Hearts & Minds

As Budget season nears, business leaders flood the media with pleas—despite past snubs from the chancellor. Still, speaking out signals leadership, influence, and hope for policies that might finally boost growth.

Andy Burnham is positioning himself as Labour’s next leader, using strategic interviews and timing to signal readiness—without overt ambition—just as party conference season begins.

Words once ruled communications, then data dazzled. Now, with public trust in numbers eroding, comms professionals must rethink: test every stat, challenge assumptions, and ensure truth supports the message—not just decorates it.

AI-driven social media monitoring is surging in US workplaces, blurring personal and professional boundaries. Employees face real consequences for online posts, making clear, proactive communication policies more critical than ever for companies.

Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension has united late-night hosts in protest against censorship, but their solidarity is cautious—mocking restrictions without risking their own jobs, and highlighting how self-censorship shapes comedy and media today.

Brigitte Macron’s legal move to disprove gender-based conspiracy theories marks a bold shift in reputation management—turning fringe slurs into global headlines and sparking debate on how public figures should respond to online misinformation.

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield exits after 25 years, citing lost ideals under Unilever’s ownership—highlighting the tension between brand activism and corporate control in a familiar tale of purpose-driven companies navigating big business.

State visits and corporate launches may be meticulously planned, but real-world events don’t wait—business comms must learn to pivot like politics, fast and unscripted.

Charlie Kirk’s death revealed a generational divide in political awareness—while teens saw him as a cultural fixture, many adults barely knew him. It’s a wake-up call: communication must adapt to fragmented, algorithm-driven audiences.

From Rayner to Mandelson, public figures often teeter on the edge—until one damning detail seals their fate. In crisis comms, survival hinges on control; the smallest slip can trigger a swift and irreversible downfall.

Apple doesn’t just unveil products—it stages perfection. From sleek visuals to scripted awe, the iPhone 17 launch was pure theatre, proving once again that no one choreographs tech desire quite like Cupertino.

The Murdoch saga echoes Succession: Lachlan takes control, siblings rebel, and legacy media faces digital disruption. As dynasties shift and heirs clash, the future of Fox, News Corp, and global media empires hangs in the balance.