In today's ever evolving world where transparency and honesty are king and queen, we have to be cognisant of how we communicate with the public. Strong, purposeful and meaningful communication doesn't just happen. It requires delving into efficient research and strategy with a refined approach. We wouldn't harp on about strategic communication if we didn't think it was lacking to some degree or that we could help you effect change in your world. Our two cents on it are below.

So, moving swiftly along, how much time do you spend on your screens? Do you get that crippling notification on your phones telling you your screen activity has wormed upwards by 7-10% (us, guilty as charged) on a particular week? It begs the question: 'what am I spending all this time on?' Could it be chat apps? More than likely. In 'Shaping Tomorrow' we look at the most popular instant messaging platforms in the US. Do any surprise you?

Now we have spoken many a time about mental health in an effort to debunk the myth that it's not as important as physical health. We are just as mental as we are physical, remember that. But how much are mental health costing Europe for example? Statista reveals that when it comes to Europe in particular, mental health issues were having a massive indirect cost in terms of higher unemployment and lost productivity in 2015. Adding in mental health and social spending, the cost was highest in Denmark, equating to 5.4 percent of the country's GDP. So, what is the solution? Better service infrastructure. Simple.

On that note, Psyche have an incredible article on how to control overthinking. It is usually the case that grappling with your thoughts will leave you even more entangled in worry. The author and therapist uses metacognitive strategies to help those who ruminate for breakfast, lunch and dinner, break free from those habits.

Sometimes though, all you need is a change of scenery to quell those obsessive thoughts. Our outlook pick for this week should do the trick. Get it on a big screen or better yet, get on that plane if you're vaccinated!

Team E.

We predominantly work in areas of conflict, post conflict and development, and specialize in advertising, public information and social change campaigns – using formal and informal media, backed by innovative research, to effect or deflect change across political, social and cultural boundaries. We believe that thoughtful communication, presented correctly, not only alters the way people perceive their world, but can also stimulate that world to change.

In essence, it's combining art and science to convey a compelling narrative to promote long-lasting change. And we've got just the right the comprehensive toolbox to do it. Find out more!

Due Diligence

Speaking of a changing world, alongside strategic communications, you need to invest in trusted and experienced intelligence and security. Before we dive into any kind or scope of work, the first thing we do is dig deep into your surrounding world – otherwise known as Due Diligence. The work we do involves careful attention to the political, economic, cultural, cyber and crime/terrorism-related challenges throughout the world because brand safety and reputation management are paramount in today's atmosphere. What ensures that businesses mitigate risk and brand damage, is a thorough examination of the context in which we are working in. For example, before you invest your money into a project or cause, we do our homework on your behalf to give you deep insights, knowledge and understanding of the terrain you are moving into.

Our due diligence goes beyond KYC risk intelligence to give our customers a full 360° picture of who you're working with. The options for executing Due Diligence to harness safety, security and mitigate risk are fully customized to your requirements. It's essentially a lot of detective work through our far reaching CAST system. We do like to think of ourselves as the Sherlock Holmes of the consultancy field... with a little data mining help of course!

SHAPING TOMORROW

We’re always on the look out for dynamic change makers, disruptors and new information to fuel our own dexterity and creativity. So, this section sees a few of our recent picks on how the world’s outlook is changing. We hope these little nuggets will help you land on that 'aha!' moment you were looking for!

OUR DIVERSIONS

We know everyone says it's not all work, it's about play, too – and as much as we don't want to sound like a broken record, there is truth in the truism. Like we said earlier, we are all about ingesting the complex and the trivial in equal measure. In fact, we love nothing more than thinking deeply about the more 'playful' things in life. Read ' em and ponder away.

TODAY'S QUOTE

He might have been known for his uber lengthy fiction, but Tolstoy knew a thing or two about brevity. If you change the way YOU look at things, then change happens.

THE OUTLOOK

We've all been vaccinated and can practically smell the inside of a plane now! Have you been jabbed yet?