Marina Hoffmann

Start-up and scale-up founders, CEOs and CMOs can save themselves a lot of heartache if they assess their company's readiness for corporate communications before they bring on an expensive corp comm leader. By identifying where the requisite building blocks for success already exist, executives can develop the function in a way that impacts business results by making better hiring decisions, understanding where to expect results near and long term, and strategically planning their investments in the function. Looking for a guide to help you do this? Drop me a line. As a 25-year veteran leader who has helped a number of start-ups and scale-ups build their corporate communications departments, I can help you figure out if you are ready to add this strategic function. #CorporateCommunications #ScaleUp #StartUp #PublicRelations

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One step forward, two steps back. https://lnkd.in/eks3YX2k

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Incredible data out today from the #PeoplesClimateVote - the largest poll on climate change in the world: ✅ 80% of people globally want stronger #ClimateAction from their leaders. ✅ 53% of people globally are more worried about #ClimateChange than last year. ✅ 56% of people globally think about climate change daily or weekly. ✅ 69% of the world's population have experienced extreme weather that are impacting big life decisions. With more than half of the world's population voting in 2024 - people around the world have an opportunity to support candidates who will urgently increase climate action.

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So excited to share my recent conversation with Valda Coryat, VP of North American Marketing for Condiments and Sauces at McCormick & Company, on the latest episode of Collage Group's podcast, Cultural Fluency Makers. Valda and I had a great dialogue about the critical role of inclusive marketing and cultural fluency in driving brand success and longevity. Drawing from her experience with leading brands, Valda explored the growing significance of multicultural marketing, the need for authentic connections with diverse audiences, and the power of demographic targeting. Tune in to learn the role of AI in marketing and the challenges brands face in making strategic investments for future growth. 💡 Anticipating demographic shifts can provide a strategic advantage. 💡 Cultivating authentic narratives helps build lasting commitment. 💡 Embracing multicultural dynamism is essential for brand longevity. Check out our clip and watch the full episode: https://lnkd.in/gur9rBvE Thank you again, Valda! #culturalfluencymakers #culturalfluency #marketing #mrx #culture #marketresearch #marketingandadvertising #consumerinsights #purchaseintent #revenuegrowth #businessimpact

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I love this piece by Jennifer Romolini in New York Magazine. I started reading it because analyzing celebrity drama is my hobby. But now, I can't stop thinking about it because of how clear-eyed she sees the complicated web of expectations we put on ourselves and others. As the author says: "And this is the thing about ambition for many of us — whether for fame, fortune, executive titles, marriage, or motherhood: It’s not an either/or big-platform issue but more personal, nuanced. Unexamined ambition is often misdirected, used to fill some aching internal lack, tied up in a longing to please an invisible audience, to be seen as “good” girls, as worthy by the outside world. And while the larger “Is ambition feminist or not” debate rages, the conversation we may actually need to be having is smaller and more individual: What are we actually ambitious for? In many cases, it seems like the wrong things, a one-size-fits-all vision of a successful life." My nature (or big Leo energy) is to push back on anything that is one-size-fits-all, especially when it comes to blending motherhood and executive leadership. But, that's easier said than done. This article is such a good reminder that ambition isn't bad... but intention and reflection are critical.

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🚀 Reality Check for Leaders: Aligning Communication with Action 🚀 Arlington-based Axios HQ's latest report is a wake-up call for company leaders everywhere. According to their findings, there's a significant gap between leaders' perceptions and employees' realities when it comes to communication and alignment with business goals. The report reveals that while 44% of leaders believe their staff are aligned with business goals, only 14% of employees agree. Similarly, 85% of leaders think internal communications are effective, but only 45% of employees find them helpful and relevant. As we navigate the evolving landscape of work, effective communication remains a cornerstone of success. Let's take this report as a call to action to bridge the alignment gap and create workplaces where communication fosters engagement, productivity, and success. #Communication #Leadership #EmployeeEngagement #internalcommunications https://lnkd.in/gb6h-Fse

