Ear to the Ground

In the shadow of a deeply divided Congress, our Research and Insights leads – Graeme Trayner and Katie Cissel – shared what they’re learning from listening to policymakers and voters and what it means for communicators:

• Two Americas. Republicans and Democrats often inhabit different worlds, choosing different media sources and seeing issues as zero-sum matters of values and identity.  With this comes often active hostility toward the other side.

• Generational tension. Divisions are generational, not just political. Gen Z and younger millennials will expect large companies to weigh in on social and cultural issues, but are also the least likely to give big business the benefit of the doubt.

• Economic anxiety. Many voters see and feel rising prices but often replay what they hear in the media and about the economy – rather than their own direct, personal experiences.

• Lead with their lens. If your message doesn’t match voters’ experience, they will immediately dismiss it. Communications should be grounded in their understanding of the issue, not just yours.  

• Tuning out. Simply telling your own story as a company or organization isn’t enough – audiences often don’t care or won’t pay attention when there are so many other demands on their time. Instead, you’ve got to show your part of the solution to a large-scale problem they actually care about or speak up for a group that matters to them personally.

As the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit dawns, the signs are positive for the post-COVID reopening of China. Here’s what our colleagues across the world believe engagement with China might look like this year:

Paul Yang, Hong Kong: In 2023, consumers in China will go back to spending but in a more careful and planned manner. For domestic as well as foreign brands, this means both opportunities and competition for consumer insights and innovation.

Daniel Bogler, Tokyo: 2023 will see a temporary thaw in China-Japan relations as a new military hotline opens between the two countries. But rising military spending by Japan—added to existing disagreements over Taiwan and the Senkaku islands—means tensions will rise again.

Brett O’Brien, Washington, DC: Chinese and U.S. policy makers will confront increasing challenges reconciling political imperatives and technological innovation and growth – with the fate of “decoupling” in the balance.

Craig Oliver, London: Diplomatic relations between the UK and China will improve. New Prime Minister Rishi Sunak doesn’t want the openly confrontational approach of his predecessor. But tensions will remain, and we are still a long way from the ‘Golden Age’ of China/UK relations of a decade ago.

William Klein, Berlin: Germany’s coalition government will finally publish its long-awaited China strategy. It’s likely to highlight growing concerns about China’s domestic and foreign policies and about the German economy’s perceived dependence on the Chinese market while also acknowledging the market’s importance for German growth and prosperity.

Biancastella de Angelis, Brussels: Reconciling the contradicting forces shaping EU-Chinese commercial ties will be key. As the EU decouples itself from Russian energy at high economic costs, European leaders are wary of risking the strong trade and investment relations with China, and European companies are exploring new opportunities for growth in China. At the same time, Chinese investments in Europe will face higher public and regulatory scrutiny, while companies will pursue new strategies to decrease their unilateral dependency on Chinese suppliers.

The Washington Post became the latest news outlet to announce layoffs last week on the heels of other outlets like CNN, Gannett, NBC News and Vox. Layoffs can be a sensitive moment so here are a few best practices to keep in mind—courtesy of our Health Media Insights newsletter team— if you’re planning to reach out to reporters soon.

1. Do your due diligence. Make sure whoever you are pitching isn’t at an outlet that recently experienced layoffs. If the reporter or their colleagues have been impacted, consider the tone and timing of your pitch.

2. Update your press list. Now is also a good time to look through your press list to see if any reporters you frequently engage with have been laid off and update their contact information as necessary.

3. Keep the relationship warm. For any affected reporters, keep an eye out for their next move and reach out to congratulate them if or when they land a new media role. In the meantime, reporters may take advantage of freelance opportunities. In a recent issue of Health Insights, we shared some helpful tips and tricks for engaging freelancers in a meaningful way. 

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