As this series comes to a close, the desire to be aspirational—inspirational, even—rings hollow. For many, Black History Month is little more than an opportunity to misappropriate and exploit Black culture for financial or reputational benefit—often both. It’s a performative gesture for people, companies and institutions who otherwise ignore Black people, and our cries for our lives to matter, the other 337 days out of the year.

Nonfungible tokens (NFTs) are all the rage these days and, of course, marketers are wasting no time jumping into the pool to cash in on what might be the next big thing.

Last spring, the media and marketing world experienced a tipping point of sorts around the topic of supporting minority-owned and diverse-targeted media. There were high-profile pledges being publicized from marketers and agencies on an almost daily basis during the upfront season. However, it’s been thought-provoking to see the conversation cool off, especially in the current shadow of Madison Avenue’s shiny new gimmick, NFTs.

Welcome to the newest buzzword flooding your feeds and tantalizing the industry, creating a sense of intrigue and raising a multitude of questions all at the same time. Say hello to the metaverse.

As we enter Black History Month, we will once again find our social feeds filled with the swirl of Instagram posts, the one-time signature events and that single brand campaign to spotlight Black talent. And yet, here’s what too many marketers fail to remember: Black History Month is not a “check the box” exercise or the one time to speak to the Black community. Rather, it should be the beginning of the journey to amplify, celebrate, honor, connect and advocate for the Black community.

Fandoms are forged in experiences, not contracts. While it’s easy to become transfixed by the billions being shuffled by tech and entertainment powerhouses to acquire game studios, they are akin to damage numbers flying across the screen in a fighting game. Yes, they are impressive, but they are merely indicators of a much more powerful mechanic at play: gaming fandoms.

No sooner had Novak Djokovic—the world’s top-ranked tennis player and a favorite to win the 2022 Australian Open—been turned away from the tournament after a protracted fight over being unvaccinated than all eyes turned to Lacoste. The iconic French sportswear brand and marquee sponsor of the tennis star was now in the hot seat after Djokovic’s unapologetic vaccine stance.

One of Unilever’s largest investors recently broke rank, publishing a letter that expressed strong dissatisfaction at the Purposeful Brands strategy Unilever has been spearheading since establishing the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) back in 2010.

2022 will be the year when health communications finally catch up to the hype.

Top candidates are being snapped up at frenzied rates and businesses are realizing they must act faster to secure great talent. The best recruiting teams, once burned by slow decision-making, have squeezed hiring timelines to as short as 6-business days.