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The New York Times' Adrienne Raphel: How Gen Z Made the Crossword Their Own. (Adrienne Raphel interviewed and solved puzzles by dozens of cruciverbalists under 30 for this article.) April 13, 2024 30-Across: “___ and dry food (categories I will now be using to describe human food. Oh, so suddenly it’s weird?)” 31-Across: “TikTok videos of ‘Family Guy’ clips accompanied by Subway Surfers gameplay, e.g.” 26-Down: “Lili ___, one of the first trans women to receive gender-affirming surgery” Who’s this “I” cracking jokes about WET food in the middle of a crossword clue? What is SLUDGE CONTENT doing inside a puzzle? How did we get to learn about Lili Elbe when the answer ELBE almost always refers to the German river? Welcome to the crossword in the age of Gen Z. Clues require internet meme literacy. Solutions may reflect the identity of the person behind the puzzle. And the way they’re constructed can involve vibrant online forums in addition to scraps of paper. Grids these days are often “diaristic,” said Paolo Pasco, 23, the winner of this year’s American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, the Super Bowl of crosswords. They can reveal clusters of personal obsessions or glimpses of an idiosyncratic sense of humor. “That’s a big part of what got me into puzzles,” Mr. Pasco said. “This is an insight into the person’s brain who thought of that joke.” It’s a noticeable shift from decades past, when crosswords were usually faceless, less a site for auteurism than a form of anonymous entertainment. But thanks to a variety of factors — rapidly improving technology to create puzzles, a much wider array of outlets eager to publish them and a push to celebrate new voices — constructors today are more inclined to express themselves in their work.

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Ever wondered what’s behind good and bad #crisisresponse and #reputationmanagement? In this podcast I tackled these topics, sharing my experiences, observations and anecdotes in a robust conversation with marketing expert Anton Buchner at TrinityP3. We discussed: - why reputation matters to the value of organisations and brands - why Boards should care about reputation - the role of a CEO in a crisis - the consequences for CEOs who oversee bad behaviour or toxic culture - how crisis and reputation management has changed in recent years - the challenge posed by misinformation and fake news - examination of recent crisis and reputation challenges for leading global and Australian organisations including Toyota, Boeing, PwC, ANZ, Nine Entertainment Group, Qantas, Woolworths and more. Sefiani, part of Clarity Global stands ready to assist organisations build, enhance and protect reputations. Feel free to DM me if a confidential chat would be helpful. #crisismanagement #crisiscommunications #crisispreparedness #reputationrisk #reputationrehabilitation #corporatecommunications

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Braving the UN Council traffic in NYC last night was an adventure in itself—but totally worth it to get to DisruptHR! 🚦🌆  Last night’s event was anything but your typical HR gathering—it was an electrifying mix of bold ideas and paradigm-shattering talks. If you haven’t experienced the 5-minute, 20-slide format yet, you have to try it. 🏃‍♀️ I had the honor of talking about feeding our HR souls - "If You Are Unhappy and You Know It: Feed Your Soul."  I shared how finding true purpose in our work can help us overcome the very real challenges of HR fatigue. For me, purpose came through helping justice-impacted individuals find meaningful employment, which transformed how I view my own career. And now, at Stash, I’m fortunate to continue delivering well-being through financial wellness programs that make a real difference.  And I get to evangelize the good work we already do at Stash for million of customers through our new offering StashWorks (https://lnkd.in/guapKcTZ) which helps companies deliver financial well-being to their employees.  PS - I had a Stash customer come up to me after and tell me how great our product is – changed his family’s financial trajectory with Auto-stash. ❤️ warming! We love our customers!   Huge shoutout to all the incredible speakers last night: Stephen Smith, LaToya Lynn, Robert Rigby-Hall, Rebekah Marette, Iris McQuillan-Grace (SPHR), and Elliot Epstein. You all were extremely inspiring! 🙌 Purpose fuels engagement, and that’s what keeps us HR leaders going—so find what feeds your soul, and the impact will follow. #HRLeadership #PurposeDrivenWork #JusticeImpacted #DisruptHR #FinancialWellness #Leadership #StashWorks #nextchapter #stash #lockton

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Politics and communication have always gone hand in hand, but this relationship evolved dramatically during the latest U.S. elections. In a media-saturated environment, the winning messages are those that forge emotional connections with voters. Digital platforms have enabled infinite audience segmentation and message amplification. 💡 What does this mean for the future of campaigns—and organizations? Read our latest #CorporateAffairs article 👉https://ow.ly/24jM30sIkWB

