Merkel’s Personal Brand Is Holding a Fractious Europe Together, For Now

by Jack Martin

Global Chairman, CEO
March 31, 2016

Four Businesses Using Creativity for Social Change

Image of Dubai Lynx Awards 2016

As millennials take over the marketplace and consumers grow more cynical about corporate values, incorporating social responsibility and purpose into business models and mission statements is essential to success. Businesses are coming up with increasingly creative ways to improve communities and affect social change. At the 10th annual Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity, which took place … Read more

Why are Technology CEOs Acting Like Heads of State?

In September 2015, when Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Facebook CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg during a U.S. visit, it was in a way a meeting of the leaders of the world’s two largest countries. With 1.59 billion users, Facebook’s population is bigger than China’s, which is 1.37 billion. Jinping also met with President … Read more

Is AthensLive the Future of News?

We look to Greece’s history for the template of modern democracy. Are we about to look to modern Greece to find a new template for the future of independent news? In 2013, The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, the Greek equivalent of PBS or the BBC, was shut down as part of general austerity measures in response … Read more

As UK Exits EU, the World Enters a New Era

Changes in the balance of power are always preceded by changes in the nature of communication. Last week’s decision by the U.K. to exit the European Union is the direct result of our decades-long move toward a dis-intermediated public sphere, in which all groups have an equal chance at being heard, not just those in … Read more

The ‘social licence’ myth

Original post published by the National Post on October 4, 2016. The term “social licence” is fast becoming one of those ubiquitous expressions that everyone uses, but nobody understands. To some, social licence is a shield used to defend the public interest. To others, it is a sword used to strike down specific infrastructure projects or other … Read more

Can Content Marketing Succeed Without Clickbait? (The Answer May Surprise You)

Sunset Parachute

Who hasn’t been taken in by clickbait? You’re scrolling through Facebook, and all of a sudden you see it—a headline that makes bold, vague claims about what you’re about to click on. You’ll never believe it. You’ll be shocked. You will never look at this thing the same way again. When you get to the … Read more

Brand Superheroes: Finding Your Power and Purpose

Original story posted here.  “With great power comes great responsibility.” – Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben SPIDERMAN IS THE WALL CRAWLER. Superman is the Man of Steel. The Hulk has extraordinary size and strength; Black Widow is an expert assassin; and Aquaman can, um…well he can talk to fish (yeah, I know what you’re thinking, but … Read more

M&A Icebergs Ahead: Public Opinion, Regulatory Enforcement, and Communications Strategy

Public skepticism of big business and increased regulatory scrutiny of merger transactions have emerged as significant threats to large M&A deals. This risk is particularly evident following a string of regulatory decisions that have upset several major announced deals this year. In April 2016, the Treasury Department adopted new regulations related to so-called tax inversions, … Read more

The 2016 Election Decision: Wow

Not one political or media pundit predicted this outcome. Donald Trump: Congratulations. Donald Trump rode a wave of anti-establishment anger to win what is perhaps the ugliest and most exhausting presidential election in history. This is our 90-second initial read on what the election of Donald Trump means for America and beyond. This morning, the … Read more