Executive Communication Strategy in 2024: A Mid-Year Check-In 

Content on themes and trends for the year are common just before and just after January 1. But why not try to get a snapshot of what’s going on in real-time? With more than half of 2024 now behind us, we can say that we’re observing some definite currents with implications for executive communication strategy that will likely carry forward to the end of the year.  

Controversy lurks around every corner – your communication strategy needs to be aware  

The days when companies could safely talk about things like ESG and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion), and ignore things that were too heated are well and truly over. The backlash against corporate ESG and DEI we see continuing into this year, combined with heightened activism and – far from least – a pending election in the U.S., has created a difficult dilemma for communication strategy. On one hand, there’s almost no topic that isn’t politically charged, and on the other hand, stakeholders demand a company response to current events (preferably one agreeing with their own stance). There’s no easy answer to this; whether you respond to controversial issues and what you say depends on your customer base (we pose two questions to ask in these situations). But regardless, 2024 will only get more heated when it comes to controversial issues over the next few months. Having a careful communication strategy around messaging will be key to weathering the storm.  

Everyone is talking about AI – you should be too  

Artificial intelligence has had its ups and downs as a popular topic over the years. But there’s no question that in 2024 it’s at the top of the pile. Thanks to the bursting onto the scene of new, usable generative AI tools last year, every reporter and conference organizer wants to know how you are using AI, what’s your plan for integrating it into your business and what impact you think it will have on the world. So if you want public exposure in 2024, have something to say about AI – ideally something original that showcases your own business value in the process.  

Unoriginal platitudes are out; insightful research and thought leadership are in   

Marketing has been transformed by the sheer scale of ads, newsletters and general content being thrown at customers on a daily basis (and generative AI will likely turbo-charge it). That’s why in 2024, marketers and communicators who want to demonstrate value need hard-hitting, original research or thought leadership to break through the noise. Earlier this year, a survey of B2B decision-makers and C-suite executives by LinkedIn and Edelman found that 73% of decision makers think an organization’s thought leadership content is a more trustworthy basis for assessing its capabilities and competencies than marketing materials and product sheets. Further, almost 90% say they are likely to be receptive to sales or marketing outreach from a company that consistently produces high-quality thought leadership. Make sure your communication strategy makes use of original research if able (as well as making sure it gets to the right people), and at a minimum make sure your executives and spokespeople have an insight on industry trends other than “buy my product/service.”  

It might be bumpy the rest of this year, but adopting the right approach toward communication strategy will make sure your business is in a good place by the time all those “2025 trends” articles start appearing!