new PR and marketing strategies and programmes for 2021, click here.

Gina Mossey is an Account Director on the All Told Europe team, delivering outstanding integrated client campaigns, and she also leads our A+P Europe in-house marketing team. Her eight years at A+P span both B2B and consumer work, and her specialisms include brand storytelling, content strategy, lead generation and influencer marketing. 

What value does comms bring to the association and its members? Has that changed during COVID-19?

Every association has a unique overarching mission. But for the most part, associations aim to grow the industry and support their members. Communications plays a central role in this. Our work brings visibility and opportunities to our members. And our storytelling champions the many ways the technology industry has a positive impact on society – from creating jobs to improving quality of life. This has been especially true during COVID-19, as we work to underscore the role of tech in helping consumers and businesses alike bring solutions to the pandemic.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the way associations like yours do communications, and what impacts do you anticipate in 2021? 

The biggest challenge has been to pivot with the ever-changing environment.

Consumer demands have changed rapidly. We’ve seen this in our research, which has shown significant variations in consumer behavior patterns each month that our members need to keep pace with. Nearly 80% of CTA’s members are small businesses. The challenges that small businesses face are very different from those of large companies, and small businesses don’t always have the resources to navigate such a fast-changing environment. Our communications team became an essential source of information for our members around what was changing and how to best pivot in light of new developments.

For example, we have built three dedicated web pages with resources in the areas of research, digital health, and federal and state policies, which have changed quickly. Stakeholder communications came to life during this crisis in a deeply meaningful way. 

We also focused on providing the media with relevant CTA research and on ensuring what we offered to the press was timely and relevant with the changing news cycles. We had to be incredibly nimble and cognizant of the overarching news landscape. Part of this included making sure the media knew about industry efforts CTA spearheaded, such as an initiative to bring together health tech leaders to determine how to best use technology to respond to COVID-19 and how the U.S. could be better prepared for future pandemics.

This has certainly been a difficult time for all but has provided some really great learning experiences as well. We learned we need to be more flexible, nimble and fast-moving. These have always been axioms of the communications field, but the pandemic has taken them to a new level of importance that will stick as we move forward.

I also think that communications teams have had to evolve how they communicate internally, and these changes are here to stay. Within CTA specifically, we have a complex marketing and communications department. More than ever, we over-communicate. We talk all the time, do a ton of check-ins and use all our tools to collaborate in a timely way.

Do you have any examples of pivots you’ve had to make in your communications program and what worked well?

Rather than launching research according to the schedule we had planned to put forth this year, we instead prioritized research we saw our members – and the public – really needed at the time. We started paying even more attention to what the media talked about and asked, what information would be helpful right now? What can we uniquely provide?

We also doubled-down on trade publications during the pandemic. I can’t emphasize enough the value of trade outlets. I was a trade reporter in India and recognize the crucial role these outlets play in reaching the audience for which your information is the most relevant. At a time when the media landscape is crowded and focused on news of the day, trades are often the best channel for reaching a highly engaged, targeted audience.

What predictions do you have about how communications will evolve during the upcoming phases of this global crisis?

The communications function will become even more integrated with marketing and business strategy. When the pandemic hit, we put together a marketing and communications guide with recommendations on how members could reimagine their messaging, reposition their value proposition, listen to their customers and evolve their brands. These recommendations wove together business strategy with marketing and communications and are exemplary of how organizations need to integrate functions as the norm moving forward.

I also think communications teams will increasingly need to position themselves with the media as trusted sources of data and facts, which are more important than ever in a world rife with disinformation.

Finally, I feel very strongly about the need for the communications function – and media relations in particular – to become more targeted in execution. It’s an extremely competitive media market with a lot of noise. We talk to reporters frequently, and it’s apparent they have limited bandwidth. We need to be sure what we pitch to media is relevant and that their audience will genuinely care. Rather than trying to approach media with all initiatives that might have potential, pick what’s most important, define goals and focus on that effort. This way, we use our – and their – time wisely.  

Are there any key takeaways you’ve experienced thus far through the pandemic that other communicators can learn from? Is there one key thing you think other communicators should do now?

Situations like the pandemic bring you a little closer to the business operations of your organization and to how societal trends impact the bottom line of the business. Communications professionals should take these opportunities to align with the changing goals of the business more deeply. Communicators hail from a wide variety of backgrounds – journalism, technology, law, you name it – and bring a unique perspective to how developments may be perceived externally. The pandemic has underscored why we need to have a seat at the table when business decisions get made.

What is the secret to getting internal buy-in and support for the communications function with trade association leadership? 

Ultimately, communications strategies must be deeply aligned with the organization’s business objectives. It’s easier to get leadership on board if you justify your ideas with strategic rationale around why they are necessary for the goals of the business – and elevate beyond communications goals, like impressions or clips.

For example, we recently launched an initiative aimed at improving health equity through technology and brought together experts from the healthcare sector and our member companies to create a set of recommendations. From a communications perspective, the initiative helped to build CTA’s position as a thought leader at the intersection of digital health and diversity and inclusion. But publicizing the initiative also advanced CTA’s broader business goal of driving membership interest and member engagement. Our efforts generated in-bound partnership and membership inquiries.

Back when I made the switch from journalism to PR, there was a lot of conversation about how to show ROI in communications. While it’s still harder for PR to show quantifiable business results the way marketing and sales can, there’s no reason we can’t change the way we demonstrate the value of communications by mapping to business objectives.

What is uniquely difficult about doing communications for a trade association? 

With a trade association of CTA’s size, you’re dealing with many different stakeholders. So, you have to be ready to switch from one audience to another on any given day in a very short timeframe. I find myself needing to shift my brain from AR/VR to 5G in healthcare, to holiday trends and more, over the course of a single day. For me, that’s an exciting challenge. 

What do you find the most gratifying aspect of trade association communications? 

It comes down to two things: the relationships you build within and outside the association and the range of topics we work on.

CTA has a broad scope with many different departments and a very collaborative culture. There is a huge emphasis from leadership on working collaboratively toward common goals. Relationships internally and with our members are paramount to the work we do.

I also really enjoy the range of topics we work on. We advocate for the technology industry. And if you look around, it’s hard to say these days what makes a company a tech company. From healthcare to hardware, to software, to transportation – I’m never bored. The industry is fast-moving, so we are always on the cusp of something new and exciting.

Trade associations are uniquely positioned to address industry-wide perceptions. What is the key to doing that well and what are some potential pitfalls to be avoided? How do you keep members happy when the industry is under fire? 

Whenever the industry goes through anything complex or challenging, the first thing to do is stop and listen to your members to see where they stand. What do they support, and what do they oppose? Then, you need to reconcile that with your principles as a trade association. Some issues have more industry unity than others. At the end of the day, we need to square our members’ perspectives with the association’s principles.

On a personal note, why have you chosen a career in association communications and why do you stay in it?  

The variety is what makes this job so exciting. I was a reporter earlier in my career. And when you’re a journalist, variety is part of the deal – you cover something new every day. Similarly, at CTA, I never get bored. I’m always working on something different. Also, working in communications for CTA gives me the opportunity to tell stories about things that matter. That has been the theme throughout my career. I don’t want to just do what the job calls for, I want to do work that is mission-driven. Telling stories that span healthcare, 5G, diversity and inclusion and so much more gives me the opportunity to make a difference.

This soldier is my brother, Nick Anderson. And on Feb. 1, 2021, he'll retire after 23 years of service in the United States Army. 

Over the years, our family has followed my brother's journey through the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, multiple duty stations throughout the U.S., Germany, Japan, and to his final destination working for NATO in Brussels. We kept in touch via Facetime, WhatsApp, email and the occasional visits of leave during the holidays. The culmination of his life of service was marked with the Meritorious Service Medal, an award presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States. Retiring at the age of 41, my brother now faces the next big milestone of his life – what's next?   

Veteran's Day honors all of those who have served the country in war or peace – dead or alive – and intended to thank living veterans for their sacrifices. Unfortunately, many face a difficult transition from military to civilian life. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 8% of the workforce are veterans. Many leave or retire from service with work-inflicted disabilities, and some struggle to translate their skills acquired in service to the skills needed for civilian jobs.  

Despite these challenges, here are several reasons why companies should hire U.S. Veterans: 

1. Proven Leadership and Leadership Readiness:  The military trains people to lead by example through direction, delegation, motivation and inspiration. To move up the ranks, soldiers have to show their ability to take direction and, most importantly, lead. Veterans understand the leadership skills needed to manage teams for results, even in the most trying circumstances.   
   
   
2. Teamwork:  You're only as strong as your weakest link. And in the military, this saying holds supreme. Soldiers are trained to work in teams. In many instances, their lives depend on it. Veterans understand how teamwork grows out of a responsibility to one another, and they hold each other accountable. 
   
   
3. Performance Under Pressure:  Outnumbered and under fire on Guadalcanal, Capt. Henry P. Crowe said to his troops, "You'll never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!" Veterans understand the importance of leadership during challenging times. They have developed the ability to pivot quickly, be decisive during times of chaos and accomplish priorities on time, despite tremendous stress and with limited resources. In short, they know how to get the job done.  
   
   
4. Strong Work Ethic:  Ethics is the heart of the armed forces and includes moral principles that guide soldiers in accomplishing their mission, performance of duties and in all aspects of their life. These tenets include caring for and developing subordinates, peers and leaders in Character, Competence, and Commitment. Prospective employers can take advantage of a track record of integrity that translates into qualities of loyalty, sincerity and trustworthiness. 
   
   
5. Experience Working in Diverse Teams and Organizations:  Veterans have learned to work alongside people with different backgrounds, race, gender, religion and disabilities. They bring to the table a tremendous ability to work with different types of individuals and across different workstyles.  

Studies have shown veterans are more productive and have higher retention rates. Employers recognize the value veterans bring to the workplace, but they often find it challenging to connect with transitioning service members and veterans seeking employment (Department of Labor).  

If you seek a hard-working, motivated, ethical employee… try hiring a U.S. veteran. What better way to honor their life of service than by showing them that the skills they acquired are valued in the public sector as much as it is valued in United States Armed Forces.  

