Although 2020 piled on many challenges, we are ending the year with gratitude — and the grit needed to shovel out together in the new year.
Economists are predicting that the employment rate may not go back to pre-COVID levels until the end of this decade, and that as many as 40 percent of the jobs...
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Your stakeholders – whether they are patients, students, employees or parents – want and need to stay informed, understand how COVID-19 is impacting your work, and know about resources that...
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When Eric Anderson told our content team that Bazi Kanani may be available to help on a couple of projects, the reaction could have been scripted: “THE Bazi Kanani?!” Her…
About two weeks ago, I received one of those calls creative directors love to get. It was about 7:00 pm. Apparently, a colleague had recommended me to help Governor Jared...
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Eric Anderson, our co-founder and senior strategist, interviewed SE2 Director of Content and Creative Juan Cabrera about how effective Spanish language communications can help address the pandemic.
In my family and workplace, we have watched and talked about the news this week, sharing in the horror and senseless tragedy of George Floyd’s death and the resulting protests...
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When the SE2 team decided to bring on two youth advisors, our intent was to leverage their skills to help us develop health promotion campaigns for the Colorado Department of...
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During my time at SE2, I’ve been blessed to work on important issues such as preventing kids from smoking and vaping, strengthening community hospitals, providing quality preschool for more young…
Reddit, the social media platform that has coined itself “the front page of the internet” and is home to endless social forums, isn’t as dark and disturbing as some might…
Those of us who work in corporate social responsibility have long trumpeted the benefits of our department. CSR tells our company story and helps build our political capital. It creates...
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A recent ad blocked by Facebook got me thinking about an emerging question for impact marketers: When does cause-oriented content strike the right chord and when does it go too...
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When we set out to hire a new director of content and creative last year, we knew it would be akin to finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. Our...
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I recalled my lifetime professional experience – 18+ years in the marketing and advertising business, from Los Angeles to New York and, for the last 13 years, Colorado – while digging...
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Whether it’s a friend, family member, neighbor, or colleague, LGBTQ+ rights affect all of us – and we each have a story to tell. Your story may be deeply painful...
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Fifty years ago today, a group of New Yorkers stood up and fought back against discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Stonewall uprising was a turning point towards equality for...
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For the first time since the 1940s, people of retirement age outnumber teens and young adults in the workplace. Today, you are just as likely to work with a Baby...
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This photo of my daughter, Charlotte, was taken shortly after Barack Obama was elected president in 2009. The caption to the drawing says Charlotte, who was five years old, wishes...
Read MoreWhen students and parents walked out of a vigil last night that had been planned in remembrance of Kendrick Castillo, the student who was tragically killed in the recent shooting...
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The social impact generation (i.e., Millennials and Gen-Z) don’t just want products and services that meet their needs; they’re demanding that brands also have a positive social impact. As private-sector...
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By the end of 2021 more than 70 million U.S. households will have a voice device in their home (e.g., Amazon Alexa, Google Home, smart speaker). To put that in...
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According to the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer, the industry standard for measuring consumer trust, only 48 percent of the general population in the United States trusts advertising, falling from 58...
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Integration of bots, artificial intelligence and rich communication services may signal the end of the website and app era…
In today’s digital world, anybody with a smartphone is a content creator. TikTok, the trending app where users record and upload 15- to 60-second creative video clips set to music,...
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Last year, The Denver Post became the national poster child for how tough times at newspapers threatened access to quality local news. Today, however, Denver news consumers can choose from...
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Since 90 percent of the information received by the brain is visual, it's no surprise that technology is evolving to work with our brains - instead of forcing our brains...
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We've assembled a guide that helps college marketing and communications professionals consider how to leverage two macro trends to appeal to prospective students who increasingly question the value of a...
Read MoreIn today’s dynamic social media landscape, Twitter remains the best channel to follow and engage with both policymakers and the media. Despite attempts made by other social media outlets to...
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If you’re putting all your eggs in the social media basket, you may to think again. The rise of the social media sabbatical is here. It’s time to diversify your communications tactics.
Americans – particularly Millennials and Gen-Z – increasingly don’t identify as a specific gender. What does that mean for how we try to reach and engage people on issues?
When I was in my 20s, I was filled with angst. The future seemed a vast and amorphous space. I had moved to Boston to find myself, but often felt...
