By: Barbara Laidlaw and Josiah Adams 

The holiday season is upon us and with it, a surge in COVID-19 cases. Since the beginning of November, there have been more than 3.1 million new cases – the highest number for any single month. According to a Washington University in St. Louis model, 20 million Americans could be infected with COVID-19 by January 2021.  

More widespread testing has driven some of the uptick. But the reality is transmission has accelerated in virtually every region of the country with no end in sight. Contributing factors to this spike in cases include a premature reopening of restaurants, offices and other high-risk locations; a lack of alignment on preventative measures at the state level; and now, holiday travel.  

Small businesses that narrowly avoided economic ruin in spring are now on the brink of collapse due to the fallout from the resurgence of the virus. Without consistent guidance from state or federal governments, nor adequate support, businesses throughout America now face difficult decisions they will have to largely make on their own. These decisions carry significant weight, and incorrect decisions could expose brands to undue reputational risk.  

By: Kristal Swim

With a few days to the U.S. election, 2020 has shaped up to be the year of the voter. Hear me out. A global health pandemic, protests for social justice, economic turmoil and natural disasters rightfully dominate the landscape. But with the fall election approaching, we are uniquely situated to embrace our position as the true decision makers in this representative democracy.

The late Congressman John Lewis noted, "Nothing can stop the power of a committed and determined people to make a difference in our society. Why? Because human beings are the most dynamic link to the divine on this planet."

COVID-19 took an already simmering pot of important issues – healthcare, economy, climate change, racial inequity, education – and turned up the heat. Policy items affecting daily lives have taken on a new sense of urgency. For more than seven months, we have balanced, pivoted and re-examined most every aspect of our lives. 2020 has shifted our outlook on policy issues that will impact generations. The extra attention on a unique election season has emboldened an electorate to speak up. Those who vote will shape our short- and long-term outlooks.

By: Barbara Laidlaw and Josiah Adams

The COVID-19 pandemic has often created more questions than answers. From the pandemic’s onset in March, public officials, scientists and healthcare providers have searched with frustration for solutions to the virus’ spread, treatments and, above all else, a potential vaccine.

As we enter the fall and winter months, more people will stay indoors, which experts point to as a potential cause for a second surge of the virus. In metropolitan areas like New York City, this could have catastrophic and long-lasting effects on economic and public health. The potential for a second surge, combined with nationwide political pressure leading up to the November election, has led to increased demand for development and deployment of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Unfortunately, developing a vaccine is a process that can only be fast-tracked so much before becoming dangerous and irresponsible. Brands and organizations must understand the facts surrounding a potential vaccine and make the appropriate business decisions based on them. Otherwise, they run the risk of jeopardizing months of precautions and exposing themselves to significant reputational risk.

President Donald Trump’s administration has issued conflicting messages about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. On Sept. 21, Dr. Moncef Slaoui —the head of the administration’s COVID-19 vaccine program— told reporters the U.S. could immunize those “most susceptible” to coronavirus by December if there is prior vaccine approval. Yet, the FDA recently announced it would roll out higher safety standards for the vaccine approval process that would make approval unlikely before Nov. 3.

By: Tracee Larson 

Everything old is new again. This phrase came to mind last week when a local dairy re-started home deliveries. Having been in business since 1916, Portland, Ore.-based Alpenrose Dairy has experienced its fair share of ups and downs in the industry, but the pandemic opened up a new door for it to build up its brand in the area and employ more people as milkmen and milkwomen.

I couldn’t wait to sign up, and my first delivery happened without a hitch. I even received a postcard identifying my milkman by name (Korbin), his hometown (Washougal, Washington), his favorite Alpenrose product (chocolate milk), and a fun fact that his left thumb is double-jointed.

After discovering from relatives that my grandparents also had their milk and dairy products delivered by Alpenrose for more than 20 years starting in the 1940s, I’ve come full circle not only with my milk and cheese, but also with many other products and services that my earlier family members experienced decades earlier – a small, silver lining courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic.

By: Rachel Busch

The COVID-19 pandemic has essentially changed industry events as we know them for the remainder of 2020 and the foreseeable future. From full cancellations to conferences going virtual, there’s an opportunity to embrace alternative platforms to raise awareness for executives as thought leaders. Here are some key tactics to promote impactful thought leadership, without in-person events.

Go Digital

Social media is the ideal tool to engage with followers and the larger community. Time spent on social media has steadily increased since mid-March, when the pandemic stay-at-home orders began in the U.S., highlighting the potential influence even one post can make if it's shared with the right audience. Leverage existing thought-provoking blog content with pertinent information to create engaging social posts for your client's followers. 

The value of social media is the conversation doesn't have to end with your followers. Use hashtags to comment on trending news, and join the larger conversation on relevant topics to shape executives as industry leaders on platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Social listening tools can help determine who drives the trending topics of online conversation, allowing you to give suggestions to your client about when to partake and add value by sharing thoughts with a strong perspective.

Voting is one very real way for your voice to be heard

By: Kay Brungs Laud

We now collectively face a global pandemic, massive economic downturn and racial relations at a tipping point. It can feel overwhelming and make one question their impact on what feel like insurmountable issues. However, there is one very powerful way we can all make a difference –voting. Unfortunately, the right to cast a ballot is a remarkable privilege many too often take for granted.  

The right to vote is what our Founding Fathers fought for and is the cornerstone of our constitutional republic. Even today, many countries around the world do not allow their citizens to vote. In the United States, the right to vote is one that took decades and generations to achieve:

In 1789 only 6% of those living in the U.S. could vote; white, property-owning men. In 1868, the 14th Amendment granted the right to vote to all males born or naturalized in the U.S. Two years later, the 15th Amendment prevented states from denying the right to vote on the grounds of race, color or previous condition of servitude. In 1887, Native Americans were granted citizenship only if they disassociated from their tribe. The 19th Amendment passed in 1920, giving women the right to vote for the first time. The Indian Citizenship Act in 1924 granted all Native Americans the right to vote. U.S. citizens living in the District of Columbia were not able to vote in the U.S. presidential election until the 23rd Amendment was passed in 1961. Nearly 100 years after the abolishment of slavery, racial discrimination in voting was prohibited with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. And before 1971, you could only vote if you were 21 years or older.

By: Holly Barnett and Ali Donzanti

There’s a saying among many of us who work with industry analysts for a living – our profession is called Analyst Relations for a reason.

A strategic analyst relations (AR) program has a lot of moving parts and involves a healthy dose of research, strategy, counsel and planning. And a significant percentage of an AR program’s success and business impact is predicated on the strong relationships we build and nurture with individual analysts.

For many of us, face-to-face interactions in the form of advisory days, events and deskside tours are essential elements of an AR program. With this in mind, it’s understandable many organizations worried their AR programs would be at risk when social distancing and travel constraints went into effect. However, we’ve found just the opposite to be true.

Even as cities begin to reopen for business, they’ll likely remain restricted one way or another for the foreseeable future. Here are five simple things you can do right now to make sure you and your teams continue to create and maintain strong analysts relationships without relying on in-person meetings. (Beyond the obvious switch to video conferencing we’ve all become accustom to.)