The CEO’s role in brand resilience & cultural relevance

Leading Through Uncertainty: CEOs Forge Resilience and Relevance in a Polarized World

In a volatile world where trust is fragile, CEOs must champion brand resilience and cultural relevance. Mr. Greg Williams, Deputy Global Editorial Director at Wired, hosted Mr. Corey duBrowa, CEO of Burson, who shared his extensive experience advising founders and CEOs at Microsoft, Nike, Starbucks, Salesforce, and Google, offering unique insights into navigating today’s complex environment.

CEOs face significant political and economic headwinds. Mr. duBrowa cited Donald Trump’s return as US President, fostering an activist White House, alongside rising tariffs, 3% US inflation, and increased corporate tax rates. Societal polarization, political violence, and declining trust in mainstream media (28% in US) further complicate operations, despite AI’s reliance on it.

Internally, a critical challenge is the disconnect between a CEO’s perspective and the workforce’s reality. A Burson study found 50% of Americans believe the US is worse off than earlier in the year. Government shutdowns, causing disruptions like air traffic control shortages, exacerbate this gap. Employees increasingly view their CEO as a “sense maker,” making misalignment risky for credibility.

To build resilience, companies must leverage data for insight, moving beyond being “data rich but analysis poor.” Most organizations use only 30-40% of their data. Burson utilizes cognitive AI tools to extract vital, actionable insights from this untapped information, transforming raw data into strategic advantage.

Burson’s “reputation capital” tool quantifies reputation’s financial value, offering a nuanced view beyond binary trust. It assesses eight levers, including product quality and management effectiveness, providing a holistic understanding of a company’s reputational strength. This value can be substantial, exceeding $1 trillion for the Fortune 50, comparable to major nations’ GDP.

Building a strong reputation demands cultural relevance and personal connection, rooted in core company values. Organizations must align employee actions, values, and customer success with specific initiatives. Prioritizing responses to challenges must align with this purpose. Internal communication is effectively public, impacting external reputation, requiring careful crafting.