Latest news with #ForbesCommunicationsCouncil
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
20 Ways To Turn Marketing Missteps Into Smarter Strategy Moves
getty Every communications professional has a story about a campaign that didn't land as they hoped. Maybe the message missed the mark, the audience didn't respond or the timing was off—whatever the reason, these "flops" often teach us the most. The key is taking the time to unpack what really went wrong and why, without rushing to move on. Below, 20 Forbes Communications Council members share some reflections and practical takeaways from past marketing misfires. These lessons can sharpen your instincts, strengthen your planning and help you spot weak points before they become costly. The failed campaign, the failed idea, is always an important reminder to take the swing and swing hard. What I took away from that moment was that it is vital to take the swing—armed with the research and information, coupled with what your experience tells you—and to trust it. Even if it "fails," you learn more from that swing and that informs the successes that are sure to follow. - Nina Mehta, MIT Technology Review Every failed campaign is a reminder to step outside our echo chamber. Great ideas need validation through data, testing and audience feedback. The biggest lesson? Strategy isn't just creative; it's collaborative. Success comes when we create with our audience, not just for them. - Lyric Mandell, PhD, MOXY Company Marketing involves risk and experimentation; we all have our share of flops. I learned that replicating a competitor's success didn't work for us, even if it was a good idea. The key is to learn, experiment and be creative, but focus on your unique brand, voice and value. That early flop shaped my approach. - Kayla Spiess, Searce Embracing failure as a learning experience is the core of an experiment-centric mindset. Taking calculated risks, prioritizing learning over pure performance and answering "Why didn't it work as expected?' creates the psychological safety needed to keep pushing boundaries. Teams working under this culture are up to two times more productive and three times more innovative than teams led without this framework. - Vanina Marcote, IBM I've absolutely had ideas flop, and it always comes down to losing sight of the data because I fell in love with a preconceived narrative. The biggest lesson? Your gut is powerful, but it needs grounding. Now I anchor every creative impulse in data and dialogue, relying on the team's collective wisdom as a sounding board to verify and refine intuition into something truly impactful. - Joshua Stratton, Against The Current Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify? Yes, we once launched a campaign focusing only on product features, and it fell flat. The key lesson was to shift from product-first to audience-first messaging. Now, every campaign starts with audience pain points, ensuring a relevant emotional connection and better engagement. - Saakshar Duggal, Artificial Intelligence Law Hub One of the most valuable lessons I've learned in marketing is that just because you have a clever idea doesn't mean it'll succeed without a little extra creativity. I once launched a social campaign that sounded great on paper but flopped in execution. It taught me that smart concepts need bold strategies and out-of-the-box ideas, like influencer partnerships or unexpected approaches, to truly connect. - Victoria Zelefsky, Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation Yes—I once led a campaign that flopped because we assumed the audience knew our industry's jargon. The visuals were strong, but the message didn't land. The lesson? Test your messaging early. Now, I always bring in audience feedback before launch to avoid internal tunnel vision and ensure we're solving real problems, not just creating noise. - Maria Alonso, Fortune 206 I once launched a campaign with a focus on broad audience appeal, hoping to reach a wide demographic. It underperformed because it lacked specificity and didn't resonate deeply with any one group. The biggest lesson I learned was the importance of understanding your target audience's unique needs. Now, I focus on personalization and segmentation to ensure campaigns speak directly to the right ICP. - Antony Robinson, Novalnet AG We launched a digital campaign to gather video-based customer stories at scale through a vendor platform. The team tested different channels and messages, and even added incentives, but it didn't get us any stories. A few months later, we got 150 videos at our annual conference with the same mechanism, in a lively in-person setting. Context and timing often matter more than tools or incentives. - Rinita Datta, Cisco Systems, Inc. We once launched an email campaign filled with clever puns and eye-catching visuals, thinking creativity alone would drive engagement. It completely flopped. The biggest lesson we learned was that clarity always beats cleverness. Now, our focus remains on crafting messages that are clear, relevant and value-driven, ensuring the audience immediately understands