Is honesty the best policy? A conversation with TrendWatching’s Maxwell Luthy
Brands are at a crossroads.
Rising above the fray requires adapting, not just reacting, to trends. Whether it’s seasoned brands or fledgling startups, trends are transcending categories and consumers’ expectations along with them.
Today’s landscape challenges brands to market strong, honest opinions that also reflect their values. With this push for transparency, brands are shifting from communicating like black boxes to glass boxes.
More than ever, brands must question themselves (and their marketing and communication strategies) before they start trending on Twitter and are forced to react and act.
So how can you become a glass box brand?
Listen to this candid and illuminating conversation between Maxwell Luthy from TrendWatching and Sean Tyson, Quietly’s Chief Strategy Officer, for the trends marketers must harness and why it matters.
Show notes
00:10 – So, who’s Maxwell?
02:40 – The differentiator for brands? Great content
04:29 – The concept of “expectation transfer”
06:06 – Content vs. Oscar winners
06:44 – In the era of glass box brands, radical transparency is smart business
10:27 – Transparent communication makes everyone more powerful—not just those at the top
12:02 – Employees as influencers
17:01 – Authenticity and speaking with the voice of the consumer
18:33 – How historical forces drove us to ethical consumerism
21:54 – Honesty and employee advocacy as validation
22:20 – Upstart companies that have 21st-century ethics baked in
23:32 – Purpose-driven brands and examples of bottom-up messaging
27:46 – Bracing for a burnout generation inside glass box brands
29:29 – What else is reshaping the industry?
31:55 – Understanding attention and save or seize moments
Image: Michael/Unsplash