CUP OF CORPORATE COMMS: AN UNFILTERED LOOK AT WHAT PERCOLATED IN JUNE

From brand stewardship in Cannes to “carewashing” to subdued pride during Pride Month to the “TikTokification” of internal comms, and manager burnout, these are the key themes that dominated corporate communications news in June 2024. 

Brand stewardship in the spotlight in Cannes 

The 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity highlighted the delicate balance brands must maintain between staying relevant and ensuring brand safety, with the shared responsibility between marketers and communicators, quick decision-making in risky partnerships and authentic engagement strategies being key themes this year. In its Cannes recap, Axios talked about the realm of brand stewardship that now involves “the whole village,” with marketers focused on brand alignment, while communicators ensure brand safety. In a related piece, Ragan discussed the evolving role of communications as the lines between marketing and PR blur, with increasing emphasis on earned media and influencer marketing. The Drum focused on the shift from brand purpose to brand authenticity, highlighting the crucial roles of AI integration and direct consumer engagement in driving future marketing success. And while most coverage included the winners, PRWeek dove into the phenomenon of PR agencies competing on par with traditional advertising agencies at the Festival, demonstrating that creativity is idea-led and can come from anywhere. 

Bottom line: Despite various headwinds, purpose-driven campaigns continue to thrive, showcasing the strength of aligning corporate narratives with audience values. Humanity and humor remain at the heart of cutting-edge creativity. And while AI’s role is growing, a commitment to problem-solving and achieving impact through innovative craft was evident across the Cannes stages and the Grand Prix winners. 

Stakeholders wary of green- and ‘carewashing’ 

As covered in our May Cup of Corporate Comms, taking the check-the-box approach to issues around climate, DEI or employee well-being continues to be detrimental to brands and businesses, unless they are prepared to show tangible ways to put those commitments into action. While consumers may prioritize price over sustainability in their buying decisions, TIME highlighted that they also feel companies bear significant responsibility for cutting emissions, so threading the cost and sustainability needle is increasingly necessary. In a related piece, Financial Times discussed how a company’s green policies come into play for talent attraction and retention — especially with younger talent, quoting a recent Deloitte survey that found 20% of Gen Z and millennials say they have changed jobs or industries because of environmental concerns. A second Financial Times article went further, putting the spotlight on the unintended consequences of companies failing to meet — or even set — sufficiently meaningful climate targets, often having underestimated the scale and complexity of what it takes to make those happen. 

Similarly, coverage continued to focus on the change of tone around DEI commitments — but for very different reasons — going beyond “just” washing those. The Washington Post highlighted that an increasing number of companies no longer discuss their diversity programs, either scaling back or abandoning them completely as a defensive measure against political backlash and/or litigation they fear may be coming. In a related piece, The Wall Street Journal focused on the specific example of a U.S. retailer announcing “it is done with corporate diversity and many environmental efforts” amidst a surge of conservative activist complaints, citing several other examples of large companies where shareholders voted on proposals opposing environmental and social initiatives this year. Meanwhile in the employee well-being space, HBR covered ‘carewashing’ — the misalignment between what leaders portray as cultures of care (often referencing organizational values) versus employees’ actual daily experiences at work, quoting a Gallup survey that found the percentage of employees who strongly agree that their organization cares about their well-being has plunged from 49% in 2020 to 21% in 2024.  

Bottom line: While companies may try to attribute their green or DEI rollback attempts to political and regulatory factors that they claim are outside their control, stakeholders often perceive them to lack ambition instead. Abandoning climate or DEI programs or merely paying lip service to employee care can damage a brand’s reputation and erode internal morale. For communicators and marketers, it’s critical to stay the course, transparently showcasing genuine initiatives and tangible results, and bridging the gap between what is promised and what is delivered. 

Subdued pride during Pride month 

Pride month this year seemed quieter than years past, with no big controversies that erupted or creative campaigns that stood out, likely due to the anti-LBGTQ+ sentiment that’s been on the rise in the U.S. since 2023. Inc. discussed the silver lining, suggesting companies might shift their focus to reaffirming their dedication to the LGBTQ+ community in other ways and not just during the month of June. In a related piece, Fast Company highlighted why supporting the LGBTQ+ community is good for workers, consumers, and companies —and vice versa. Human Resource Executive agreed that prioritizing LBGTQ+ inclusion is increasingly considered a smart business decision, offering practical tips to avoid Pride month conflicts. And The Washington Post and WSJ both focused on the bigger picture: how LBGTQ+ rights changed around the world this past year, highlighting Thailand as the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. 

Bottom line: While brands may not have publicized their efforts, many are only dropping the spotlight, not their support for the LBGTQ+ community, kind of like saying, “If you know, you know.” Instead of flying rainbow flags during Pride month, special merchandising and marketing campaigns around Pride and other cultural months may be evolving into year-round philanthropy and activism that reflects a natural progression — there may be fewer brands seeking to make a big statement with the LBGTQ+ community increasingly regarded as part of the norm and accepted worldwide. 

The ‘TikTokification’ of internal comms 

As employees’ social media behaviors in their personal lives continue to change their comms needs and preferences at work, internal communicators are responding with ‘TikTokification’ — an emphasis on bite-size, relatable, authentic and community-based content across platforms — along with less polished, more raw and relatable storytelling. PRDaily covered the phenomenon in detail, highlighting the need to embrace informal, off-the-cuff content and short, snappy videos, as well as involve employees in content creation to capture their attention and build trust and engagement. In a related piece, HBR explored alternative approaches like gamification, which provides autonomy, facilitates competence, and fosters community, addressing the critical need for more dynamic and inclusive engagement strategies. Ragan took a step back to focus on the power of the classic five-part narrative structure — including a beginning, rising action, turning point, falling action and conclusion — to make complex information more digestible and engaging. And another Ragan piece reviewed storytelling techniques like the SCARF model, which focuses on the five pillars of psychological safety — status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness and fairness — and understanding small actions that drive significant changes in order to influence employee behavior. 

Bottom line: Influencing employee behavior in our post-pandemic world requires more than just communication — it involves seeking commitment rather than compliance. Structural interventions, personalized approaches and fostering trust are crucial. Creating an environment where employees feel valued and autonomous can lead to better engagement and alignment with organizational goals. 

Manager burnout: The overlooked crisis 

Another continued thread from our May coverage is the increasing focus on manager burnout — which is twice the level of individual contributors’ — and the need to strengthen people manager’s communication skills and emotional fitness, so they can act as an effective linchpin of driving employee engagement. Fortune covered Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace report that came out in June, which found only 30% of managers say they are engaged at work, and only 40% of managers say they are thriving in life overall. Ragan focused specifically on the importance of developing managers’ communication skills, so they can effectively connect with their teams, listen to what’s going on in the field, and make better decisions for the organization. Fast Company discussed the importance of emotional fitness to navigate change and uncertainty, offering five actionable tips for managers to increase their psychological preparedness for the pressures of their role. And HBR took a boarder look at leadership effectiveness, highlighting the ability to set strategy, anticipate future needs, continuous personal development, as well as effective communication as key disciplines to succeed.  

Bottom line: Managers these days are a lot more likely to be looking for a new job than the people they manage. To address this crisis, organizations should build a more disciplined process for both selecting and developing their people managers, and continuously support both their well-being and effectiveness, to ensure they can in turn support all employees.