For the soldiers who have honorably served our country, Happy Veterans Day! Today we celebrate you.  

Demar Anderson is a proud U.S. Army brat and our vice president of Marketing. She is responsible for showcasing the agency's culture, thought leadership and award-winning work. She also spends her time doing pro-bono and volunteer work for non-profits that support human rights issues.    

I’ve found over the years that while many things have changed in my life —from my hair color to my major in college— getting out a mixing bowl, wooden spoon and a warm oven still grounds me in ways I can’t explain. Before the pandemic, a typical day for me includes a workout class before heading to the New York A+P office, then a stop at the grocery store on the way home. I’d spend the evening in the kitchen, baking whatever came to mind that day (or requested by a colleague), along with a true crime show playing in the background. While to many it appears as though I don’t leave much time for relaxation in my day, the motions of whisking together dry ingredients, folding them into the wet ingredients, turning on the oven, and getting out the cooling racks, is my relaxation.

One of the things I’m most grateful for working at Allison+Partners is the support I’ve gotten to merge my worlds of baking and PR. Over the past four years at the agency, I’ve baked almost once a week for my office for birthdays, baby/wedding showers, happy hours, and often, just because I wanted to bake and knew my co-workers would appreciate it. It not only helps with stress and anxiety to bake but my favorite part of baking or cooking anything is seeing people’s faces when they enjoy it. When COVID hit and the office shut down, I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to bake as much. It was just my parents and me at home and while we all have big sweet tooths, there’s only so much three people can eat. But I’ve been able to find ways to fold my baking into my work, even remotely.

When pitching my new client, Budweiser, we decided to make short videos to introduce ourselves and share something we’re passionate about. I was excited because it allowed me to design a cake that I’d been dying to make, a giant beer stein cake complete with a Budweiser can. Not only did the brand love it, but they posted it on their main Instagram channel. More recently, I got to do something that I’ve never done before -- teach a cupcake decorating class via zoom for one of my beauty industry clients. Beauty has always been one of my favorite industries. I have so many great friends in the beauty media, so having the chance to have all of them along with my team, as a part of that first experience for me was so special.

Having things like cupcake decorating classes for clients and being able to make fun cakes for clients that they’re excited about has been something I’m so grateful for during this time. While I’m unable to bake for all of my colleagues, I’m still able to get people excited and make people smile with baked goods, which might be the best stress reliever during these unprecedented times. 

Clarissa has more than five years of experience specializing in home, beauty, lifestyle, and food/beverage. Through her work in the consumer lifestyle market, she has assisted in developing and executing national and global campaigns and media/influencer strategies. She regularly secures top-tier media in outlets, such as The Today Show, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Foodandwine.com and Harper’s Bazaar. 

It would have been easy to see the Ant listing as a reflection of a decline in New York’s importance in international financial markets. As it turns out, what transpired proves Chinese stock exchanges are a long way from threatening the dominance of their counterparts in the U.S. and Europe. 

In the past two years, the Trump Administration set fire to the regulatory welcome mat extended to Chinese companies more than 40 years ago. The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which would force companies listing in the U.S. to operate as though they operated here, was aimed directly at Chinese companies. With White House sponsorship, the measure sped through the Senate. Washington posted a sign on New York that some chose to read as: “Chinese Companies Not Welcome.” 

For its part, Beijing knows the country’s largest, most prosperous and most stable firms must use home markets as their primary listing venues if its local stock exchanges are to evolve beyond speculative casinos. A decades-long effort, involving draconian restrictions on what companies could list overseas, on moving funds offshore and on individual ownership of certain securities, accompanied by a constant drumbeat of direct pressure on firms to list in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong, had already begun to bear fruit before Trump arrived on scene. And Ant understood a fact discovered late by Chinese firms listed overseas: By listing close to home, Ant could tap the capital of its own customers, people who know the Ant brand and value proposition and thus likely to pay a premium for its stock.

Yet despite winds blowing from both Washington and Beijing that should push Chinese companies homeward, U.S. markets remain deeply attractive for Chinese companies. Since Jan. 1, Chinese firms have placed more than $9 billion in U.S. initial public offerings on U.S. exchanges. The firms still find it easier to list on a U.S. exchange than one at home. Listing in the U.S. provides companies a critical means to circumvent China’s strict currency controls. And even though pools of underused capital sits in Chinese bank accounts, the U.S. stock exchanges still offer the deepest and most liquid pools of capital on the planet. Finally, the prestige of listing in the U.S. remains attractive to Chinese companies, which seek the validation of the world’s most sophisticated investors as a way to establish credibility among customers at home and worldwide. 

With Beijing’s sudden and arguably capricious move against Ant, Chinese companies have two more reasons to list in the U.S.: legal protections and regulatory transparency. While all listings come with regulatory hurdles that only begin with the IPO, U.S. requirements remain clear and transparent. Even if the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act passes the House of Representatives and ultimately becomes law, the promise of U.S. law is simple: comply with published regulations, and you will be allowed to list and operate. China makes no such promise: its laws are framed to be open to wide interpretation by regulators and government officials, and its institutions prioritize the centralization of power with the Chinese Communist Party. 

The Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong exchanges are perhaps most damaged by all of this. After years attempting to build credibility as global marketplaces, they have been revealed as fatally exposed to sudden storms from Beijing. Proven to be true markets no longer, they must bear the forlorn label of “policy stock exchanges.” Chinese companies – and global investors – will inevitably choose more open, more transparent pastures. 

That a company of such size, stature, and pedigree can fall victim to such changes portends a new era in which China’s role in business and the world will become more disruptive and less predictable. A new Administration in Washington will not alter that direction, and indeed may reenforce it. Connections are not enough: companies need to tap the  guidance of advisors who can help anticipate, prepare for, and respond to these "interesting times” without lasting damage to business and reputation. Allison Advisory is ready to help.  

Tom Smith is a strategic, highly skilled corporate communications professional with a proven 24-plus-year track record of leading and implementing corporate campaign programs. He has led numerous multi-million-dollar global accounts and as president of Allison+Partners' North American corporate practice, he brings deep capability in numerous industries, including financial services, hospitality, professional services, technology, education, healthcare and industrial supply. His specialties include integrated communications, corporate brand positioning, thought leadership, executive visibility, B2B marketing, influencer management, media relations and investor relations.

David Wolf is the managing director of Allison Advisory at Allison+Partners. He brings three decades of experience to his role counseling clients on managing the unique operational, communications and marketing challenges that arise when companies undertake change or address significant challenges in their operating environment. As a recognized thought leader in the industry, David specializes in navigating the unique communications and marketing challenges clients face in China. He advises multinationals expanding into the region, and guides Chinese companies on communications strategies when entering international markets.

This year, I'll pick up some marigolds, but not for planting – for my dad’s ofrenda. Ofrendas adorned with marigolds are part of the typical Mexican celebrations for the Dia De Los Muertos holiday, which focuses on remembering deceased family members. My dad passed on May 18, 2020. 

Primarily celebrated in Mexico’s central and southern regions, they believe the spirits of the deceased come back on Nov. 2 (All Souls Day) to visit the living. And to help guide them back, families create ofrendas, which are like altars decorated in bright colors, including photos, candles, water, traditional bread, food, sugar skulls, personal belongings – and marigolds. It’s intended to celebrate the life of those lost and offer a time to reflect.  

Being a third-generation Mexican-American, our family has created our own tradition around this holiday. For us it’s always been a gut buster – both from the amazing food and big belly laughs. We’re talking at least two tables covered in tamales, tacos, BBQ, pan dulce and any other of our deceased loved ones’ favorite dishes. We’d pull out framed photos or albums and any other trinkets we had kept to remember the person by. The room then filled with family sharing their favorite stories, usually comedic. And boy, it was always at such a loud decibel. 

Due to COVID-19, I had to get up in front of a socially distant funeral home and read: “Celestino ‘Tony’ Vargas IV was a decorated Vietnam Veteran earning numerous Bronze Stars as part of the famed 101st Airborne Division, a proud police officer for the San Antonio Police Department, a member of their first ever SWAT team and a highly respected Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) resident agent in charge. Beloved Brother, Tio, Dad and Gampa. He will be extremely missed by his surviving five siblings, 17 nieces and nephews, three children and four grandchildren.”  

But that’s not the story I'll tell my nieces as we sit around the table for Dia De Los Muertos 2020.  

I’ll tell them about how one time I made Gampa so sick on the teacups at Disney because I just had to keep spinning and spinning. Or how he single-handedly kept Consort hairspray in business because he could never have a hair out of place – that man’s hair laughed at wind! Or that one Christmas we broke a dining room table from taking the Spoons card game just a little too seriously. And I’ll remind them his hugs made you feel everything was handled, and you didn’t have to worry about a thing. 

Coming back to the ofrenda, there will also be a pair of black faded, scuffed and beat-up motorcycle boots that have seen some of this country’s most beautiful highways. Plus, chile con carne enchiladas with cheddar cheese and extra diced onions, along with a photo of my dad holding me at age three outside the children’s museum in Corpus Christi, Texas. A true depiction of how I’ll remember him – always lifting me up and ready to catch me if I should fall. 

This year, Dia De Los Muertos will look a little different to me and my family. But we understand death is part of life, and as the Mexican saying goes: “Don't take anything lying down -- even death!” 

Numerous studies indicate the value and importance of company supported and encouraged volunteer work, but Global Day of Giving was born out of our agency’s entrepreneurial spirit and proposed by Allison+Partners employees. We pitched the idea to honor of our agency’s anniversary by giving all of our offices around the world a day to step away from their desks and give back to their communities. The founders and partners approved, and we have successfully executed the event for three years. As co-lead of our agency’s volunteer committee, Allison+Purpose, I was excited to build on the successes of our first two years of Global Day of Giving and to make our third annual event all that more special.

Then in March, we were all sent home and have primarily worked virtually ever since. I was incredibly nervous about the impact COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines would have on our 2020 Global Day of Giving efforts. However, our entire agency came together to pull off an amazing virtual Global Day of Giving!

