Vida M Cornelious

I'm nervous about tomorrow, but it gave me a little extra comfort to weigh in on this year's election. CBS Sunday Morning News was a chance to go mainstream with the perspective I can bring. I got the "walk and talk" shot with David Pogue and I got emails from my family and friends who watch the show. In this business I'm in, we're responsible for help shaping messages and experiences that define what people think about brands. Hopefully based on a truth. Can't say the truth piece feels quite as true anymore for political ads. Although that was probably debatable about marketing as a whole, unfortunately. And It's harder than ever to unify people around a message-- we've moved beyond the broad message to much more niche. In many ways good because there was an assumed bigger perspective that left many out. But we're also losing a shared narrative, which makes truth impossible. And in media today we must navigate the complexity of platforms and subculture to try to align people around a set of values and beliefs, if not a message. We must try and break through peoples' bubbles-- that they aren't even aware they are a part of. Or maybe they are and don't care. Luckily with brands we still have to play the long game. So we haven't gone all negative. We need to build the brand over time. In politics, fear of what could happen can be more unifying than the hope and belief of real change. It's an all or nothing for candidates, so they have to go all in. They don't just have a low sales quarter. The winner of the election controls the next 4 years. The loser gets nothing. However while fear can serve as a unifier or at least a barrier to voting for your opponent, it doesn’t work as well as a motivator for most. I just hope we've given people enough to show up for: pride, hope, optimism, joy--belief that moving forward is a good thing.

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Mega-mergers like Omnicom and Interpublic should raise serious concerns for companies navigating sensitive public policy and PR challenges. When a single corporate conglomerate owns agencies representing BOTH SIDES of a conflict, how can you be sure your strategy stays protected? Conflicts of interest and blurred lines seem inevitable. In the high-stakes world of public affairs and PR, discretion and loyalty are non-negotiable. That’s why so many organizations turn to independent firms like Sachs Media for: ✔️ Conflict-free representation ✔️ Strict confidentiality with no shared parent company ✔️ Direct, senior-level attention without competing priorities In a world where influence is everything, your voice should never be just another account on a balance sheet. Choose partners working only for YOU.

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Want to know what it's like to work with 3 strategists from 3 different agencies on your brand? Partnering with Wes Henstock of Confid3ntial™ and Ash Rathod of DFC Studio (Digital Focus Creatives) feels a bit like when the Avengers come together for that big fight... We merge our forces to solve complex problems with simple outputs... and once the world is safe again, we return to our main storylines. For us, this collaboration is a no-brainer because 1+1+1=33. That’s three times the value, speed, impact, and fun! Check this vlog to dive deeper into the behind-the-scenes of this global rebranding project, and if that sounds good, DM for a free consultation. ___________ What’s next? Well...you can do 4 things: 1 - Hit the bell icon on my profile to be notified when I post. 2 - DM me to chat about all things brand, design and beer. 3 - Say “brand and beer” three times and then decide what’s next. 4 - Ignore all the above and start working on your brand. ___________ #branding #b2bmarketing #strategy

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For crisis communications and media professionals: How do you navigate advising clients or upper management when they opt for crisis spin messaging over addressing the actual root cause of the crisis? 🤔 We've witnessed various scenarios where organizations either successfully managed this approach or faced challenges. From President Biden's health concerns to NYC Mayor Adam's scandals, and companies like Boeing, Meta, Nike, Tesla, Samsung, and the Secret Service-the importance of handling crises transparently cannot be overstated, especially if you want to maintain your credibility, brand, customers, clients and stakeholders.📰💼 #CrisisCommunications #MediaPros #PublicRelations #Transparency #CrisisManagement

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Design trends don’t emerge in a vacuum; they’re shaped by life influences, reflecting shifts in our culture, values, and behaviors. Explore 6 sensory-driven design trends that transform how we feel about the future, inspiring new ideas and experiences.

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Currently reading Sam Walton’s memoir, "Made in America," and I loved this quote from former Walmart CEO David Glass describing Walton. These qualities have become so important to embrace over the years. Running an agency, growing with the team, and refining how we serve clients is a constant process of trial, error, and adaptation. It means showing up every day with a mindset of improvement, trying new things, and having the courage to pivot when things don’t work out. Like Sam, I’ve learned that failure and being wrong are essential parts of growth. Without that mindset, missteps or feedback could hold you back from progress—and sometimes, you’re on the edge of something great. It’s about asking: What’s the takeaway? How can we do better? This past year has had its challenges, but it’s been full of reflection and refinement. I’ve spent more time in one-on-ones with the team, gathering feedback, and figuring out how we can improve for both clients and each other. We’re experimenting, making educated guesses, and adapting from missteps and surprises. I know not everything will go as planned, but staying flexible is key. It’s equally important to instill this mindset within the team to keep morale and momentum strong. Having a vision and setting goals is important, but loving the process and enjoying the journey is what makes it all worthwhile.

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For brands, the highest honor, and greatest reward, is irrational love. The benefits are many. People are more likely to forgive you, pay more for your products, stay loyal when new competitors emerge and they'll instantly want your product...no. matter. what. As we dream up the next INNOCEAN USA, building and measuring irrational love for brands is critical to our mission. And the person at the heart of this is Cindy Scott, author of the Ad Age article below.

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Some great reasons why magazine media fulfills both consumer and advertisers needs. Plus you’ll love this article from Peter Houston if you like Kermit the Frog too! 👇👇👇 #magneticmedia Magnetic Media UK #magzinesaregreat #advertiseinmagazinemedia

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#CauseAndEffect #BurdenOfProof #BetterSafeThanSorry Unsolicited advice for advertisers making claims about net-zero emissions, bamboo products, or recyclability: Until there is clarity on what qualifies as an “internationally recognized methodology,” it’s probably best to stop making environmental claims - not just in the oil and gas sector -, or have a chat with legal.

