Roundtable Recap: Telling a Cohesive Global Story
In September, The Stagwell Group held the first in a series of virtual roundtable discussions, bringing together industry leaders to share their unique perspectives on changing global consumption trends, the challenge of global marketing operations, and how brands have adapted. The roundtable, “Telling a Cohesive Global Story,” hosted by Anas Ghazi, Chief Strategy Officer of the Stagwell Group, was a robust discussion of market changes over the last six months and how those changes have impacted the way we work and live.
Several themes emerged from the hour-long roundtable including: changes in the way we work with colleagues and clients around the world; the importance of agility and being able to pivot in response to a changing landscape; and the importance of a digital footprint when trying to navigate global growth during this time. Here are the key takeaways:
1) Digital as the Great Connector
While there are the usual drawbacks (isolation, lack of in-person relationship building, fragmented collaboration), our curated group of global experts were particularly bullish on the benefits. Especially for global operators, the time saved by cutting out flights, travel, dinners, and drinks means that business is happening faster and more effectively than ever. Another noted that their previously in-person centric culture gave way to an overwhelming preference to work from home indefinitely, with the only drawback being the speed with which they are able to execute the creative process. But especially for global organizations, an online culture actually means an increasingly unified culture — with everyone in the same Zoom room, it is easier to inspire and paint a cohesive vision for a global organization.
2) Short-Term Digital Investment for Long-Term Success
There is a need to examine budgets and redirect funds to enhance digital platforms, redesign websites, and introduce augmented reality to customers who want to try on clothing or see furniture in their space without leaving home. While the consensus was that the future of these tech investments is open ended, all of the guests agreed that tech readiness was a deciding factor in their business’ ability to respond, and that the investments made this year will have a lasting impact on business functions.
3) Cautious Optimism for 2021
With the new year marking a much-needed fresh start, brands are revisiting global projects that were put on hold when they entered defense mode. While for some, that means pressing play on plans slated for 2020, others say their brands are completely pivoting to take advantage of the new moment and mediums. A big piece in driving global expansion? Fun! As consumers crave both escape and connection more than ever, brands are leveraging their digital platforms that connect a global audience to create messaging that speaks to shared experiences in this rare globalized moment.
The candid discussion was informative and served as a great peer networking session with a robust exchange of ideas. We look forward to our next virtual roundtable, “Reputation Shifting and Industry Perspectives,” on October 22nd.
Bonin Bough, Chief Growth Officer, Triller
Supriya Dev -Purkaystha, Commercial Director, ForwardPMX
Molly Fluet, Executive Director, Advertising, Politico
Michael Maizels, Affiliate, Harvard metaLab
Heather O’Shea, Marketing Science Lead, Snap
Kendra Peavy, Vice President, Global Communication, Sustainability and Impact, S’Well
Ida Siow, Executive Strategy Director, 72andSunny
Manuel Steremberg, Regional Vice President, Regional Development, Mastercard
Moderator: Anas Ghazi, Chief Strategy Officer, The Stagwell Group
The Stagwell Group is a digital-first marketing company serving clients with simplicity and speed at scale. To learn more, head to www.stagwellgroup.com, or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or YouTube.
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