Every year, we select a focus for our volunteer efforts. For our first year, we asked teams to support organizations that make a difference in the lives of local youth. In the second year, we focused on ways we could make a positive environmental impact in our communities. This year, we decided it was important to shift our original theme to focus on our local communities most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Across the globe, our offices stepped up and came up with some creative and meaningful projects that would keep our Allison+Partners team safe while making real connections within local communities. Our global agency volunteered more than 300 hours in September with local nonprofits, organizations and individuals particularly impacted by COVID-19. From reading virtually to students in underserved Dallas communities, to buying groceries for homebound seniors in Portland, to painting cloth bags for hospital patients in Bangkok, to connecting with Special Olympics’ health messengers in Chicago and Seattle, to conducting clothing drives, to writing letters to senior citizens in New York and New Jersey, our team members helped impact their local communities and make some meaningful connections even while so many of us are at home.  

Allison+Partners has always encouraged volunteerism among our employees as a way to nurture the many local environments outside our day-to-day work and create opportunities for us to foster team bonding and a sense of pride for all employees. This year, it felt even more important to take time to step back and support our communities that have been particularly hit hard by COVID-19. Global Day of Giving gave our agency the opportunity to interact with individuals in a meaningful and special way. And during a global pandemic that has separated so many of us from our normal social interactions, it felt especially great to make a connection with someone we didn’t know before. As is so often the case with volunteering, I find I get more out of the experience than I expected!

Kay Brungs Laud is a Senior Vice President and works out of Allison+Partners’ Chicago office. Since the age of 10 Kay has had a hard time saying no to volunteer projects. She has been involved with numerous non-profits both personally and professionally. She graduated from American University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and served as Delta Gamma’s Vice President of Philanthropy while an undergraduate. She’s currently a board member of the P.A.W.S Chicago, where she adopted her two fur babies; Heidi and Albert

Life is busy, and it is easy to get frustrated and overwhelmed by the constant barrage of information. However, 2020 has taught us what Lewis wrote – that our voice can make a difference. Individuals, brands, teams and organizations embrace the opportunity to engage one another and shape the future.

Through issue campaigns, thought leadership platforms, civic engagement and employee opportunities, entities have helped to pave the way for safe, convenient access to the ballot. They also joined forces with organizations that impact issues in communities every day from clean water to internet access. Additionally, they have increased opportunities for voting – encouraging colleagues to cast their ballots. For example, Time to Vote, a nonpartisan effort for companies that want to contribute to the culture shift needed to increase voter participation in our country's elections, continues adding partners from national chains to local shops.

With generation-defining issues dominating our headspace, I encourage you to take a moment – and vote. We are the dynamic link to our future.  

After all, 2020 is the year of the voter.

How does communications help trade associations achieve their mission?

Trade associations speak as the voice of an industry, and the communications function plays a large part in bringing people together and getting the message out. While many individual member companies may be better known than an industry association, we can elevate both the industry as a whole and smaller members that lack a large platform. In addition, trade association communications can drive cross-industry collaboration on issues of mutual importance.

What is the secret to getting internal buy-in and support for the communications function with trade association leadership?

Success leads to more success, but you must back up that success with data. In the association world, most visibility is seen positively, and the communications function is valued as it helps support policy advocacy. I would definitely encourage an emphasis on the basics: build trust with colleagues and spokespeople, present good ideas, be responsive, show up when you say you will, follow through, and be open and honest. Importantly, while good leadership trusts communications, you should acknowledge your mistakes and learn from them to build trust and support. Nobody likes to be the guinea pig, so it is critical to show how an idea was successful in the past. Have the intelligence and humility to not suggest things just to suggest things!

What communications functions are most valued by trade association leadership and why?

Press coverage hands down. Visibility for the association, its leaders and our member companies is still the most valued communications function. Events are also very much valued for their ability to help us connect with new and existing stakeholders. Finally, strong relationships with communications teams at member companies are a critically important role for association communications.

What is uniquely difficult about doing communications for a trade association?

Communications for a trade association requires balancing many different stakeholder voices as well as the visibility of the association with its members. We often take on the tough questions that members would prefer not to take on and speak for our members on issues that are easier to field as an industry-wide association. Without the brand names of our members, it is more of an uphill climb with reporters until we have invested in building those relationships.

What do you find the most gratifying aspect of trade association communications?

Working with lots of different communications professionals at member companies and PR firms that provide understanding and support. And although travel is no longer a part of my job due to the pandemic, I enjoy working with my colleagues around the world--virtually. BSA works on issues that affect just about everyone, like privacy, emerging tech, and cybersecurity; I learn a lot just from sitting in on interviews and hearing my colleagues say smart things!

What do you think businesses can learn from trade associations about communications?

Compromise, balance and listening to all voices – skills that are honed in the association world. The board of directors brings strong accountability, and communications professionals learn the importance of reporting directly to the board in a way that shows successes and provides a look ahead.  

Trade associations are uniquely positioned to address industry-wide perceptions. What is the key to doing that well and what are some potential pitfalls to be avoided?

Education of the press and policymakers is our differentiation. As we educate, we must think about what our audiences want and need. For example, does a reporter need a quick quote or an in-depth explanation of a policy matter? We work hard to be as responsive as possible and stay focused on topics that we can speak intelligently about. If we do, we will slowly and steadily build the perception that we hope to see of our industry. Not being responsive, not being aware of what is being written and said about our industry, and not understanding different perspectives pose the greatest risks for us when addressing industry-wide perceptions.

Many trade associations address policymaker audiences, and policymakers can heavily influence perceptions about an industry given their platforms and influence. If an industry comes under public criticism from policymakers, should industries keep their heads down until the storm passes or should they come out swinging to shape the narrative? How do you keep members happy when an industry is under fire?

We want to be problem solvers, so we do not trash ideas. We are never overly negative, and you will not see us come out swinging. We try to keep to the middle ground and be part of the solution. Differentiation is important for us, and our members want to see that we are trying to differentiate. As a result, we are willing to be on the front lines and take media interviews. Keeping your head down until the storm passes is not a good approach because the stories are going to happen anyway. If necessary, we will go off-the-record to maintain good reporter relationships and still have an impact.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the way associations like yours do communications, and what further impacts on association communications do you anticipate in 2021?

The biggest thing is the shift to virtual, whether events, interviews, or editorial board meetings. Face time has gone up, not down, as video calls have replaced audio calls with reporters. We will all get better at being virtual and better at putting on events. But we will need to address “Zoom fatigue,” when to use video and when not to use it, how to build virtual events that stand out, and how to measure their value. Because our members are not able to travel during this time, they rely more on associations to provide a local presence in government capitals around the world.

What can an outside communications partner bring to a trade association and what do you do you look for in a partner?

An in-house communications team can find itself in a bit of a vacuum, and an outside communications partner should challenge us to think differently. We do not want to be in a sector bubble so bringing perspectives from other industries is valuable. I want a partner team with a range of levels and backgrounds, different personalities, and different ideas, coming from different places. We count on outside partners to bring different specializations and expertise and provide global support. If needed, the partner should be able to help me run the communications function in another geography.

On a personal note, why have you chosen a career in association communications and why do you stay in it?

I love that in an association, we all have the same mission and move forward together. As a communications professional, I get to work with incredibly dedicated, smart people on a range of issues that change with the times. In the end, I am selling really good ideas.

If you'd like to sign up for our weekly COVID-19 updates, click here.

Marcel Goldstein is an EVP in Allison+Partners corporate practice. 

Q: How do you lead through this plus the pandemic? What are your challenges? 

Brian Brokowski: Stay connected. Talk through the challenges that people have so they realize, and we all realize, we're not alone and we're not dealing with all of these challenges and issues alone. Strength in numbers, comfort in numbers – use that resource of the team and the relationships that we have to get through it together. And just check in on people, make sure they're doing OK.  

Meghan Curtis: A couple of things. One, continued flexibility. We've obviously been incredibly flexible since we left our offices in March, but this has just thrown an additional wrench into that. So if folks just need mental health space, we really overtly encourage that. And in all of our huddles, we've actually been pretty vulnerable with each other and talked about what we're nervous about, what keeps us up at night. We know the folks who live in these fire areas or whose families are, and we ask, "Hey, are your parents OK? What's the status?" Everyone's just very in tune with each other and their emotional states. 

Katy Spaulding: I love that Meghan brought up the word “vulnerability,” because I think that that's a really important part of this. We have to navigate on any given day being a cheerleader and optimistic and reassure them it's going to be OK, but also read the room and know when it might be best for us to be a bit more vulnerable and to share our concerns. It's definitely a balancing act based on what we feel like the team needs most in that moment. You can't just go through and say, "Everything's going to be fine. Everything's going to be great," which I think sometimes we want to do. All of us have that understanding that sharing vulnerability and sharing some of our personal fears and concerns can sometimes be reassuring for the team that we hear them, we understand them and we're going through the same thing. 

Wendi Shapiro: And communication has also been something we've tried to focus on in Los Angeles, because we don't have really anybody coming into the office at all. We haven't seen each other since March and everyone is so busy. And we have our weekly team huddles and I try to call people at random times throughout the week just to say, "Hi, do you have 10 minutes? I just want to check in and see how you're doing and how can I help you?" It’s extending a life raft whenever we can to say, "We know you're experiencing high work volume and stressful life right now, and we're all here to help." 

Q: How do you keep our colleagues motivated and engaged throughout all these stresses and inconveniences? 

Wendi Shapiro: It’s hard to find motivation when we're all stuck in our four walls much of the day – every day, day in, day out. So, we try to find it in ourselves to motivate each other. We celebrate the littlest to the biggest successes as often as we can. Whether it's someone's birthday or someone's work anniversary or a great coverage that was secured from one of our team members or a client – kudos! Even the smallest thing that might not feel like a big enough deal to celebrate is totally worthwhile. We find those opportunities as much as we can. 

