Thankfully, 2020 is behind us. As we move forward I've found myself thinking about what got us through, and keep coming back to people. Each time a brand got involved in something good people were at its heart. So, looking ahead, this issue our writers explore activist mindsets, brand philanthropy and kindness, gender perceptions, purpose and decision-making, subscriptions, empathy and karma. Enjoy the issue. Michael Piggott, Editor
Cultural strategist at On The One, Elles Pinfold, on why approaching 2021 with an 'activist mindset' could mean survival for brands in culture (3 MINS)
With examples from Barclaycard, Pret and Disney author Toby Beresford looks at how subscriptions build deeper relationships between brands and consumers (3 MINS)
Founder of The Liberty Guild, Jon Williams, says the machinery of capitalism is being oiled by the blood of the workers, but thinks brand philanthropy may be back (4 MINS)
From Star Trek to Girls. Girls. Girls. magazine, CEO of Neuro-Insight UK, Shazia Ginai, examines how gender perception is changing and what the role is for brands (2 MINS)
Siegel+Gale's Exec. Director EMEA, James Withey, says, with Covid-19, purpose has even more resonance and relevance, and brands need to shape all their decision-making through its lens (4 MINS)
Award-winning author, Minter Dial, says marketers need to be courageous with their decision-making this year, and offers five traits which could help (3 MINS)
'Our industry already comes with a host of insecurities, so why are we apologising for people seeing our real lives on zoom?', asks Senior Strategist at MullenLowe London, Fran Griffin (2 MINS)
TBWA\RAAD's Chief Innovation Officer, Jennifer Fischer, says if 2020 has taught us anything, it's that leaders cannot keep ignoring the role ethics plays in decision making (4 MINS)
