As Red Havas’ new Red Sky Predictions report explores, it’s a wild time to be alive. Around us, wars are being waged. The pandemic continues. Our climate is its own battlefield. The economy is hurting and the cost of living growing. Many of us are traumatized, outraged and despairing over the state of social, racial, reproductive and criminal justice. When we pick up our phones — which we do constantly — we’re confronted by headlines about these things and more. It’s no wonder peace eludes so many of us now.  

Of course, this is also the context in which organizations are operating — making it a critical time for brands and employers to consider their purpose and how they want to make a positive impact on the world and earn greater trust with their stakeholders. 

Our 10 predictions for communicators in 2023 are also the subject of this month’s podcast episode. Host Ellen Mallernee, VP of content, speaks to Tom Norquist, SVP of corporate innovation at PlayCore, and fellow Redster Lesley Sillaman, EVP, to walk through our 10 predictions for communicators in 2023, including which predictions stand out most to them and how our 2022 predictions panned out over the last year. 

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

• What are we predicting for communicators in 2023? 
• Which of our 2023 predictions stand out most? 
• How did our 2022 predictions pan out? 

Our 2023 Red Sky Predictions are as follows:  

1. ROWING BACK IN THE WAKE OF ROE V. WADE  

Companies will need to extend their ESG strategy to include a proactive framework for navigating highly charged political waters in a way that supports and complements their business strategy, especially with those issues that matter to their key stakeholders internally and externally.  

2. MALICE, MANIPULATION AND OPPORTUNITY IN THE METAVERSE  

We’ll have to build confidence and trust among key stakeholders for brands that will want to have a meaningful presence in the metaverse, and ensure the security of the people and data that enter. Governments will also need to heed what we have learned from the social media space and get on the front foot with rules and regulations.  

3. VIRAL HEALTHCARE MISINFORMATION EXPOSED  

Improving individual health literacy and equity will become a greater focus as misinformation surrounding health conditions increases. Artificial intelligence, similar technology tools and digital health literacy efforts are positioned to play a key role in disrupting the viral nature of misinformation.  

4. CLIMATE CHANGE-D  

The conversation around climate change will continue to change — in the media, in politics, within corporations and amongst the general public — moving away from denial and toward demand, as more climate events occur, the costs of inaction become clearer and more get on board with taking a stand.  

5. BRAND VALUES TO INCREASE IN VALUE  

As the impacts of global economic and geopolitical uncertainty really start to bite, purpose-aligned brands will be the ones that succeed at talent retention and attraction and supporting sales enablement. But it’s going to be an increasingly competitive space as brands across all categories compete for share of voice and mind.  

6. THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND GREATER SOCIAL SEPARATION  

More campaigns and activations will consider how to reach populations that we have left behind with the acceleration of digital during the pandemic, causing an increased emphasis on user experience, education and awareness about digital inclusion, as well as (re)consideration of more direct interface interactions for services.  

7. NEWS TAKES ON NEW SOCIAL SHAPES  

Every brand is increasingly seen as a news brand and will be expected to help its audience by providing meaningful social content that equips them with new knowledge or tools. In addition, brands will be more careful about the platforms they use, thinking as much about brand loyalty and love as they do about reputational risk.  

8. HERE, THERE, EVERYWHERE: THE HYBRID QUANDARY  

As people exert further control over their preferences for the ways, times and places in which they work and live, employers, retailers, landlords and homeowners will need to think creatively about what it means to design with flexibility. We predict more customized spaces that encourage collaboration, relaxation and team building.  

9. OUR MENTAL FITNESS MUSCLES ARE FLEXED (FINALLY)  

Mental fitness is finally at the forefront, and we expect it to be embraced further, being viewed through the same lens as physical health — and soon it could become a requirement in schools like physical education. We’ll also see a greater investment in mental health services by governments, businesses, communities and individuals.  

10. BEHIND-THE-BRAND (BTB) TAKES SOCIAL BY STORM  

2023 is the year in which BTB will become a staple theme in every content marketing strategy. Both B2C and B2B marketers will prioritize all forms of people-led content production, from employee- and customer-advocacy programs to influencer co-creation and serialized branded content production — as authentic-by-design social storytelling becomes the new norm. 

Give “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” a listen, and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app. Don’t forget to rate and review to help more people find us!