Katy Spaulding: I think it goes back to something that Meghan said, which is just giving people the flexibility in their schedules to do what they need to do to stay connected and motivated. There is so much on people's minds outside of what we do at work that it would be impossible to expect them to be motivated and there 120% every single day. So, we  encourage them to be in tune with how they feel. And if they need a couple of hours or a couple of days off, they should take it. Now is not a time that you should be pushing through in the way that we sometimes do. You’re not going to wake up every day and be ready to kill it, and that's OK! 

Meghan Curtis: Two things. Folks are lifting each other up and being kind to each other, and not in a superficial way by any means. Going back to the vulnerability factor, people are really just looking out for each other. You can feel that in all your interactions in a genuine way. That’s motivating when you know your team cares, has your back and wants the best for you. That's one thing. And then we do bring some levity. We have twice weekly meetings and we show videos, do games and get to know each other. We do these things where people share their life history with photos. It's called a PechaKucha. And it's fun! You might be having a really tough day, but if you can just unplug from clients or your writing assignments for 30 minutes and just have some fun with each other, I think it does re-energize you. 

Q: Have you learned any lessons in leadership during the fires? Has it changed you as a leader in any way? 

Brian Brokowski: I continue to be floored by the resiliency of the team and their ability to, everyone's ability, to support each other, to step up to the challenge. I get so motivated coming off of our team huddles and listening to everybody's accomplishments and what they're doing. From a leadership standpoint, I had a strong sense of what our teams and everyone as individuals were capable of. I think the notion of what we can do individually and collectively is just so much higher now. I'm just so overwhelmed with how everyone I work with has rallied and responded to the situation, despite all of the challenges. They just keep grinding with positive attitudes.  

Meghan Curtis: Dovetailing off Brian, I've always known I can hang with challenging times in the professional environment. And now I'm really learning there's a softer side of me – not only I can grind through the tough, client challenges, new business challenges, the work, but also the people side of the business.  I've really softened and become, I think, a more empathetic, better person having to navigate the team and individual challenges.  

Katy Spaulding: The wildfires and everything else have just shown me how important it is to have authentic relationships with the people who work for us and with our teams. That's always been something important to me. But it's been, to Meghan's point, even more important now when we ask people to be really honest with how they feel. Having a really strong, established relationship based on trust and listening and trying to help where we can has just created a lot of good two-way communication that enables us to do our jobs even better. 

Wendi Shapiro: What everyone has said is 100% true, especially what Meghan referenced. I know our team is great at their jobs and professionally working at a super-high level. But it's not just about, "How are your clients, how's your work? How's your workload?" That’s only half the story right now. There's a lot happening after work hours or that isn't work-related with the pandemic, the fires, social injustice, and the election and politics. Everything has culminated over the past several months to be this perfect storm of needing to be an understanding human, not just a work-bot, and understand all of the elements that make people. The things that impact their lives. I think we have gained a more holistic look at the people we work with, not just from a work perspective, but from a human perspective. 

Which brings me to the present. It is Oct. 13 and the first day of Amazon Prime Day — one of the biggest shopping events of the year, rivaling the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend. The event typically takes place in July and gives third-party sellers a much-needed boost during the slower summer months. However, due to the pandemic shifting their focus solely on delivering essential items, Amazon delayed the event. 

Once it announced Prime Day moved to Oct. 13-14 — just 44 days from Black Friday — deal-seekers everywhere rejoiced to get a headstart on the holiday shopping season and take advantage of the deep discounts offered to Prime subscribers. 

Not to be outdone, Target and Walmart announced their own online sales coinciding with Prime Day and touted deals of the same magnitude as Black Friday. 

While big box stores have the ability and flexibility to make these quick pivots and offer steep discounts, most retailers do not. To thrive this holiday season and appeal to all shoppers, including those who still want to visit stores in person (like me), here are a few things stores can do to maximize Q4 revenue: 

• Continue to provide in-store experiences: Brands that offer a robust in-store experience, such as Nike, Sephora, and Allison+Partners client PGA TOUR Superstore, thrived before the pandemic and will likely recover quicker. The reality is, consumers want fun and interactive in-store experiences. Nothing can compare to swinging a club or testing out a new lipstick before purchasing. This holiday season, with a few modifications, stores can still give their consumers the experience that brought them in the doors in the first place. Whether this is informal modeling with the models wearing a face mask, increased cleaning and sanitation of high-touch items, or offering in-store digital try-on of beauty products, retailers must rethink, not remove, their offerings.
• Elevate and amplify customer service: One of the main benefits of in-person shopping is the customer service. Today’s consumer demands personalized service and expects store employees to go above and beyond. Marketing service offerings, such as help with picking out the perfect present and complimentary gift wrap, remind shoppers they can take their items home with them same day, thus eliminating any anxiety around shipping delays and drawing people out of their homes to shop. 
• Reinforce safety and comfort features: It is natural for people to be hesitant to go into a store during the pandemic — let alone during the holidays, when crowds typically increase. Emphasizing the safety precautions put in place (mask wearing, hand-sanitizing stations, reduced store occupancy, increased cleaning and sanitizing) will help put customer’s minds at ease. 

2020 has thrown us enough curve balls. And for the past six months, I have done virtually all my shopping online because you can’t beat the convenience in times like these. But when it comes to holiday traditions, shopping included, I plan to do the majority of mine in person as I always do — with the appropriate safety measures in place. I
would love to know, what is your holiday shopping game plan?

If you're interested in learning how our consumer team can help your brand during this time, get in touch at Alison.Fichter@allisonpr.com. 

Alison is a SVP in the consumer practice working with a variety of brands in the retail, food tech, CPG and automotive industries. Her expertise lies in creative ideation, media relations strategy, and event planning and execution. Prior to joining Allison+Partners, Alison served as the in the house Midwest PR manager at Bloomingdale’s.

Then there were the more trivial concerns. These included depriving my daughter of walking her eighth grade graduation with her friends and my six-year-old missing a year of tee-ball and the start of Kindergarten. Recognizing the benefit far outweighed such matters, off we went.

The kids’ school year started and quickly got into their grooves without a hitch. We made friends within a thriving expat community, and I deepened ties with colleagues from Shanghai to Sydney, Seoul to Singapore. I got to know my new officemates in Japan in a way that would otherwise never be possible and also experienced this incredible country through their eyes. True to the reputation of the Japanese culture, their generosity of spirit and welcoming nature knows no bounds.

As the holidays neared and Tokyo’s autumn foliage gave way to a crisp winter chill, we were charmed by the many beautiful illuminations lining Tokyo’s streets and planned a trip that was sure to be one of the most memorable of our lives, including skiing in Hokkaido and ringing in the New Year in Thailand. We’d travel from the capital to the mountainside to the beach over the course of an extended break.

We would finish in Singapore, where I had been spending a good deal of time working closely with colleagues. While there, my family could see this office, one of the most stunning in the Allison+Partners network with views across Marina Bay from the 38th floor. In this way, they could relate more directly to the responsibilities that so often call me away for long stretches of time. These special moments far outweighed any bittersweet feelings brought on by missing home for the holidays.

As Chinese New Year loomed, my travel to Singapore and other markets in the region was due to pick up thanks to a combination of key hires made and our annual in-person town halls. These would be a chance to highlight the incredible strides we have made in the region. All offices were thriving and poised for growth, despite some underlying economic issues and geopolitical cross-currents.

However, everything would soon change. In January, we started to get word of a new virus impacting large numbers of people in China. And it wasn’t long before our offices there were effectively shut down with entire teams working from home indefinitely.

As the virus started to gain traction and spread decisively across the region, schools in Japan were among the first to shut down. Tokyo was a city on the brink. Numbers seemed absurdly low, skeptics thinking perhaps this had something to do with the Olympics. It wouldn’t be long until those too were put on ice, with the world officially in a pandemic.

Watching my home country from afar, while bolted at home under what would paradoxically be called a voluntary lockdown, was perhaps one of the most bizarre experiences of my life. We enjoyed Zoom trivia sessions with our newly made Brit and Aussie expat pals and did family and college reunions 13 hours ahead. Like everyone, we made do and soldiered on, working and schooling remotely in our cozy Tokyo apartment. Of course, I worried for the safety of my family here and abroad, but I had to scratch my head at some of the behaviors I was witnessing.

In Japan, the concept of Wa (和) is one of the first any foreigner or gaikokoujin (外国人, far more polite than the better known but pejorative Gaijin) doing business in Japan should become familiar with, or any visitor for that matter. It is a historical foundation for this storied people and one of the bases of the Shinto religion. It is the belief that everything should stay in balance. Your behavior must take into account others before yourself, and consensus is far preferable to individual opinion.

For Westerners, this can be one of the most complicated – and honestly frustrating – parts of doing business here, as it can lead to perceived “inefficiencies” in the system because consensus can be time-consuming. Witnessing it put to effect in containment of the novel coronavirus, I’m here to tell you there are incredible advantages to this way of thinking.

While many countries, including my own, politicized or downplayed the importance of wearing masks, Japan embraced the concept fully in the spirit of maintaining harmony and looking after each other’s well-being. Japan’s history of mask wearing dates back to the Edo Period (1603-1868). But before the pandemic, it was an oddity to most expats. My family and I were certainly surprised to learn the primary consideration for mask-wearing isn’t about keeping yourself safe, but for the wellness of others. It goes without saying this effort has led to Japan being a clear leader in containment.

The other somewhat-related business concept that took root so effectively in Japan is known as kūki o yomu (空気を読む) or “reading the air.” This is ordinarily the driving factor behind so much being unspoken in Japanese culture. Applied here, it made the determination of “return to work” dictated not so much by the government, but by a sense among the broader business community of doing right by others.

Interestingly, Japan’s Constitution, formulated after World War II under the oversight of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, does not permit the government to mandate decisions for business. This was designed to effectively eliminate the ability to provide for a war effort. But it more immediately limits its ability to force businesses, including restaurants and other entertainment venues, to shut down. 

The government declared a State of Emergency in early April. But it did not enforce it punitively or with severe fines as in other countries throughout this region. Instead it enforced it through the subtle suggestions coupled with the risk for those who didn’t comply to lose face, as they might be publicly disclosed. However, the government is rethinking this policy as cases start to rise again in an unsettling second wave. 

