At this moment, the entire country is engaged in digesting the daily chaos of multiple crises. With everything that’s going on, it’s easy to miss some impactful changes. These changes could lead to difficult outcomes for those in the cannabis industry. In order to fully understand how to adapt, it’s important to understand the backstory….
Studies show diversity matters. Ethnic and gender diversity correlates to increased performance and profitability. It also creates an enriched work experience. Companies are understanding the importance, yet there are still many challenges with achieving a truly diverse workforce and creating environments where diverse employees feel like they can thrive and belong. Having advocates for diversity…
Confronting systemic racism must start at the top. Otherwise, it will persist with every leader who looks the other way. Every leader who checks a box. Every leader who thinks it’s their company’s responsibility to address it–and not their own. As leaders, this is not the time to stay silent. It’s about action that starts…
When people identify or assign a term like person of color, it makes me feel like I have an identity crisis. I’m a mom who happens to be a mom of color but who never refers to herself in that way and, frankly, doesn’t really see what being of color has to do with being…
When the global pandemic hit, attention was focused on the agreements among parties: advertisers, agencies, production companies, talent and rights holders. Conversations focused on termination rights, contingency provisions, insurance and force majeure. To restart advertising production, new agreements and provisions have been drafted. While the parties negotiate and debate, there remains an almost insatiable need…
Augmented reality has received much attention over the last few months as stores closed their doors and consumers sheltered in place. AR brings the in-store buying experience into consumers’ homes. Shoppers can see how a new pair of glasses, cute summer dresses or freshly dropped sneakers look like on their own faces, bodies and feet,…
My great grandfather Lawrence “Chubby” Woodman invented the fried clam on July 3, 1916, in front of his restaurant, Woodman’s, on the North Shore of Massachusetts. When the Depression hit, the restaurant business was slow, and Chubby tried his hand at gambling. He won but knew his wife wouldn’t approve so he hid his gambling…
TikTok, the video sharing social network service, has experienced tremendous growth during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although initially aimed at teens and tweens, TikTok has started attracting older users. It provides an online venue for lip dubbing and dance contests where participants can engage with other users around the world. Recently, TikTok users have gained media…
2020 marks a pivotal time in history for Black America. While at the mercy of Covid-19, Black people in America are, yet again, reminded of the other pandemic that has spanned over four centuries: racial inequality. The immensity of these traumatic events has left a collective burden on Black communities and has seeped into the…
Brands love reaching their most passionate customers. As a former retail CMO myself, I get it. When you reach early planners, you reach the CEOs of the household–an audience that buys and spends more. Reach them first and you have a shot at being their first choice when it’s time to shop. And yet, for…
Earlier this month, SCOTUS outlawed employment discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people-a joyous moment as we honor Pride. However, this fight is far from over. We still need protections in housing, public spaces, education, federal funding and more so we can truly be equal and feel safe living authentically. Until then, society will keep missing out on…
Over the past month, people in this country have finally been having the “hard conversation.” It is a hopeful sign that this is a movement for all, not just for Black, brown and other under represented communities. The reality is that now, more than ever, brands have to a part of the conversation. This is…
As we face crises on all fronts of society, corporations and brands are being taken to task for past missteps and complacency. As influencers on public opinion, those of us at the helms of brands have a responsibility to drive change beyond issuing boilerplate statements. While many of us are reflecting on our privilege and…
Last week’s historic Supreme Court decision that employers may not discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity is a victory and it matters. But laws don’t alone make LGBTQ+ people feel safe at work. They didn’t make me feel safe enough to be out from the get-go. During my senior year of college, most…
It’s not just Covid-19 anymore. Frustrations over equal rights and overdue legal reforms came to a head at the very moment people started to head back to work. For months, business and marketing have been on the sidelines hoping for a return to normalcy. The disruption of a remote economy alongside the combination of the…
Much has been written about the shifting societal role of dads and the increase in father-led households. Some brands, in a nod to these changing demographics, have moved beyond portraying fathers as supportive characters and begun to speak directly to them. Through ads acknowledging the challenges of connecting with our teenage girls and building meaningful…
Covid-19 has affected everyone, but some groups have been more negatively impacted than others. Beyond health indicators and the factors that seem to affect its severity, socioeconomic inequality is as consistent with the novel coronavirus as it is with job security. Research shows that the trans and gender nonconforming (GNC) communities are more affected by…
I was a marketing intern when a CMO told me that marketing to Black audiences was a waste of time. I was a marketing manager when an executive insisted that a Black model we hired for a campaign shoot could be lightened. She said it would make her “more inviting.” I was the head of…
We must remember that the origins of Pride are rooted in a series of protests, many of which were spearheaded by Black trans women. We owe our freedoms to these women, and thus, we owe it to them to push forward accurate, intersectional representation of the LGBTQIA+ community. We owe it to them to not…
It shouldn’t take scores of people mobilizing in the streets in order for marginalized folks’ voices to be heard. A common refrain from marginalized people is that they refuse to remain silent. They want their grievances to both be acknowledged and addressed. Government and corporations find themselves seemingly caught off guard during this current climate…
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
