2025’s New Branding Frontier? Executive Comms.
I’ll try to not let this turn into Khaner Book Club
I’m jealous of people who “read a book a week” or “a chapter a night” — I wish I was one of you! Despite reading a constant influx of news every day, I’m a slow reader once the laptop is shut. However, some lucky picks were page turners last year and the key points they made have shaped how I think about marketing and communications in 2025.
The Anxious Generation: Jonathan Haidt posits that a “phone-based childhood” has lead to spikes in anxiety, depression, and isolation for late Millenials and Gen Z (essentially anyone under 20 and had Facebook when it came out). My take? We’re more lonely because screen time is replacing face-to-face time.
Extremely Online: Taylor Lorenz brilliantly outlines that at the same time the “phone-based childhood” was happening, an entire class of influencers and viral content creators burst onto the scene. This group leveraged their internet fame to build brand and merchandising deals that fully revolved around their personalities.
Okay. We’re more lonely and helping fill this void is “person-rich” content from YouTube and TikTok personalities.
Brands Take Notice
A Scott Galloway podcast I listened to during the holiday break did a wonderful job of tying these points together. Without diving into the underlying factors, they observe how those trends are shaping the way companies communicate to us (pod version & blog version). Data and key takeaways:
More screen time / less face-to-face time is leading to higher engagement with content that has a human face to it (+38% engagement)
"Human-driven" content is driving our collective move from companies to individuals -- ie. from CNN to Joe Rogan
Companies are noticing and embracing:
In 2021 Mark Zuckerberg posted 29 times to Instagram. Last year: 71.
Spotify embracing short selfie videos by CEO Daniel Elk reviewing quarterly earnings
Shopify doing the same
Embracing these undercurrents and engaging in this manner is leading to better favorability scores for CEOs, brand ambassadors, and ultimately the comapnies they represent -- all driving value.
Is This Executive Comms?
Old Exec Comms was your CEO at a podium with teleprompters. Today’s Exec Comms? A nail salon owner sharing their excitement over the new colors now available.
This is why your agency is asking for more selfies and more videos of you at an event! And hey, if you can help convince someone to go outside and see you or your team somewhere…more power to you.
Maybe I should read my books outside of the house at coffee places?!
“I’m doing my part!” meme here
…okay pushing away from the keyboard folks.