This harmonic effort of companies understanding their obligation and providing for their people a safe way of working has again led to significant success in the effort to contain the virus, and was a great learning for me and other expats across this nation.

The entire experience was incredible and humbling. Even with a pocket of nearly four months of quarantine slowly loosening and opening, there were some powerful moments. I’ll always have indelible memories of jogging and biking through nearly empty Tokyo streets and seeing more of the city in a way we never would have previously been able. Unimpeded pictures of cherry blossoms and shrines were saddled with the sad reality that money was being lost and businesses around the world were struggling so mightily, not to mention the human toll.

So like the rest of the world, we took on our share of the burden. Working from home, Zoom calls, VPNs. Pitches and media meetings done remotely. Technology – the cornerstone of my focus throughout my career – was put to the test as never before and stepped up most pointedly as one would hope.

Technology could only do so much though, I’m afraid. My visits to the other markets in the region all became virtual, making my reason for being in this region somewhat obsolete, driving my ultimate decision to return.

As I look back on my experience as an expat during the pandemic, it is more than a little bittersweet. Though the last few weeks allowed for greater travel around Japan, including the rare opportunity to visit Kyoto with nearly no other foreign travelers in town, it is hard to put into words what this experience has meant, and how I hope travel picks up again soon so these experiences can be shared with others. 

I have spent the past nine months learning Japanese, only to be quarantined in a house with three people who speak only English. But as we re-emerge into the world, I’m no longer intimidated by the many different characters of the Japanese written language. If I see a wall of letters that just a year ago would have been indecipherable to me, the fact that I can often make out a word or two, or at the very least can sound out what they represent, is a source of great pride.

I firmly believe the legacy you leave is the impact you have on people, and that’s been a driving force for our agency since day one. I can’t say any more unequivocally how deeply blessed I feel to have worked with the team here so closely. I have built a lifelong relationship with this team and this country, but I’ve only just scratched the surface. 

Jonathan Heit is a global president and cofounder of Allison+Partners. As part of his responsibility, he works closely with all of our offices and client in APAC. Last August, he relocated to Tokyo to be closer and more accessible to the teams in the region. COVID-19 had other plans.

For the airline industry, this has meant furloughs, empty planes for some, mandatory COVID-19 testing and a battle to put butts in seats where only the strong (aka largest) will survive.

For cruise lines that pride themselves on bragging rights determined by their days spent at sea each year, all have been docked since March and are crossing fingers and bows that they can return to open waters in November or December. Oh, and did I mention everyone’s favorite guilty pleasure of the all-you-can-eat buffet complete with soft serve ice cream till you drop may be a thing of the past? New cruising restrictions and social distancing will most likely cause buffets to also sail off into the sunset with the pandemic.

For a hotel industry that has lost more than $46 billion in revenue to date and is on pace to lose up to $400 million in room revenue per day, this has meant taking what you can get – being flexible with rates and open to new ventures including renting rooms out as offices by hour, providing assistance with home schooling, hosting virtual celebrations and everything in between.

With the second wave of COVID-19 just beginning and major metropolitan areas like NYC threatening a second shutdown, the travel industry must stand tall and proud and shout from the rafters that it is down, but not for the count. To do this, hospitality brands should consider the following:

Find Real Tensions and Lean In

Recently, we launched a Chief Virtual Learning Officer (CVLO) program for Kimpton. It was born out of a true tension – during the pandemic, parents do it all. From at-home teacher, to always-on employee, to devoted caretaker, the juggling never ends. And parents seek help wherever they can find it. From here was born an opportunity – find a real way to help parents when most complain that just getting their kid on Zoom (while they are Zooming away too) is half the battle. Our CVLO does that, and media and real-life consumers eat and book it up. Brands that aspire to break though must find true insights and create opportunities to lighten the load or solve for a problem at a time when the world seems filled with nothing but problems. Research shows if brands are there for consumers during their time of need in a way that is true to their brand ethos, consumers will remember this and pay it forward with future loyalty.

TapIN To Remain Relevant

At Allison+Partners, we believe brands must live at the intersection of culture and commerce. And now, in an era where celebrities and brands are literally cancelled every day, showing proof of cultural relevance is more important than ever. This can be done by following the news like a hawk and acting quickly where and when it makes sense for your brand. A great example of this is the #12footskelaton that you may have seen spooking your Instagram feed as of late. Turns out this 12-foot-tall skeleton from Home Depot is currently “the year’s most sought after Halloween decoration,” and has since sold out. While the spook-tastic trend had been picked up on by some mainstream media outlets and showed off by consumers, including Kourtney Kardashian, the Allison+Partners TapIN team identified that not only had brands not jumped in yet, but the trend had the potential viral ability to become the next Art Basel banana. We acted fast and convinced Budweiser to jump in. Within 24 hours, we staged a photo shoot and created our own trend, which many brands (including several A+P clients) have already jumped in on and gotten coverage for. The keys here are agility and speed – knowing that catching trends on the upswing can set you apart from the crowd, and that catching them on the downfall can make you look utterly out of touch, or worse, out of culture. 

Little Things Matter – Now More Than Ever

At a time when so much has been taken away from us, the little things matter now more than ever. Amidst chaos, consumers look for a sense of calm, normalcy and a little je ne sais quoi  when it comes to service they’ve come to know and love. Quarantine has left us longing for social connection. But in-restaurant dining remains on hold and lobbies are no longer living rooms, so brands must lean into service as a differentiator. Whether it’s delivering “ridiculously personal experiences” like Kimpton does, surprising and delighting your guests while quarantined in their room with creature comforts of home, or even going the extra mile to find news ways to keep perks alive even during a pandemic, the little things are sure to be remembered when 2020 finally ends.

We hope you found even just a little bit of sage advice in these late-night musings. If not, and when all else fails, just rent out Hell (Michigan that is) like Airbnb did this week!

If you're interested in learning how our travel and tourism team can help your brand during this time, get in touch at Emily.Wilson-Sawyer@allisonpr.com. 

Emily is a seasoned communications professional with nearly 20 years of experience developing integrated communications strategies and driving creative ideation for clients, including international hotel brands, world famous chefs, airlines, CPG products, restaurant chains and more. She is known for her creativity and breakthrough thinking and has been responsible for many large-scale award winning and results driving campaigns, including bringing the first food tech product to CES and pairing Hilton Hotels & Resorts with Onion Labs to launch its Hilton Urgent Vacation Care Center.

To be transparent here, Smile Train is one of the agency’s clients. It is the world’s largest cleft organization focused on a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate. It is also first cleft-focused organization with a model of true sustainability – providing training, funding and resources empowering local medical professionals in more than 90 countries to provide free cleft repair surgery and comprehensive cleft care in their own communities. To date, Smile Train has supported safe and quality cleft care for more than 1.5 million children.

On World Smile Day®, Smile Train launched its #540Today campaign to recognize the 540 babies born with clefts each day – many without proper access to treatment. I’m excited about this fundraising opportunity for so many different reasons:

Nonprofit Perseverance  

As COVID-19 has negatively impacted the nonprofit community, Smile Train, like many others has stepped up and let its stakeholders know the pandemic won’t slow them down and they will continue to develop programs that raise awareness and funds for their cause. More than 37,000 cleft surgeries have been put on hold since January, and the organization’s services are critical as surgeries are able to resume.

The Power of Talent

Along with the S.H.I.E.L.D cast reunion, Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Ciara will host the virtual fundraiser. Other celebrity guests and supporters will include Gabrielle Union-Wade, Elle King, Ginger Zee, Kevin Smith and more, all connecting with fans while raising awareness and funds for Smile Train’s lifesaving work.

Real Heroes

The Smile Train team, doctors, care workers, counselors and corporate partners make a real difference every day. They change lives, and events like World Smile Day® Live share their stories and impact.

World Smile Day® Live begins at 8 p.m. ET with special pre-show entertainment beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. Supporters can also engage right now through the virtual photobooth.


Scott Pansky is a co-founder of the agency and leads Allison+Partners’ Social Impact group. Scott has extensive experience providing communications and crisis counsel to education, corporate and nonprofit organizations. 

Being Thirsty Comes with the Territory 

A lot of thru-hikers aren’t in the business of carrying water – it’s one of the heaviest items in the pack. Many prefer to get hydrated at the stream and carry very little in the pack. But it’s risky in late August, when many streams are bone-dry. Being OK with running out of water on the trail takes a little getting used to... I’ll admit there was a lot of lip-licking in one 7-mile dry stretch. 

Likewise, businesses today can’t count on typical conditions, whether that’s supply chain, ability to open or consumers’ desire to buy. Businesses need to get hydrated at the stream: shore up financials, get lean and efficient, and sow the seeds for future growth. Achieving a successful pivot is a bit like finding a waterfall after miles of hot, dry trail. Stop a moment, take off the pack, drink up and fill that metaphorical “camel’s hump” on your back – then get to work on the next innovation.   

Lighten Your Load  

Today’s businesses must be agile, quick and light. Like a hiker choosing what goes into their pack, businesses must intentionally reduce drag. We must find faster ways to ideate concepts and quickly bring forward testable iterations – in product and service, in communications, and in business and operational models. Just like a thru-hiker leaving creature comforts at home, it’s key to be judicious about what we carry into a situation, so we can be more flexible in how we respond. 

Be Resilient 

Ever rolled an ankle on the trail? Walked for miles on sharp-edged talus rocks? Faced 4,000 feet of climbing in a 20-mile day? Pressing on despite impediments is what thru-hiking is all about. Getting up that 1,000-foot pass in 85-degree heat is undeniably hard. But the vista at the top (and the downhill that follows) is undeniably rewarding. It propels the hiker forward.  

2020 has felt like that 20-mile day – revenues are down, margins are scarce, and consumer expectations and behavior change daily. But making a successful pivot can feel a lot like the top of the pass. Take a moment to celebrate – reward yourself and your team. Reflect on the effort it took, then use it as a springboard for renewed motivation. The trail brings endless challenges as hikers traverse the ups and downs. 

