The Next Media Frontier: Navigating the Uncertain Trump 2.0 Landscape
Elections and media have forever been intertwined, especially within the United States. Photography, invented in 1822, massively helped Abraham Lincoln connect with constituents across a divided nation. Franklin D. Roosevelt leveraged radio to console Americans throughout the 1940s. John F. Kennedy historically won the first televised presidential debate against Richard Nixon, largely due to Kennedy’s stage presence and more youthful demeanor. Social media was an essential component of Barack Obama’s campaigns. And this year, in 2024, the presidential campaigns for both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump leaned on the next wave of media to capture voters: influencers.
In the aftermath of November’s election, many leaders have been interpreting what the future of journalism may look like over the next four years. 18 Coffees’ Managing Partner Caleb Gardner recently connected with Dr. Danielle Tomson to explore the rise of content creators and influencer power in shaping behavior and brand perception, how data can help or hinder our understanding of community behavior, and the impact the shifting media landscape might have on communications going forward. From the future of journalism to the role of storytelling, the conversation provided valuable insights into the evolving media landscape and future implications for communications professionals. Miss the conversation? Catch up with our key takeaways:
Think in culture and communities, not campaigns: A grand narrative and durable strategy will continue to win versus tactical, campaign-by-campaign approaches. Moving forward, communicators should prioritize long-term, consistent storytelling and relationship-building across channels, and not get distracted by the hype of Big Data and hyper-personalization.
Rethink how you measure success. Data points like impressions or ad views that we’ve long considered strong metrics of success may not even be the best indicator of impact. Clearly define your organization’s interests, reconsider what to measure, and focus on building long-term relationships with allies in and outside of your industry who can help you tell your story.
Persuade with emotional stories, not just rational data points: As Caleb mentioned, “We have this mythology that we are rational reasoners—and we're not.” Facts don’t speak for themselves; they need to be supported by emotional reasoning. In the new media landscape, communicators will have to find ways to tell bigger stories about why their organizations and industries exist in order to capture audience loyalty.
Creators and influencers are just the latest innovation in an ever-changing digital landscape, and there is undoubtedly more change in store over the next few years. If you’re a leader interested in preparing your organization for the next media frontier, 18 Coffees is here to help.
