Messaging in a New Era
DECEMBER 11, 2024
By: Peter Panepento
As we speed toward a new year, it’s clear that the cultural, social, economic, and political shifts in our nation mark the dawn of a distinct new era.
For the past five years, our messaging and communications have been largely shaped by two significant historical events — the murder of George Floyd and the Covid-19 pandemic.
For social good organizations, the pandemic and racial awakening of 2020 were painful and challenging — but they also provided a unique and overdue opportunity to engage a broader audience to reassess their thinking and perceptions and to advance their causes in new ways.
However, recent events — from the Fearless Fund lawsuit to the results of November’s election — have delivered a clear message that times are changing.
For social good organizations planning for 2025 and beyond, this raises some essential – and urgent – questions.
First and foremost, they must ask themselves whether they stay true to the vision and values that have guided their work over the past five years.
Second, and perhaps more important, they must decide whether they should reassess how they talk about their work.
For most of the organizations we work with, the answer to the first question is obvious. Their vision and values are as important today as they have ever been.
But the second question is more difficult to answer given what’s at stake.
Some are choosing to double down on their messaging about hot-button topics.
Others have decided that staying true to their vision and values requires them to rethink their messaging to remain relevant to their audiences, appeal to a broader base of potential supporters, or to manage the risk of facing lawsuits or government actions.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to these questions.
How you respond requires honest and deep discussions with your leadership team, your staff, and your board.
It also helps to enlist support from experts who can help you assess your messaging, identify potential risks and opportunities, and determine how to ensure your voice remains relevant as we transition into this new era.
One way we can help is to work with your team to conduct a messaging audit and map out a strategy for making sure your messaging in 2025 both reflects your mission and values and positions you for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
We invite you to schedule a 30-minute call with us to learn more about the process and see if it’s right for your organization.
Change is upon us and what you do over the weeks and months ahead will determine whether your organization is ready for what’s to come.