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It’s timely for Oversight Board to be investigating deepfake pornography cases on the day the government announced the creation of sexually explicit "deepfake" images is to be made a criminal offence in England and Wales under a new law. Do have your say on the case. Your submission could shape how these devastating images are handled so pls check this link out - https://lnkd.in/gc4ecUwM #contentmoderation #online #Meta #ai

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I’m excited to announce that my new book, a co-production with Massimo Pigliucci and Gregory Lopez will be published on January 7, 2025 - and is now available for pre-order! (Info on how to pre-order below!) Our book, Beyond Stoicism: A Guide to the Good Life with Stoics, Skeptics, Epicureans, and Other Ancient Philosophers, explores Classical and Hellenistic philosophies of life. We write about 13 schools of ancient thought, and the philosophers who lived by their teachings. We explore the stories and ideas of ancient Greek and Roman thinkers you have likely heard of, like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle... others you may have come across before, like Epictetus, Epicurus, and Hypatia... and some thinkers who are a bit off the beaten track, like Aristippus the Cyrenaic, Hipparchia the Cynic, and Stilpo the Megarian. Each chapter gives a window into a philosopher’s life story, offers accessible insights into his or her work, and features ways to apply the thinker’s wisdom to our lives today. The book is filled with ideas for practicing Stoics and anyone else interested in big questions. If you've ever wondered about what a good life looks like, and how we can build that kind of life for ourselves, you'll find fascinating perspectives dating back thousands of years - and still incredibly relevant. It's inspiring (and humbling) to realize that these questions have been at the heart of human inquiry for so long. You'll find ideas to experiment with, plus actionable exercises to try them out for yourself and live like each philosopher. Don't like the word "philosopher" scare you away - the book is accessible and written for everyone... it isn't a dry textbook, and there's no final exam! Pre-orders help books get noticed, and we’d love to share this one with as many readers as possible! Thanks for considering pre-ordering. A few ways to pre-order are from our North American publisher, The Experiment—check out the book page and select one of their retailer links: https://lnkd.in/g8h9NB3x There's also Amazon: https://lnkd.in/g5wktbvU Our UK publisher, Headline Press, offers links to preorder our book, too! In the UK, the book will be titled Live Like a Philosopher: What the Ancient Greeks and Romans Can Teach Us About Living a Happy Life. https://lnkd.in/gV9pW4hP If you’ve read any of Massimo’s previous books, including How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life, or Massimo and Greg’s joint volume, A Handbook for New Stoics: How to Thrive in a World Out of Your Control, you’ll know that my co-authors bring an enormous depth of philosophical knowledge along with a knack for sharing engaging real-world applications of ancient ideas. It was a privilege to work with them on Beyond Stoicism. I was happy to contribute my storytelling and historian's skills. I hope you’ll enjoy this group effort!

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Starbuck is now 3 for 3. I'm trying to imagine being a CEO, CHRO or a board telling stakeholders, particularly employees, that the platforms you embraced and valued for the last several years were this expendable. Hopefully by now you already have had internal conversations to test your resolve. If not, we'd like to help you ensure they happen. Restating your values could be as powerful a message as restating your earnings. Both raise questions of trust.   https://lnkd.in/esxZZWNm

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I’m thrilled to share Randstad’s latest thought leadership report: "Understanding Talent Scarcity: AI & Equity." This report dives into the critical intersections of AI, equity, and talent scarcity in the global workforce. Very proud of the team that delivered this great piece of work Roberta Cucchiaro Luke Akal Marina Levin with some help from our partners FORMATIVE CONTENT LIMITED and Headland. A few of the report insights that call for action as much as awareness: 💻 Gender equity in AI Our data reveals a stark gender divide: 71% of AI-skilled workers are men, leaving only 29% as women—a 42 percentage-point gap. Addressing this gap is essential for bringing diverse perspectives to innovation and driving balanced growth. 👥 Generational divides Only 22% of Baby Boomers have received AI training, compared to nearly half of Gen Z. This generational disparity highlights the urgent need for more inclusive skilling to bridge knowledge gaps across all age groups. ♿️ AI Empowering People with Disabilities More than half (55%) of workers with disabilities use AI to enhance problem-solving in their roles, compared to just 39% of others. And, they are more likely to leave their roles if AI training opportunities aren’t provided—making equitable skilling essential for retention and growth. Explore the full findings and learn how we can collectively bridge these gaps: https://lnkd.in/erPP5ZbH