what's in it for them. - Lauren Parr, RepuGen Our client insisted on placing our spokesperson on a daytime talk show, despite our target audience—senior execs and decision-makers—not watching. We advised against it and suggested more relevant platforms, but the talk show took priority. The result: lack of impact and board disappointment. The lesson: Always align strategy with where your target audience truly engages. - Katie Jewett, UPRAISE Marketing + Public Relations I've written sizzle reels that felt spot-on in the script but didn't work once they were cut. Or I loved it, and the client didn't. That's the creative space. Not everything hits. When it flops, I look at what landed and why. Sometimes it takes a walk around the block to accept the criticism. Creative work isn't about getting it right every time. It's about staying open-minded and trying again. - Rich Bornstein, Bornstein Media Our audience is giving us clues every day. If we listen to our audience, we build ideas based on their needs. However, if we jump into a conference room without the right research and analytics, we make the mistake of thinking we are so smart that we don't need research. That's pretty rare, and customers have a way of reminding us to listen. - Bob Pearson, The Next Practices Group In a previous role, my team tried to publish the company's first original research report based on trends and insights from platform usage. I underestimated the reliability of the data, and we failed. Since then, I've been able to produce multiple reports. Now, my first question is, "Do we have access to the right data to generate meaningful insights?" We only go ahead if I'm happy with the answer. - Rekha Thomas, Path Forward Marketing Not every idea lands—and that's the point. Real growth doesn't come from playing it safe. The magic is in the process, not just the outcome. I've learned to expect some misalignment, ask for feedback, embrace the discomfort and keep going anyway. Creative risk refines your craft, and failure is the cost of growth. - Amber Roussel Cavallo, Civic Builders We were so convinced our edgy, disruptive approach would resonate with a younger audience. We went all-in, pushing boundaries we thought our competitors wouldn't dare to cross. However, it turns out we misread the cultural moment—what we thought was daring came across as tone-deaf and, frankly, alienated a significant portion of our target demographic. The backlash was educational. - Patrick Ward, NanoGlobals Yes, all marketers have ideas that flop. It doesn't always mean the campaign or product was bad. Timing often plays a bigger role than we admit. The key is to dig into the data and ask: Was it poor messaging, product readiness or market timing? Some of my best-performing ideas today were ones that initially failed. I just launched too soon. - Prateek Panda, The biggest lesson I learned from flopping ideas is that reach without relevance is just noise, meaning you are just burning the budget if you don't back the hype with user value. For that reason, every idea must clear a north-star KPI and deliver a clear benefit before launch. - Jamie Elkaleh, Bitget Wallet Every marketer has ideas or campaigns that fail. Not every test beats the control. Every new idea is just a test to compare against what you are already doing. So, failure is simply part of the process. No marketing initiative is truly a failure as long as you learn from it. Every idea that underperforms teaches you more about what doesn't work. Learn from every campaign and you'll never "fail." - Tom Wozniak, OPTIZMO Technologies, LLC
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
20 Tips For Facilitating CEO Transitions
When a new CEO steps into the spotlight, internal communications teams play a pivotal role in shaping how the transition is perceived across the organization. The first impression employees form of their new leader often comes through the messages you craft, so timing, tone and transparency matter. A smooth transition is all about timely announcements, plenty of team interactions and creating space for trust to grow. To that end, 20 Forbes Communications Council members share practical steps you can take to guide your organization through this change in leadership. Internal comms pros can communicate, connect and collaborate. It's imperative to communicate clearly and promptly with employees. Engage with teams and allocate time for the CEO to meet with employees face-to-face. Jump into team meetings and articulate the objectives clearly. Activate the 100-day campaign where updates are scheduled every week for the first 100 days to communicate progress and strategy. - Alanood Aldhaher, American University of Sharjah Create a 90-day plan for socializing the new CEO within the company. This should include a listening tour and other opportunities for employees to provide feedback. Have the CEO reflect on what they are hearing. Employees will want to know how their lives will change under the new leader—giving them a voice throughout the transition will make them feel more included on any changes. - Patrick Holmes, Veteran Benefits