And Just Keep On Walking  

One of the most powerful moments in long-distance hiking is the reckoning at the point of no return. Being alone 30 miles from the car is a one-of-a-kind feeling – intimidating, yet liberating. Everything hurts, the sun sets and you’re still 4 miles from camp. But like Winston Churchill famously said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”   

The same is true for businesses – we just keep on keeping on. Pace yourself – do what you realistically can, even if it takes a little longer. Get comfortable with uncomfortable and do whatever it takes. Hiking in the dark to get to camp is a lot like pulling an all-nighter to develop a new product concept. Pushing through blisters is a lot like relentlessly pounding the pavement to win new clients.  

The only way out of 2020 is through 2020. We all have to just keep on hiking. 

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you with your branding needs, get in touch at paul.sears@allisonpr.com. 

Paul Sears is Executive Vice President, Integrated Marketing.  With nearly 20 years in advertising, social media, content and brand strategy, Paul spends most of his time helping clients sharpen their strategic focus – at the brand level or for individual products and campaigns.    

Elsewhere, independent health experts have expressed a number of serious concerns about an expedited vaccine. Primarily, their concerns focus on the health risks associated with a potentially  faulty vaccine. Experts also worry a fast-tracked vaccine could significantly damage public confidence in the vaccine’s efficacy, which would hobble even a safe vaccine’s ability to immunize key portions of the population. According to, University of Michigan Chief Health Officer Dr. Preeti Malani, “You could have a safe, effective vaccine that no one wants to take.”

A recent KFF poll supports this notion, showing roughly 54% of Americans would not want to get vaccinated ahead of the November election. This mixed messaging and waning confidence could lead to significant issues with returning to an office-based work schedule. Additionally, should cases surge in the coming months, such a return would be even further down the road.

*KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted August 28-September 3, 2020)

Producing an effective and safe vaccine is a complex process usually comprised of four pre-approval steps that begin with preclinical tests on animals. According to the New York Times, 92 confirmed preclinical vaccines are in active development as of Sept. 23.

Once preclinical testing concludes, Phase 1 safety trials begin with a small group of people to determine if the vaccine is safe and stimulates the human immune system against the COVID-19 virus.

Phase 2 entails expanding trials to hundreds of people from different demographics to confirm the vaccine is effective regardless of key population variants, such as age or gender. Phase 2 trials also expand on safety and efficacy testing.

Phase 3 trials, the final trials before early approval, are efficacy trials comprised of thousands of volunteers, some of whom receive placebo. The goal of Phase 3 is to determine if the vaccine immunizes people against the COVID-19 virus in everyday life. From there, vaccines move on to early approval and final approval.

Current leaders in the race for a vaccine include Johnson & Johnson, AstraZenca, University of Oxford, Pfizer and Moderna, all of which are in Phase 3. Despite this progress, the two front runners Pfizer and Moderna have not expressed confidence in a vaccine becoming readily available any time soon.

On Sept. 17, Modern released its 135-page clinical trial protocol and Pfizer followed suit Sept. 18 with its own 137-page protocol. These complex protocols indicate the first analysis of relevant data may not be conducted until late December. According to the protocol Moderna released, final analyses of the vaccine’s efficacy are projected for March 2021 at the earliest. These timetables cannot be meaningfully expedited because of the waiting periods between initial vaccinations, booster shots and subsequent data analysis.

Despite some Chinese and Russian companies’ decisions to push into early approval without completing this final phase, attempting to cut corners in a Phase 3 trial is a reckless move that carries considerable risk. According to medical experts like NYU’s Langone’s Division of Medical Ethics Director Arthur Caplan, China and Russia’s decision to do so is “[A] really insane and terrible idea… it’s staggeringly hard to comprehend.”

Given this information, weighing your options and planning is the best way to insulate your business from exposing itself to COVID-19 risks. Although many are hopeful sustained low infection rates may spur state and local officials to continue the reopening process, this is a tenuous and fluid situation that should be reviewed week-by-week or month-by-month basis.

Additionally, even if a vaccine came out in the next few months, it would be virtually impossible for a business to force its employees to take it. Notwithstanding the regulatory and legal implications, the reputational impact a brand would expose itself to would be immense.

While a vaccine may instill confidence in a proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, that light is likely further away than it may seem today. These are some of the unfortunate realities we must all face as we try to return to normal business operations.     

If you’d like to learn more about how our global reputation + risk management team can support you during this time, get in touch with Barbara Laidlaw at barbara@allisonpr.com

Barbara Laidlaw brings 25 years of experience developing and running programs that help companies prepare, protect, and defend their brand reputation through global and national events, recalls, litigation, data breaches, regulatory issues and labor disputes.

Josiah Adams works on Allison + Partners’ global risk + issues management team and provides federal, state and local policy insights.

As the population ages, this growth will only continue. Since 2011, nearly 10,000 people a day have been enrolled in Medicare. This rate is expected to continue through 2030, when more than 80 million total enrollees are forecasted – a 20% increase over today’s total (MedPac).  And according to the National Council on Aging, about 80% of older adults have at least one chronic disease and 68% have at least two. 

Advancements in telehealth and other areas during the COVID-19 response will forever positively change many aspects of healthcare. This will leave us better prepared not only for the next pandemic, but for the major public health issues that existed before COVID-19 and will persist long into the future.

Yet, the sector faces a highly complex web of impacts and challenges that stretch well beyond the pandemic and current headlines. Today’s news cycles have followed a predictable pattern. First, the effort response to flattening the curve and meeting demand for critical PPE and respiratory devices dominated coverage. Now, the race for the vaccine captures the narrative. 

But beyond the headlines, the reality is the pandemic has also further strained many weaknesses already evident in our healthcare system and gave rise to new challenges. A number of very real, systemic challenges in healthcare create an undercurrent of turmoil that will impact the healthcare industry for years to come.

These issues include:

• The response to COVID-19 has revealed significant racial and economic inequities in our healthcare system. Social determinants of care and the impacts of systemic racism on public health have emerged as key long overdue issues to be solved.
• Lockdowns on non-essential services and subsequent slowdown in non-emergency care has created significant financial strains on the sector that are expected to linger well beyond peak COVID-19.
• Longer-term impacts of delayed primary care on vulnerable populations – particularly seniors, the poor and racial minorities – threaten to exacerbate chronic health issues.
• Rural access to healthcare amid increasing hospital closures and reduction of services.
• Delays in care outside of COVID-19, leading to a predicted excess of tens of thousands of cancer deaths over the next decade as a result of missed screenings, delays in diagnosis and reductions in oncology care caused by the pandemic.
• Continuing/increasing concerns about patient privacy and data ownership amid increased use of telemedicine/connected health.
• Outdated regulatory and reimbursement frameworks on telemedicine and connected health standing as barriers to increased adoption.
• The continued challenges of achieving true interoperability between healthcare providers, systems, technology and the information they need to achieve the best outcomes for patients.
• The ability of services to scale to meet the needs of an aging population.

For healthcare organizations communicating in today’s environment, building and preserving brand reputation and relationships with patients, customers and the public will increasingly be contingent on marrying words with actions and the ability to link the organization’s efforts with real solutions to these existing and emerging challenges.   

The world seeks leadership in healthcare – not just those who conduct business as usual, or those who merely talk about meeting these challenges. The opportunity exists for healthcare organizations of all types to step up and take a leadership role and effectively build brand affinity, credibility and respect among their key audiences. This will truly make a difference in helping move healthcare forward into a new era of access, efficiency and quality of care. 

Among the strategies we see as helping healthcare organizations stand out: 

• Stake a position and be a leader in driving change: Align your service, showcase product or technology innovations with today’s emergent challenges and be clear about how your organization helps to address and/or improve quality of or access to care. Lead through action and let the communications follow – not just during COVID-19 but beyond.
• Engage employees: Employees and care providers are your greatest advocates and resources. Whether it’s aligned with racial justice and access-to-care issues or as the leaders innovating new technologies and innovations that transform care, engage and include employees as part of the solution.
• Harness patient and customer stories: Now is the time to let your patients and customers tell their stories – and yours. Create a library of testimonials and a resource of advocates and use them in your internal and external communications to give your brand an authentic voice. In particular, amplify underrepresented voices – those who have been lost in the system.
• Evaluate partnerships: Review any current community and/or business partnerships. Are they still relevant in today’s environment? Do they make an impact – help support organizational/business goals while driving meaningful change within the entire community?
• Communicate across channels: The media environment is challenging. Healthcare media are largely focused on the vaccine and election issues, and it can be difficult to get an alternative story told. Evaluate social and content strategies and test new ways of using owned and paid channels as opportunities to communicate with your key audiences. 

There are opportunities abound for leadership in healthcare. But for organizations that want to stand out, action must support words. Building a strong brand and affinity with key audiences will come from driving real changes and showing how those changes improve access and quality of care, driving beyond the headlines to create lasting improvements that endure long beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you’d like to learn more about our expertise in healthcare, visit here or get in touch. 

Brian is the General Manager of Allison+Partners San Diego office.  Brian has more than 25 years of experience building and protecting brands across a range of industries, with an emphasis on health care.  Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic he has counseled clients in the health care industry regarding their proactive and reactive communications in light of the rapidly evolving media, public policy and regulatory landscape.

Moving away from the direct-to-consumer advertisers, using podcasts to generate leads requires some additional work. For years, print ads promoted /XYZ after a URL with uneven impact. It turns out even the most “memorable” URLs were difficult to remember. But podcasts visitors can simply hit the rewind button or replay an episode. And podcasters themselves use free podcasts to promote premium services.

With a clear definition of a lead, advertisers can use podcasts to generate leads and do the math to connect those leads to sales. Retailers, such as Trader Joe’s, have advertised their own podcasts on NPR’s podcast network. It is easy to imagine how a retailer can track the confluence of podcast listeners and shoppers by highlighting exclusive offers on their own podcasts.

