Influencers

The swift spread of COVID-19 has dealt a significant blow to the retail sector. During these troubling times, many business leaders are wondering which brands will fail, which will survive, and which may even thrive due to the current health crisis.

Join JP Kuehlwein, Marketing Institute Leader at The Conference Board, for a fascinating discussion with investment banker and co-founder of Triangle Partners LLC, Richard Kestenbaum, about the impact COVID-19 has had on retail. Discover the different ways various sectors within retail are being impacted, where non-essential retailers should consider investing their money, why essential grocers and manufacturers are seeming to struggle with their supply chains, and how the pandemic has accelerated the evolution of retail away from traditional brick and mortar stores.

Alison Cayne is busy in normal times: The mom of five has founded a cooking school, café, events space and packaged food brand in addition to writing books, hosting podcasts and otherwise sharing her insights, energy and excellent cooking.

But these times of crisis bring her exceptional, ethical, entrepreneurial leadership and strategic thinking and acting to light even more. Alison shares how she is tackling the challenge as a boss, business partner, borrower, supplier… and her insights can serve as inspiration to business and brand builders large and small. Take a listen.

You want to let people know you care and provide relevant offerings without coming across as profiteering. You also don't want to bore consumers with worn-out platitudes. So, what is a brand to do and say?

Join JP Kuehlwein, Marketing Institute Leader, as he speaks with Dan Fietsam, an award-winning creative and copywriter. Dan has experience developing advertising in the context of crisis. During this discussion, JP and Dan will review how organizations are continuing to advertise their brand against the backdrop of this pandemic and what might be the most appropriate ways to communicate now and going forward.

Today, we find ourselves in one of the most disruptive periods in modern history. Public discussion about ESG has taken the backseat to surviving and getting through the COVID-19 pandemic. Part two of this podcast further explores how corporate communications can support your company's ESG initiatives, and how to use ESG to guide your company through the COVID-19 crisis response.

Host: Craig Carroll, Communications Institute Leader, The Conference Board

Guests:

Kelly Semrau, former Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability, at SC Johnson and Senior Fellow with the Marketing and Communications Center at The Conference Board

Devry Boughner Vorwerk, former Corporate Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs, CEO of DevryBV Sustainable Strategies, former CCO and Global Corporate Affairs, Cargil, and Senior Fellow with the Marketing and Communications Center at The Conference Board

Jessica Adelman, former Group Vice President of Corporate Affairs for The Kroger Co. and Senior Fellow with the Marketing and Communications Center at The Conference Board

Join us for the first in this mini-series which focuses on what brands and their leaders should say and do (or not) in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.

In this episode, JP Kuehlwein, Marketing Institute Leader at The Conference Board, interviews Martin Karaffa, Associate Partner at Hofstede Insights. Martin has spent over 25 years in the global advertising industry working with brands such as Diageo Daimler Benz, Citi Financial, Johnson & Johnson, Kit Kat, Kellogg, Listerine and … yes, Purell!

In this discussion, JP and Marty will discuss what brand owners should focus on as they decide what to do and talk about to their customers while they are both dealing with the pandemic. They will also talk about how different cultures, organizations and personalities behave differently in times of crisis, and how that impacts their relationships to brands and customers.

Today, we find ourselves in one of the most disruptive periods in modern history. Public discussion about ESG has taken the backseat to surviving and getting through the COVID-19 pandemic. This podcast explores how corporate communications can support your company's ESG initiatives, and how to use ESG to guide your company through the COVID-19 crisis response.

Host: Craig Carroll, Communications Institute Leader, The Conference Board

Guests:

Kelly Semrau, former Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability, at SC Johnson and Senior Fellow with the Marketing and Communications Center at The Conference Board

Devry Boughner Vorwerk, former Corporate Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs, CEO of DevryBV Sustainable Strategies, former CCO and Global Corporate Affairs, Cargil, and Senior Fellow with the Marketing and Communications Center at The Conference Board

Jessica Adelman, former Group Vice President of Corporate Affairs for The Kroger Co. and Senior Fellow with the Marketing and Communications Center at The Conference Board

Should the Chief Marketing Officer issue public messages about what the organization is doing in terms of public health and safety? Craig Carroll, Communications Institute Leader at The Conference Board, chats with a team of experts, with a view from three perspectives: marketing, communications, and corporate social responsibility.

Host: Craig Carroll, Communications Institute Leader, The Conference Board

Colin McConnell, former Chief Brand Officer with Prudential

Steve Dowling, former Vice President, Communications, Apple, and former Silicon Valley Bureau Chief for CNBC

Kelly Semrau, former Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability, SC Johnson

Join JP Kuehlwein, The Conference Board's Marketing Institute Leader as he discusses the role of sound in brand building with Michael Boumendil, a pioneer in audio branding and the Founder and President and Chief Creative Officer of SixiemeSon, the world's leading audio branding agency since 1995.

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues, communications leaders face the growing challenge of supporting the safety of staff, the reputation of the company, and the viability of operations. At the same time, the risks of missteps are significantly compounded by social media activism, misinformation and the critical gaze of international observers.

Craig Carroll, Communications Institute Leader at The Conference Board, chats with Lisa Davis, Senior Counselor, The Walker Marchant Group, former Corporate Vice President for Communications and Worldwide Executive Team member at Northrop Grumman, and Steve Dowling, former VP of Communications for Apple and former Silicon Valley bureau chief for CNBC. They will discuss insights and recommendations that will be helpful as you formulate, implement and manage your crisis communications response strategy.

Some of the questions they will address:

• How should companies be thinking about their communication efforts?
• What exactly are some of the things that companies need to be communicating right now?
• What types of outcomes should companies be looking to achieve through their communication efforts?
• How exactly should companies go about these things (messages, accomplishing outcomes)?
• What are some of the challenges that companies need to keep in mind when they are creating and announcing policies?

So often we here that we need to think out of the box. However, a great start for change and transformation is to think INSIDE the box. In this short and engaging podcast you will see several actionable boxes for your leadership journey.

This podcast is based on Lars Sudmann's TEDx talk:

https://www.ted.com/talks/lars_sudmann_great_leaders_transform_organizations_by_thinking_inside_the_box.