Guide When a new CEO joins, there should be a series of proactive digital and physical touchpoints to introduce the leader personally, as well as communicate the leader's vision for the company. This will build trust and help align the organization under the new leadership. - Krystle Craycraft, NyTex Partners The first 90 days are key for visibility, listening and two-way communication. Plan events such as company town halls and other opportunities for employees to ask the new CEO questions about their approach and strategy for the business. Ensure the CEO is visible and responsive in internal communications as they ramp up. - Sheryl Seitz, C4 Ventures Emphasize an employee-first approach. I've seen too many employees find out about a new CEO from the front pages. Media coverage should be concurrent with internal announcements. There also must be clear messaging about the implications for the company, the various departments and employees. The internal communications team should continue to push management to prioritize relaying information. - Andrew Frank, KARV Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify? A new CEO is a powerful opportunity to align employees with the vision of the company's leadership and to help each individual see how their role contributes to that success. But nature hates a vacuum, so move quickly to help the new CEO articulate and communicate that vision—also look for ways to help employees feel they know the new CEO as a human being and not just a title. - Elizabeth Baskin, Tribe, Inc. Connect the new CEO to the front line and middle management with every opportunity. When the CEO visits a company site for orientation, set up small meet-and-greet groups with informal agendas. Make it a listening tour more than anything else. This gives employees more direct access to the new chief executive while providing diverse insights from employees to the CEO. - Mark Dollins, North Star Communications Consulting One of the most overlooked but powerful steps internal comms can take is to narrate the transition in real time. Don't just announce the new CEO. Tell the story as it unfolds. Explain: Why did the change happen? What did the process look like? What can employees expect next? This builds transparency, reduces speculation and brings people along instead of leaving them behind. - Sara Payne, Inprela Communications When a new CEO joins, one thing that really helps is introducing him or her in a genuine, relatable way. Share who this person is, what they stand for and what they're excited to bring to the company. A short video, a Q&A or even a casual town hall goes a long way. It helps people feel included, reduces uncertainty and sets the tone for a smooth transition. - Luciana Cemerka, TP A new CEO's arrival is like launching a new brand, especially in turnarounds. Given that CEO hiring and performance oversight are core board duties, the board must be visible in the CEO rollout and ensure that marketing, communications, and HR lead with clarity. Starbucks got this right as Board Chair Mellody Hobson and CEO Brian Niccol modeled a high-trust launch that protected brand and stakeholder value. - Toby Wong, Toby Wong Consulting Shared context lowers stress levels. So, start by planning a live, all-hands AMA within the first few days of the new CEO's arrival, where staff submit questions anonymously and comms crafts candid replies linking the leader's vision to existing culture. Quick and empathetic transparency can turn uncertainty into collective momentum. - Jamie Elkaleh, Bitget Wallet Give the new CEO a voice before they ever speak. Share a playlist, a handwritten note or a photo of their hiking trip. Humanizing them through unconventional signals builds curiosity and trust faster than polished bios ever could. It makes the transition feel personal, not procedural. - Cade Collister, Metova There's already a lot of great advice out there on this topic. However, it is based on the assumption that internal comms pros are fully looped in. The most essential step to take during a new CEO transition is to make sure internal comms are engaged from the very early stages all the way through the transition period. Be a partner in the process and bring everyone along on the journey. - Barnaby Pung, Merit Network Schedule listening sessions for the new CEO within the first 30 days with as many key constituents as possible. Any time there is a change at that level, people get nervous. Change is inevitable since they didn't bring in the new person to just keep the status quo, but the agenda will be better absorbed if people feel like they got the opportunity to be heard. - Ted Hong, Solera Health Focus the messaging on why this CEO is the right fit for the future. Highlight their strengths, vision and what they bring to the table. When internal comms leads with excitement and clarity, not fear of change, it builds confidence, aligns teams faster and sets a positive tone for the transition. - Prateek Panda, Partner early with the CEO to craft a clear, authentic introduction plan, one that shares their vision, values and communication style. This