The absence of real-time conversion data is where the art of media buying and the science of media measurement collide – an advertiser that wants leads can seek the demographic data of the listeners of a specific podcast and match that with the topics typically discussed. If it seems “Blackpacking” has the right audience discussing the right things, an audio ad for travel gear makes sense. But, beyond simply making sense, the advertiser can check to see the total traffic to widgetbrand.com/blackpacking. Those are the leads easily tracked back to the ad on Blackpacking.

For B2B advertisers, where the definition of a lead may require explicit contact information added to a CRM database, similar techniques can be used. SquareSpace.com/StarTalk is the key for listeners of the Neil deGrasse Tyson podcast to unlock a discount. Garyvee.com/marketingforthenow is how Gary Vaynuerchuk advertised his content webinar series via his podcast. Register for the webinar – voila, you are a lead.

A more typical path in B2B will follow the example set out by Adobe in its Experience Essentials series. The series itself burnishes Adobe’s reputation as a thought leader in customer experience, and assists marketers in understanding how multi-channel marketing can boost performance. But Adobe also uses its podcast to drive traffic to https://www.adobe.com/experience-cloud/role/marketer.html

From there, live chat, the contact us button and the ability to register for free virtual events or download analyst reports turn podcast traffic into actionable leads. It may not be certain the lead came from a podcast – yet, if the podcast performs a different role, adding a lead gen component is an easy way to squeeze even more value out of the tactic.

Thus, whether explicitly to deliver leads or serve another purpose, our advice to marketers producing podcasts is simple: create and promote a unique URL extension to which you will direct podcast listeners. From there, promote the same offers that are available to traffic from other sources (paid search, re-marketing banners, trade eNewsletters). Existing tracking can the be used to understand which leads are attributable to the podcast, and marketers have another channel they can measure, optimize and compute ROI on their way to filling the sales pipe. Improvements in ad measurement have arrived, and more may come. But there is no reason to wait.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help your integrated marketing needs, get in touch at terrance.mcdermott@allisonpr.com 

Terry McDermott is a digital evangelist with expertise in turning objectives into strategic plans and developing, executing, and measuring demand generation programs. He leverages his background in direct response techniques, including CRM marketing, to develop insights that build lead gen and customer acquisition campaigns. He also creates account-based marketing programs for key prospects, selecting targets via predictive modeling and creating marketing automation campaigns to nurture and score leads. Additionally, McDermott advocates for investments in emerging digital products, technologies and channels, while building and managing teams to generate leads, boost sales and increase awareness.

TikTok content is clearly much more than the latest dance craze for teens, though it has an extraordinary and growing impact on the music business. Its content crosses all forms of entertainment, religion, education, DIY cooking, grilling and home renovation, among many other categories. It also hosts political coverage across a broad political spectrum that actually leans right, despite the widely reported case of the pesky teen K Pop fans that torpedoed President Donald Trump's rally in Tulsa. There really is something for everyone on TikTok. 

This broad reach is one reason why TikTok still manages to dominate the headlines during a worldwide pandemic, a U.S. presidential election and a historic fight for racial justice led by the Black Lives Matter movement.   

Let’s review what’s gone on in just the past few months:

• In early June, Disney’s Kevin Mayer became CEO of TikTok on the heels of the successful launch of streaming service Disney+.
• June 29, India banned TikTok along with 58 other Chinese-owned apps over concerns that these apps were engaging in activities that threatened “national security and defence of India
• Just two months later, Trump signed an executive order effectively banning the app in the U.S. beginning Sept. 15 and requiring the company sell to a U.S. company
• A flurry of interest in the company ensued, led by potential bids by Microsoft, Oracle and Walmart in the span of just a few weeks
• A subsequent executive order signed Aug. 14 pushed the deadline for a transaction to be completed to Nov. 12
• On Aug. 27, Mayer stepped down as CEO after less than three months on the job
• Two days later, China introduced a “poison pill” that makes any deal nearly impossible by making the transfer of AI from a Chinese entity illegal
• On Sept. 7, TikTok filed suit against the U.S. government to avoid a ban 

Whether you agree with the politics behind India and the United States’ actions or China’s countermeasures, the reverberations are undeniable. The offer from Microsoft and others were originally believed to be in the $30 billion range, and the overall valuation of Bytedance was estimated at between $100 billion and $150 billion. 

Of course, these deals were all formulated prior to China’s attempts to extricate the AI from the package, which would bring the value down considerably. If you’ve spent any time on TikTok, and the chart that follows shows many of you have, you’ll recognize the value is in the algorithm. 

That’s true of any social platform. But the key to TikTok is an algorithm unlike any other. Despite movements toward transparency, this is the very AI that China aims to hold onto and is at the heart of U.S. concerns, along with data security and privacy. The way the app quickly learns user interests and tailors videos for them on their “For You” page is almost eerie. Within two to three days of using the app, users get served nearly tailor-made and customized videos.

Brands, consumers, parents and the market have begun to recognize this is far more than just the aforementioned collection of fun videos set to music by teenagers. As my colleagues Pranav Kumar and Natashia Jaya pointed out in their blog here, the COVID-19 pandemic kept human interaction at an all-time low and TikTok outpaced the competition by a wide margin by bringing people together in a more meaningful way.

In terms of potential suitors, Microsoft has a good track record in consumer entertainment and social media (think Xbox and LinkedIn) and already does significant business in China. As such, it seemed to be a strong potential partner with a security legacy far better than Facebook or Amazon. Despite, or perhaps because of, its grander ambitions, Microsoft learned over the weekend its bid was rejected in favor of a less all-encompassing deal by Oracle. 

Oracle is a Trump favorite. That may have played a factor in the ultimate decision, which will certainly evolve over time as the deal consummates. While Wal-Mart originally appeared to be a bit more of dark horse as a partner with Microsoft’s deal, further reporting made it clear the value this would add to the world’s largest company and the value it brings to marketers across the spectrum.

Not content to stand by idly and allow its fate to be decided, TikTok went on the marketing offensive. On Aug. 18, the company launched its boldest ad campaign featuring a mix of clips from a wide range of creators set to the song “Sing to Me” by Walter Martin featuring Karen O. The campaign focuses on TikTok’s position as more than just a personal plaything, but a platform capable of creating “a global, cultural moment that travels across countries, cultures and communities.” Furthermore, it splashed media dollars across podcasts and other channels to reach as broad an audience as possible. 

Through this prism, Walmart’s involvement in this deal begins to make a lot more sense.

In a statement talking about the deal, Walmart noted this represents “an important way for us to reach and serve omnichannel customers as well as grow our third-party marketplace and advertising businesses.”

At the same time, TikTok recognizes the value of its enormous and passionate user base and upped the ante to partner more closely with agencies. It brought in a full-time team to focus on building relationships with brands and aggressively marketed “TikTok for Business” to enhance revenue-generating opportunities for brands on the platform.

Already, users have seen a variety of ads from high-profile brands. But trust and safety issues abound, not to mention the usual tension between user experience and profit-making. The platform has taken important steps to stem bullying on the platform, but it must also account for data privacy and security. This is one of the central concerns in the ongoing U.S.-China rift, and it’s a driving force in the current administration’s push to sell the American operation to a U.S. company. For its purposes, Beijing would rather see the site shut down than sold to Oracle or any U.S. company. 

How TikTok navigates this and maintains its prodigious user base is an important evolution and will show its commitment to sticking around for the long haul. Will the gambit ultimately pay off? One thing is for sure. There will be no shortage of media coverage documenting every step of the way.

Jonathan Heit is a co-founder and partner at Allison+Partners, as well as a trusted adviser to some of today’s best-known technology brands. In his role as global president he focuses on the growth and operations of the agency’s two largest regions, Asia and the U.S. Jonathan also serves as global chair of the Technology practice, spearheading work in both the consumer and B2B categories.

I grew up in Westchester County, New York, just 35 miles north of Manhattan. My childhood was awesome. I lived a street away from my school and enjoyed endless playgrounds. I was allowed to ride my bike everywhere. I would go to my friends’ houses, the deli down the street and my school… I owned that town. 

It was the last year of elementary school on a beautiful Tuesday morning in September. I was 10 years old and in a really good mood because my oldest sister was unexpectedly home from college. My family was all together for the first time in a month.

I was in Mr. Henderson’s math class. As we worked through the problems on the board, my homeroom teacher Mr. Frye barged in and called on my classmate Greg. He said his mom was there to pick him up. “Greg is so lucky he gets to leave early today,” I thought.

A bit later, Mr. Frye returned, and it was Ricky and Kay’s turn to go home. Someone from the back of the room shouted: “Mr. Frye, what’s going on? Why does everyone get to go home early?” 

He replied, “Didn’t you know? It’s National Go Home Early Day!” and he left.

The next thing I know, they corralled us all back to homeroom. Rumors flew, teachers held back their tears and we sensed something was wrong. I recall hearing an atomic bomb was headed our way. I wasn’t even sure what an “atomic bomb” was! But I knew a bomb was a bad thing and that my school day had turned into organized chaos. 

Eventually, they put us all on buses and I headed home still unsure about what had happened. I walked into the house and saw my middle sister in the kitchen watching the TV and crying. The World Trade Center was in flames on the screen. My heart sank and I ran to the family room to my older sister, who sat in silence watching the same thing unfold. I started to panic.

My dad came home some time later. He was in Albany that day with his boss and had driven home as soon as he could. My mom didn’t come home until much later. I was already in bed but awake. She was a healthcare worker, so she had to stay at work in case any victims came to her hospital. It was all hands-on deck. When they realized there were more dead than survivors, she made her way home to us. I’m one of the lucky ones.

I wasn’t old enough to deeply understand what was happening. But I was old enough to remember that day and for 9/11 to define me. I will always remember what I saw and felt, and I will never forget the resiliency I witnessed in New Yorkers. It is one of the main reasons I wanted to live in New York City when I grew up.

In my life, and many Americans’, there are two time periods – before 9/11 and after. It feels as if 2020 is on the same path. This year, we have our “normal” lives before March, where we lived in a carefree world. And we have our lives after March, where everything came to a halt and we wonder if our “normal” will ever return.