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Many agencies take on the occasional issue-focused project, but at SE2 this has been our bread and butter for more than 20 years. We are honored to collaborate with a...
Read MoreIn social marketing, individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds are often primary audience targets. That’s because poverty creates tangible inequities that impact the health, access to education and economic opportunity of...
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If you manage your organization’s social channels, you’ve likely noticed that it’s become a whole lot harder to get boosted posts and ads approved by Facebook —particularly if you work...
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Big news, world. Instagram has officially passed Snapchat as the most-used social platform by teenagers, according to one survey conducted this fall. Twitter and Facebook follow as the third and...
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As in many associations, an inherent and natural tension arises between the work of the professional association and its members. The Family Resource Center Association (FRCA) leads a statewide network...
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Professional associations are as diverse and varied as the sectors they represent. But all associations share the same goal to provide value to their members. Janet McCall, president of the...
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Like many professional/trade associations, generating interest in their issues and reaching younger members are critical and ongoing challenges. For this installment of the Next 20, we sat down with the...
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Disney MagicBands may not come to mind when you think about creating a great experience for association members. But for Colorado Dental Association Executive Director Greg Hill, MagicBands (i.e., smart watch-like devices that allow Disney...
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On a recent Friday morning, our team gathered, coffee in hand, for a video training from a panel of strategists at YouTube. The training began with a single stage-setting fact:...
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Project Manager Kathleen Ryan: Today, we see more and more brands creating a bigger story — and an element of mission — around their products and services. Steve Stoute, an...
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Associations and professional societies that lack a solid Millennial membership are destined for trouble. As an association leader, you’ve certainly experienced some of the unique challenges of working with and...
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Nielsen’s recent report on research conducted with corporate marketing executives has some interesting, though not entirely unexpected insights. Now we consider how those insights can inform our efforts on behalf...
Read MoreMike Wetzel and Frank Valdez are on the communications team at the Colorado Education Association, leading the association’s outreach to its diverse membership of teachers, administrators and education professionals across...
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The latest State of Digital Advertising from Adobe Digital Insights provides tips for how to keep advertising relevant in a rapidly changing landscape. No big surprise here: Millennials and Gen...
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The work of being a content creator can feel like an uphill slog at times. Amidst an avalanche of information, we fight for fleeting attention and struggle to stand out...
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Renny Fagan is the president and CEO of the Colorado Nonprofit Association, which has 1,300 member nonprofit organizations across the state. The Association provides knowledge, resources and advocates for the...
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Two of the hottest issues in any organization are finding/recruiting supporters, donors and advocates, and then keeping them active. Influencer marketing presents new opportunities for nonprofits, associations, advocacy groups and...
Read MoreAt the recent American Society of Association Executives’ Great Ideas 2018 conference, association professionals from around the country met in Colorado Springs to discuss key challenges and opportunities facing their...
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SXSW isn't all learning. There are plenty of fun things to do and explore, too. Here were some of our faves: New office gadget? .@morriseysusan we’re going to need a...
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Our last trend from SXSW focuses on voice-enabled devices like Alexa or Google Home. The head of Alexa video and the VP of Comcast Research and Development (editorial note: Comcast...
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Equality, and particularly its impact on minorities and women, was a consistent theme at #sxsw2018. From workplace equity to the role that the tech and marketing industries must play, from...
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There is a believability crisis. It isn’t new; but over the past year-and-a-half, it certainly has worsened. Claims of “fake news” and “alternative facts” are just a symptom of a...
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Trend Two: Dissolving Traditional Gender Identities Facebook’s global content strategist and its director of insights marketing presented proprietary research it conducted on its user base to identify and understand how...
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This report focuses on: Telling More (and Better) Stories Storytelling has been a recurring trend for several years. (SE2 has been talking about it for 20 years.) What was different this...
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Big ideas from this year's South By Southwest This year’s recap of SXSW takes a different approach than previous years. Inspired by Rohit Bhargava, the author of Non-Obvious: How to...
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In recognition of International Women’s Day yesterday, we gave shout-outs to SE2 friends who are working to change their communities and our state. We think it’s worth thanking them again...
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Kelly Brough is president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, which represents 3,000 companies and their 300,000 employees. Previously she directed an internationally recognized leadership program, served as...
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When it comes to advertising, billboards are about as old school as it comes. Yet they’ve been proving their relevance recently, with high-profile placements — and Oscar recognition. Billboards recently...