builds trust, reduces uncertainty and sets the tone for transparency and alignment from day one. - Cody Gillund, Grounded Growth Studio Don't treat a new CEO's arrival like a top-secret operation! Internal comms pros should prioritize transparent and proactive communication from the moment the announcement is made. This upfront approach combats rumors and anxiety, fosters a sense of inclusion and allows employees to start aligning with the new leadership's vision from day one. - Patrick Ward, NanoGlobals Don't fall into the "100 days" trap. Great CEOs manage for the next decade, not the next few months. Think through the strategic positioning of everything you ask the CEO to say or do, and imagine how it will age over the years. - Bob Pearson, The Next Practices Group When a new CEO steps in, one of the best things internal communications can do is help the team understand that change is coming, and that's not bad. It starts with honest, human messaging that sets the tone: New leadership means fresh vision, and yes, our way of working might shift. But we don't lose our footing if we stay open and aligned. We grow together. - Rich Bornstein, Bornstein Media Employees are generally wary of uncertainty. Proactively sharing key aspects of a succession plan even before the CEO officially joins the team is an important step that internal comms pros can take to ensure a smooth transition. Addressing questions like "why now?" and "what does the transition mean for the company?" are just as important as who. The first two can be shared well in advance to reduce uncertainty. - Rekha Thomas, Path Forward Marketing
Forbes
02-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
20 Ways Creative Professionals Battle Burnout And Find Fresh Ideas
getty Burnout and idea fatigue are common for creative professionals who rely on innovation and fresh ideas. Whether it stems from exhaustion or a lack of inspiration, feeling stuck can stall your momentum and creative process. The key to overcoming burnout is recognizing its source and taking action to address it. That can happen by stepping out of your everyday routine and finding inspiration in unexpected places. For creative professionals looking to battle burnout, 20 Forbes Communications Council members share their top tips for recharging their creativity. Perform bilateral movement. Research suggests that activities like walking, showering or swimming stimulate cross-hemispheric brain activity and reduce cognitive load, making space for subconscious insights to surface. These effects are linked to increased creativity. - Stephanie Bunnell , Azira I consume inspiration from outside my industry—museums, books and walks. Also, step back from AI for a minute. Think about it yourself. A tip: Schedule "curiosity days," doing something with no obvious connection to your work. The distance creates clarity and ignites creativity when you return. - Persa Sakellaridi , Wikifarmer Inspiration comes from different sources. I regularly consume content that inspires me, whether it's books, movies or songs. Conversations with other professionals from different fields can provide new perspectives and ideas. I visually organize my thoughts and ideas to see the connections between concepts. Regular physical activities reduce stress, enhance mood and boost mental clarity and energy. - Khalid Al Awar , Dubai Sports Council 4. Take A Break From The Screen Step away from the screen—move, listen to music, travel, make something just to make it. Creative burnout doesn't usually lift by working harder. Letting your mind wander, even to the point of boredom, creates the space where fresh ideas and aha moments can surface. - Amber Roussel Cavallo , Civic Builders 5. Interact With The World In A Different Way Engaging with the world in a new way is a tip that works for me. Take a different route to work, explore a new hobby or start a conversation with someone outside your usual circle. These fresh experiences often trigger new ideas and perspectives that can reignite creativity and help ward off burnout. - Katie Jewett , UPRAISE Marketing + Public Relations Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify? 6. Look For Unaddressed Needs And Untold Stories Creative burnout signals too much sameness. I find inspiration in the fashion and beauty industries as they connect to the soul and identity of consumers. I look for unarticulated needs and missing stories, then lead with white space thinking. Boards should ensure CEOs and CMOs have a continuous creative capability systemically embedded to drive brand value, consumer trust and long-term relevance. - Toby Wong , Toby Wong Consulting 7. Prioritize Continuous Learning I prioritize masterclasses and webinars that touch on skills I wish I had or wish I were stronger in. Continuous learning is important to me, and hearing fresh perspectives from experts often inspires creativity and empowers me to think outside of the box. It also helps me avoid burnout since I choose relevant topics to me and can directly apply ideas to my current or future projects. - Victoria Zelefsky , Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation 8. Seek Inspiration In Everyday Life I seek inspiration in everyday life rather than forcing "creative moments." My best ideas often come while walking or biking when my mind can wander freely. The key is capturing these fleeting thoughts, so I record them. Additionally, I maintain an "ideas" notebook for storing potential concepts, even those that seem irrelevant now. You never know when those "gems" might spark something brilliant! - Kayla Spiess , Searce 9. Be Open To Any Inspiration Stay open to inspiration from anywhere—conversations, content, even a random TikTok. Save what sparks something, even if it doesn't make sense yet. Revisiting those moments later often reignites creativity and provides a fresh jumping-off point when burnout creeps in. - Lyric Mandell, PhD , MOXY Company 10. Step Away And Let The Story Find You Fresh ideas hit when I step away—watching a few moments of a film, catching a bit of a game or walking the dog. This clears the mental clutter. That's when the unsolvable becomes solvable. I use AI to pressure-test ideas and unlock new angles. But the real fuel is purpose-driven storytelling. One tip: Don't wait for burnout. Step back early and let the story find you. - Rich Bornstein , Bornstein Media 11. Take Time Away When You Feel Stuck One tip that works well for me is to tackle a problem that needs a creative solution until I start to feel "stuck." That's my cue to set it aside and do something physical, like take a walk or get some exercise. Many times, that's when I have a creative breakthrough. My best ideas surface when I'm not actively trying to solve the problem, but have it in the back of my mind. - Rekha Thomas , Path Forward Marketing 12. Schedule 'Inspiration Days' I combat creative burnout by deliberately stepping outside the algorithm. My go-to tip: schedule regular "inspiration days" exploring different corners of culture. When influencer strategies become predictable, I find fresh perspectives in emerging retail concepts, street fashion or hospitality trends. These cross-industry insights generate content that cuts through the social noise. - Jaime Hintz , Cogent World 13. Talk With External Business Experts Prioritize frequent interactions with external business experts and creative geniuses in the market. A creative worker should go beyond the regular activities of the daily job and seek inspiration from creativity in the industry. - Namita Tiwari , Namita Tiwari 14. Protect Your Free Time To avoid burnout, I protect white space on my calendar. Unstructured time sparks better ideas than forcing inspiration. One tip: Regularly step away from the screen—walk, read, travel, play. Creative fuel often comes from living, not just working. - Cody Gillund , Grounded Growth Studio 15. Maintain Boundaries And Mental Clarity Maintaining mental clarity—setting boundaries and prioritizing tasks—helps me prevent creative burnout. This leads to less exhaustion and ultimately paves the way for fresh ideas to flow in. The best strategy is to have a disciplined schedule that helps with the work-life balance and allows you to engage in specific healthy activities that rejuvenate your mind. - Jamie Elkaleh , Bitget Wallet 16. Feed Your Curiosity Staying curious is my best defense against creative burnout. I make time to explore topics far outside my field—through books, articles, podcasts and conversations. Whether it's photography or geopolitics, these outside perspectives fuel new thinking and help me connect dots I wouldn't see by staying in my usual lane. - Rob Robinson , HaystackID 17. Take A Walk Without Your Phone I take walks without looking at my phone, and I try to take in my surroundings while commuting. Many of my ideas have come simply from people-watching and eavesdropping. - Joseph Rauch , Joseph Rauch, LLC 18. Find Creativity Through A Non-Traditional Medium Make the approach from a different perspective while engaging in a non-traditional medium. Creativity in business is often the ability to problem-solve creatively. A new medium will have you finding those solutions, including fresh ideas, as you step outside your typical process into a new, varied medium. - Jenny Meassick , Socium Advisors 19. Practice Making Unexpected Connections To fight creative burnout, I step completely outside my work bubble. I keep a simple journal of cool ideas from totally different areas—like art, science or travel. When I'm stuck, I pick random entries and ask, "How could this connect to my current problem?" Making these unexpected connections almost always sparks fresh thinking that I'd never find by just digging deeper into marketing trends. - JoAnn Yamani , Future 500 20. Get Back To Paper Burnout is hard to avoid. We are constantly consuming media that applies to our jobs. My first tip to ward off burnout is to get back to paper. Turn your phone off and take a screen break. If you're still having trouble innovating, take a step back and explore other companies and verticals. Inspiration is everywhere, and focusing beyond your field means you'll see new ideas with fresh eyes. - Layla Kasha , Grocery Outlet