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I am pleased to share Edelman’s 2024 Global Citizenship Report, Engaging Partnerships, Empowering Impact. It underscores how partnerships within our agency, with clients, and in our communities and the broader world help us achieve our ambitious sustainability and societal goals and define our 14-year-old citizenship program.  Throughout this report, we showcase how partnerships embed their impact throughout Edelman and our culture, enabling us to transform individual initiatives into integrated programs that, as the report’s title emphasizes, empower an enduring impact.  Partnerships help provide employee services that benefit our employees’ well-being and volunteerism. Our purpose-driven client and community collaborations serve to improve society and our planet. The Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has approved Edelman’s near-term and long-term emissions reduction goals, marking our commitment to reaching net-zero by 2040. Our specific targets include reducing Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions by 80% by 2030 (from a 2019 baseline) and reducing Scope 3 emissions by 55% by 2030. We are also using climate scenario analysis and climate models to inform strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change.   Reading this report, we hope you conclude that Edelman is committed to fostering positive change while mitigating risks to ensure we contribute meaningfully to a more sustainable and equitable future. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gpxYU6nU

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The Wall Street Journal editor Paul Beckett’s account in the Columbia Journalism Review of how the Journal mobilized to free Evan Gershkovich after 16th months as a prisoner in Russia is a tour de force and “a free press triumph” and well worth the read. Some excerpts: A phone call to a senior government official who knows this terrain provided the answer: “There are times to be quiet and there are times to be loud—and this is a time to be loud.” “Yet on days like August 1 (when he was freed), the values that underpin democracy and are the foundation of a free press triumph.” “Few countries that are not democracies could point to such care for their ordinary citizens abroad, let alone noncitizens imprisoned for their political beliefs.” “news organizations must continue to assess and calibrate the risks their reporters face when operating in dangerous terrain. Perhaps they need to make more hard-nosed choices on whether it is necessary to deploy in person to countries that target journalists or whether that terrain can effectively be covered from outside, given advances in technology and communications.” “And they could ensure that press freedom around the world—an issue so fundamental to their existence that it is often taken for granted—is a subject they cover as if their livelihoods and their liberty depended on it.” https://lnkd.in/etZTVCeB

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Stories fascinate me — they always have. It says storyteller in my bio, right? However, what fascinates me most is other people's stories. As a lifelong writer and journalist, I've learned that the number one quality you need is curiosity. You need to want to know more about the world and about other people and their experiences. Several years ago, I undertook a Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes MSc. with Metanoia Institute. Part of my thesis explored 'experience' and the notion that our life story influences how we experience the world. Think of a party. We might all be at the same one. Some of us will be at the centre of the action; others will be in a corner having a quiet 1-2-1 chat, and someone else will be in a drama rowing with their partner. We'll each experience it differently. Good storytelling connects us. As shared in yesterday's Daily TED Talk on The Art of Persuasive Storytelling: "Uri Hasson, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Princeton University, discovered that as you hear a story unfold, your brainwaves actually start to synchronize with those of the storyteller." Powerful stuff. Charities love a good story and often refer to people's stories as "Case Studies". I'm not keen on the phrase. It implies a sense of ownership on behalf of the charity, whereas these stories are a snapshot of people's lives. It's always humbling and a privilege to hear anyone's story. I hold the principle of telling them with sensitivity and respect for the individual close to my heart, and I'm proud to work for a charity where my colleagues do the same. Another part of my role is telling our story as a charity. It's equally compelling. Our vision is nothing short of saving sight and changing lives. Telling the stories of the individuals we are here to serve reminds me why we're here. What's your story? Leave me a comment. ⬇ #Storytelling #VisionLoss #SaveSightChangeLives TED Conferences Kelly D. Parker https://lnkd.in/eXp8gSZr

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In this recent article with Authority Magazine, I discuss the barriers women face in advancing to leadership roles and share actionable strategies to overcome these challenges. It's an honor to be part of this conversation and to continue advocating for a future where equity is not just an aspiration but a reality. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dXx-XWxK 💪🏽 #Leadership #WomenInLeadership #Equity #DEI #HopeForTheFuture #AmiraBarger

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