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Thanks to Michael Waxman-Lenz, CEO of American Technion Society, for sending me the link to the IdeaCast podcast featuring Sue Unerman and Kathryn Jacob OBE, authors of A Year of Creativity. They discuss making creativity a weekly work practice for everyone, in all roles, leading to greater well-being (there's an interesting stat from a study by the LEGO Group), agency and ownership for the individual; and real, manageable improvements for the organization. That's what's in today's video about #WhatILearnedThisWeek. #creativity #leadership #marketing #fractionalcmo #fractionalexecutive Chief Outsiders

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#Speaker #Announcement #AdTech #Economic #Forum returns to the fabulous New York Times Center on March 19.  It's the best place to be if you're interested or vested in #adtech. Last April at our inaugural forum we brought 34 of the brightest minds to the stage to deliver #enlightenment 💡  #enlightenment is our primary unit of production. We produce it with four raw materials: #Content at the intersection of adtech, economics, and finance. #Conversation in the raw with zero no trade-press listening in. #Connecting with friends new and old. #Collaboration that turns into #deal making. If there is one thing that makes curating #ATEF worth all the effort it's hearing from so many people about the deals they got done by being there. When we produce #enlightenment, our guests get #deals done. Today we are announcing 12 #returning speakers and one #new speaker with several more speaker announcements happening over the coming weeks: Sir Martin Sorrell Brian Wieser, CFA Sanja Partalo Rishad Tobaccowala Joe Marchese Laura Martin, CFA, CMT Shweta Khajuria, CFA Eric Franchi Reed Rayman Brian O'Kelley Stephen Master Bob Lord and... Daniel Salmon #ATEF #NYC is invite-only or apply to attend. Are you in? https://lnkd.in/ewR6wpV3 If you're interested in #sponsoring ATEF NYC, reach out to me or Rob Beeler. We've curated a handful of creative sponsorships and we go "logo lite" at #ATEF so get involved soon and lock it in.

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How Consumers, Manufacturing, and Agencies Are Evolving in the Age of AI In today's episode of AI in Marketing: Unpacked, we talked with Lauren Morgenstein Schiavone, a former P&G executive, about how consumers, manufacturing, and agencies are evolving in the age of AI. Consumers are becoming more and more demanding, and they expect brands to be able to meet their individual needs. Manufacturers are under pressure to be more efficient and to produce higher quality products. And agencies are being asked to do more with less, and they need to be able to use AI to their advantage. Lauren's insights are invaluable for anyone who wants to stay ahead of the curve in the world of AI. Click the link below to listen to the full episode: 👉🏻 https://lnkd.in/g8UfYQ96 #AI #marketing #business

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The majority of the US population affected by macroeconomic forces aren’t bound together by age, gender or geography; they don’t share a common buyer profile or fit a neat target audience definition that can be isolated and addressed. They do, however, share a trait: disaffectation. With inflation, interest rates, layoffs and supply chain disruption reshaping business and consumer priorities, brands risk losing loyal audiences unless they adapt to meet the needs of the “disaffected generation”. https://lnkd.in/e8zxDnSv

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As Election Day nears, the outcome of key races could set the stage for U.S. AI policy in ways that may soon hit advertisers and agencies close to home. With copyright, category-specific ad disclosures, and content provenance emerging as focal issues, AI regulation is looming for the industry. Will we see a patchwork of state laws or a unified federal approach? As the political landscape shifts, agencies should be prepared for a new wave of policy changes with potential implications for innovation and compliance. Explore the nuances here with an expert POV from Alison Pepper https://lnkd.in/gWVzv49d

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With a world focused on instant gratification sometimes the importance of consistent brand presence goes unnoticed. Chief Brand Officers are the unsung heroes that keep the ship from hitting that iceberg. This is a good read if you are interested in finding out how instrumental branding is to your success.

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As Chief Strategy Officer, I’m often thinking about how we can help our clients break through with their target audiences. Creativity and Innovation are parts of the formula, but to be truly successful, brands must be trusted by their consumers. The challenge? Data shows that there has been a decline in societal trust amongst Americans. Two-thirds report they don't trust each other and only 13% trust advertising and advertisers. For brands, the takeaway is clear. Building trust with consumers is non-negotiable.  So, how can brands do it? Here are six ways I've seen really work during my time at Tracy-Locke: 🤝 Engage in small trustworthy acts for consumers.   🔓 Don’t lock people into their choice.   🗣️ Don’t assume that consumers recognize your good acts – communicate them.   🧠 Be provocable when your trust is threatened as a brand.   💭 Show empathy for the distrustful – prove that you get them and say so.   ✅ Be like your audience – don’t try to appeal to everyone at once. What do you think helps build trust with consumers? I’d love to hear from you ⬇️ 

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Well done Elijah! While Brand Safety strategies are being questioned, misleading tactics are afoot. Now is the time to redouble efforts and safeguard your brands! Thanks for sharing!

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Sustainability; the marketing mountain few have summited and upon which many have died. From packaging alternatives that fail to perform in the same way as conventional, to premium pricing strategies that prompt consumers to wonder why they need to pay for the privilege. The unfortunate reality is that few sustainability initiatives have proven to work broadly in market. A new study from Protobrand shows that there are four distinct ways in which consumers' relationship with earth is framed, and each of these provide fertile ground for brands to activate. Which consumer persona does your brand activate? The reckless destroyer? The symbiotic transactor? The responsible guardian? The Nature tranquilizer? We invite you to explore these mindstates, even if you do not have a sustainability strategy! Every brand activates at least one of these mindstates. And that is worth a chat.

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