Though signs of normalcy now emerge in New York City, we remain far from where we would like to be. But like life after 9/11, we now need to give this city time to rebuild. Unfortunately, we can’t snap our fingers and return to the pre-March mindset. 

I look forward to the day where I will wake up, get ready and head to Allison+Partners’ new office in One World Trade. It feels as though my life has come full circle.

Shanna Brown is the marketing and business development manager in the New York City office. 

Over the past few months, our team has worked closely with the foundation on ways our team members could participate in its new mentorship program and provide opportunities for both our mentors and their mentees to learn from each other. While the main goal of the program is to provide professional mentors to ethnic minority undergraduate and graduate students and young professionals in advertising, marketing and public relations, we also wanted to develop our agency’s side of the program to allow the mentee’s experiences to inform and share their unique perspectives with us.

The LAGRANT Foundation’s annual mentorship will run from October through April. One mentee from the foundation will pair with a mentor who is currently employed in a field that relates to the mentee’s career goals. Mentors will be a resource and provide guidance and support to their mentee’s professional goals. The time invested by the mentor and mentee will lead to new ideas, help build enthusiastic future leaders and nurture supporting professional relationships.

From my experience, I know just how rewarding it is to help someone as they start their career. It’s almost like going back in time – you get to share in their joys of discovering an area of passion and celebrate their successes! A bonus is just how much you get to learn from your mentee. I have always been amazed by the amount of creative ideas and new perspectives I got from the mentees I worked with throughout the years. 

If you seek a rewarding way to help someone starting their career or looking to change their career, seriously consider becoming a mentor! You won’t regret the decision.  

Kay Brungs Laud is a senior vice president and works out of Allison+Partners’ Chicago office. Prior to starting her career in public relations, she lived and worked in Washington, D.C., where worked on the Hill and was part of two presidential campaigns. She graduated from American University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

With so much happening around us, this year’s volunteer efforts seem more meaningful than ever. It does not take a company of more than 500 to have an impact. However, one person can make a difference. Helping your neighbor, providing someone living on the street with a warm meal, or thanking those who deliver packages, make meals, or stock the grocery store shelves really does have a positive impact.  

Please join us and make a difference in your community this month, whether it’s sharing a story that puts a smile on someone’s face or just letting them know how special they are. In these uncertain times, this is just one simple way we can all help.  

We look forward to our 20th anniversary next year, when we can finally visit those impacted in person, face to face.

But while there are certainly benefits to working remotely, working from home during the pandemic is less advantageous.  

Satisfaction levels from working from home during the pandemic depend greatly on personal situation. Working parents with kids stuck at home who try to balance Wi-Fi usage and dueling conference calls find the situation far more challenging than couples whose kids are grown and out of the house. But it can also be a stressful for two working professionals living in a small apartment not to feel as if they are constantly under each other’s feet. And the sense of isolation and disconnection for single working professionals can also take its toll.  

Bottom line, there is a big difference in being forced to work from home during a pandemic and having the opportunity to work remotely – wherever that might be.  

We believe one of the biggest long-term effects on the workplace and the office market will be a greater emphasis on flexibility. Most companies will likely offer more flexibility on where and when its employees get their work done. Working remotely some days and in the office other days seems a likely scenario. 

Bringing teams together in an office can foster a shared vision, increase creativity, provide training, build culture and togetherness, and sometimes lead to smarter solutions and better results for clients. Our business, like many others, is based on building trust and personal relationships— something difficult to do on a Teams or Zoom call. For all the benefits of working remotely, there are times when an office is an invaluable asset. While there will be short term pain in almost every sector of real estate, we believe there will be long-term gain. 

The New York Times recently published a story about China’s early stages of return to normalcy.  

“In Shanghai, restaurants and bars in many neighborhoods are teeming with crowds. In Beijing, thousands of students are heading back to campus for the fall semester.” it said. “In Wuhan, where the coronavirus emerged eight months ago, water parks and night markets are packed elbow to elbow, buzzing like before. 

“While the United States and much of the world are still struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic, life in many parts of China has in recent weeks become strikingly normal. Cities have relaxed social distancing rules and mask mandates, and crowds are again filling tourist sites, movie theaters and gyms.” 

While it might be months before the U.S. is ready to reopen completely, I find this hopeful. The best advice we can offer our clients is not to make long-term decisions based on COVID-19. 

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help your real estate needs, get in touch at NPrice@allisonpr.com 

Natalie Price is a Senior Vice President with the Real Estate team where she focuses on the entitlement, development and marketing of commercial real estate. 

We’ve created mailers that evoke positive reactions, executed virtual campaigns that bring people together and even sent simple emails with the question, “How can we help?” Though not product-driven, these actions go a long way – especially among some multicultural influencers who view their followers as their community and their Instagram feed as their platform for social good.  

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that compassion goes a long way. Efforts that go beyond the transactional relationship are key for fostering lifelong loyalty. And while brand marketers are ultimately working to drive sales, building brand affinity can be just as – if not more – valuable.  

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you with community and media relations strategies, get in touch at jessica.peraza@allisonpr.com.  

Jessica Peraza is an account director at Allison+Partners in the Phoenix office. She focuses on community and media relations strategies for consumer clients and specializes in reaching Latino audiences. 

In all seriousness, this moment in time does afford us an opportunity to reflect on leadership in new ways and examine what our teams need most from those who lead now and in the future. As I recently put aside the daily to-dos and pondered my leadership journey of late, I had so many thoughts. Too many thoughts, in fact, as this is a topic I think about every single day and night. How do I best support and lead the San Francisco office, my colleagues and my clients? Like many leaders before me, I decided to seek input to help crystalize my thoughts, speaking to fellow leaders in and out of Allison+Partners, along with a number of my teammates whom I manage day-to-day.

How does one lead a virtual workforce during a pandemic that has no immediate end in sight? Here are four critical characteristics I’ve landed on, with a little help from some friends:

1. Vulnerability – This one just recently cracked open for me, as well as for many of the leaders I spoke with. When we closed our offices in mid-March and began to weather this storm while working remotely, it felt empowering to stay strong and do my part nearly around-the-clock to keep things afloat and morale up. And that we did! But some 165 days later, it serves no one, especially yourself, if you can’t acknowledge vulnerabilities and truly open up with those you lead. No longer do I start every meeting over Microsoft Teams by getting straight to work. We ask about each other’s kids, partners and pets. We talk about how we feel and really listen when someone shares what they did over the weekend. We open up about our insecurities, like sending kids back to school. I see each of my colleagues and clients for who they really are, in and out of work. They too have gotten a side of me that isn’t afraid to share if I’m trying to solve a unique client challenge or in need of creative ideation support for our twice-weekly office huddles to keep them fresh. I’m certain we’re all better professionals, and people, due to this newfound vulnerability. It’s not only strengthened our relationships, we do our best work because of it.
2. Transparency – My colleague Courtney Newman wrote about the importance of being transparent to strengthen company culture in late April. Three months later, I’d argue this is more important now than it was then, because we don’t entirely know what next month will bring and it’s OK to acknowledge that. I have spoken with countless colleagues who say they implicitly trust our senior leadership, and ultimately the company, due to our ongoing transparency about the business today and our plans for tomorrow, next month and years to come. This is brought to life with “Ask Anything” questions during a monthly all-agency video call, numerous internal communications forums, our twice-annual Town Hall meetings, the CEO advisory council and my personal “no BS” policy during one-on-one check-ins with team members. This honesty, even when challenging, opens us up to reimagined collective problem solving and has fostered a trust like none I’ve seen in a corporate culture. Our team is deeply invested and supportive of each other – from top to bottom. Further, this transparency carries over to how we work with and treat our clients, the lifeblood to our business.
3. Availability – A+P has always prioritized access and a direct open line of communication to leadership. Our open door policy has been far more than a talking point used in recruiting – it’s the backbone to our engaged workforce and how we’ve developed countless company initiatives. It’s also something I take incredible personal pride in. It’s more critical with a virtual team to be available to them when in need and to commit to consistent weekly check-ins, even with team members I don’t directly work with every day. Or to proactively reach out to someone in the office just to let them know I’m thinking about them and there if they want to talk. Sometimes this means we connect once my kids are in bed or while I take a walk before sitting down at my laptop for the day. Don’t worry, our colleagues also acknowledge we all have lives outside of work too and do not Teams and text me at all hours. But they know if there is a need, I’ll make the time without hesitation. And while leaders need to be available more than ever to their teams, the oxygen mask metaphor (i.e., you need to put your own oxygen mask on before you can help others) is incredibly relevant for those in leadership right now. I’m endlessly appreciative to work with a leadership team that is quickly there when I too need an ear.
4. Flexibility – By now, you’ve likely read endless content on the importance of flexibility during the pandemic. As our home and work lives have converged, this newfound flexibility starts at the very top and is modeled by senior leadership so all team members know it’s truly OK for them to set up a work schedule that works for them, their teammates and clients. In March, I heard first-hand from teammates that shutting down the laptop for lunch, an afternoon work-out for “Work Out Wednesday” or at the end of the day was a challenge. And so, I’ve looked to constantly reinforce that every single person is dealing with something unique these days (and it’s not just us working parents) and flexibility is non-negotiable. By taking calls on the way to preschool, while making dinner for my family or joining group work-outs over Zoom during the work day, I hope to empower our team to do the same. Of course, with this flexibility comes a need to often overcommunicate schedules and sometimes “catch up” at odd hours. But I’m incredibly gratified to see my colleagues take advantage of this new flexible work environment while continuing to deliver best-in-class work for our clients and each other.

Lastly, I’d be remiss not to mention the simple importance of leading with positivity. While being a transparent and vulnerable confidant, it’s equally important to be buoyant for your teams. I think a sign at my daughter’s school says it best: “When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine!”

I’d love to hear – what is most important to you in leadership these days? And if you are in a leadership position, how have you changed your ways in 2020?

Meghan manages operations for Allison+Partners’ headquarters office in San Francisco. While fostering a collaborative and entrepreneurial environment for staff to thrive, she also oversees strategic public relations campaigns for several consumer brands in travel + tourism, consumer technology, food + beverage and healthcare industries.