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Any conversation about mental health can be complicated by stigma. But when the concern relates to the behavior of a young child, the fear of being labeled or excluded can...
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Syria’s horrific week, resulting in the death of 500-plus civilians, has struggled to supplant other media headlines. Why isn’t the public more outraged by this tragedy? One explanation: Studies have...
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2017 was the year communications and marketing leaders embraced influencer marketing. In 2018, they’re doubling down. In fact, several industry sources report that half of all organizations engaged in influencer...
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With the changing consumer habits of Millennials — including preference for purpose-driven and community-minded companies — there’s growing pressure on brands to win our affection through their business practices, not merely...
Read MoreIt’s award show season. Cue the celebrity buzz, impassioned political statements delivered from the stage, show-stopping performances — and some bold new ads from familiar brands. Creativity, emotion and creating...
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Following the recent announcement about changes to Facebook’s News Feed algorithm (and our post alerting nonprofits and cause marketers to the potential impact of the updates), we want to offer...
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Facebook is making headlines after announcing big changes in how it prioritizes and delivers content. The social-sharing giant will roll out updates as soon as this week that will decisively...
Read MoreSearch engine optimization (SEO) is of course a top priority when marketing products and services. But it may not be top of mind for nonprofits, foundations, cause-marketing campaigns and behavior...
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A new year in its infancy inevitably brings a torrent of resolutions, goal-setting tools and year-end reflections to our social media feeds. In 2018, many of us are anxious for...
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When SE2 launched 20 years ago, we communicated through landline phones and dial-up Internet. Google didn’t exist yet, so online searches were a slow and hit-or-miss proposition. Large electronic files...
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While the president may have popularized the term “fake news”, it’s taken on a life of its own with people here and abroad seizing on the phrase to delegitimize opposing...
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With all the new technology available, it’s astounding that online display advertising — even at its best — often lacks the interactivity we expect from every other online platform. Marketers...
Read MoreWhile many agencies take on the occasional issue-focused project, at SE2 it is all we do – and all we have done for nearly 20 years. We are honored to...
Read MoreNew research shows that real-world experiences — and reading printed media — leads to better comprehension than on-screen learning. So what’s a communicator in this digital-focused world to do? One...
Read MoreWhether you are an outdoor enthusiast or simply seeking reprieve from holiday consumerism, Recreational Equipment Inc.(REI) is inviting you to #OptOutside again this year. The brand launched its now-infamous #OptOutside...
Read MoreMy new Alexa (my second) has me thinking a lot about voice-enabled devices and their potential to fundamentally change how we consume content and take action on issues that matter....
Read MoreSE2 is passionate about our work to support early childhood development. For the past 18 months, we’ve had the opportunity to support a statewide awareness campaign focused on an oft-overlooked...
Read MoreHere at SE2, technology touches everything we do. It connects us to clients, production partners and to each other. It gives us access to the latest research and cutting-edge tactics....
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Journalism can result in very public displays of impact – stories that lead to indictments, resignations and policy change. But gone are the days of venerable, imposing journalistic institutions that...
Read MoreFrom fueling political revolutions to making overnight celebrities of average Joes, the power of social media is unlike any other communications medium of our time. As a result, social media...
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Every year as the aspens begin turning gold, Colorado’s public health professionals converge in the mountains for three days of learning and sharing, exploring a range of topics related to...
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A recent Colorado Healthcare Strategy & Management (CHSM) discussion painted a frightening picture of where we are as a state and nation on the issue of opioid addiction. The panel...
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Millennials are confident, tolerant, self-expressive – and often passionate about social change. On track to be the most educated generation in American history, according to the Pew Research Center, Millennials...
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The annual Denver Startup Week draws creatives, leaders, communicators and entrepreneurial spirits from across the region to talk innovation and strategy. SE2 staff will be attending events and joining conversations...
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Content marketers may have found their social media sweet spot. Or at least that’s what Adweek says about LinkedIn. The professional social media platform, which has struggled in the past...
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2016 was the year communications and marketing leaders acquainted themselves with influencer marketing. Today, they’re investing.
Let me start by telling you there aren’t 27 things in this article. I stole that headline tactic from Buzzfeed, which last week ran an excellent series called Sex Ed...
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I’ve spent most of my career crafting marketing and communications strategies, often for education clients, so this change in perspective has been eye opening.
