Global Brand Strategist, Accomplished Researcher, Award Winning Thought-Leader, Author and International Speaker.
An early pioneer of the purpose space, a Superbrands Branding Leader, a Trust Across America Top Thought Leader and a GCPIT Global Woman in Leadership, Anne is the author of DO GOOD, which details her pioneering Me-to-We continuum of Brand Citizenship®. She is a listener, collaborator and tireless innovator above all else. Gifted in seeing the potential in people and brands, she invites others to gain new perspectives alongside her and guides them to strategically bring these new possibilities to life.
Today, Anne advises leaders and brands on how to integrate brand strategy, marketing, communications and culture with purpose, sustainability and ESG principles. A former executive director of strategy and planning and head of consulting at Interbrand, the world’s leading brand consultancy, she also has previously worked in strategic planning and product management corporate and wholesale banking and began her career at Grey Advertising.
Concurrent to working with clients, speaking and volunteering, she is: helping to advance IAA’s Global Sustainability Council; an Ambassador for Meaningful Business; an advisor to Overflow pbc; on the Council of Aspiration and Inspiration for the Spirit of Humanity Forum; and an active advocate for women’s issues, equity and belonging.
To every client, regardless of sector or size, Anne brings a depth of knowledge and understanding that only comes from interacting with a lengthy list of the world’s most valuable brands including Aegon, adidas, American Cancer Society, Citibank, Deloitte, Emerson, Hard Rock Cafe, IBM, ING, Jameson Irish Whiskey, JPMorgan Chase, Kingfisher, L’Oreal, Microsoft, NBCUniversal, Pearson, Pepsi, Prudential, Save the Children, Scandanavian Airlines, Skanska, Stolichnaya, Symantec, Thomasville, ThomsonReuters and UNICEF, among many others.
Anne holds an MBA from the Darden School at UVA and has taught marketing at NYU Stern School of Business’s London campus. She's also trained in GRI Sustainability Reporting and is a certified Image Consultant. Her writings have been published in Brands and Branding (Economist Books), hbr.com, Bloomberg News, The Guardian, Journal of Brand Strategy and many other industry publications. And she’s been interviewed on numerous podcasts, radio shows and Fox Business, and spoken at the United Nations, international conferences, business schools and client events.
An active community volunteer, Anne has served on boards and committees for non-profits in both the US and the UK and is extremely proud of the work she has done for non-profit and humanitarian aid organizations.
Available For: Advising, Authoring, Consulting, Influencing, Speaking
Travels From: New York, NY USA
Speaking Topics: All speaking engagements are customized for the audience
Anne Bahr Thompson | Points |
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Academic | 0 |
Author | 102 |
Influencer | 81 |
Speaker | 23 |
Entrepreneur | 0 |
Total | 206 |
Points based upon Thinkers360 patent-pending algorithm.
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"What do you do when you're on a train for a day of meetings in the big city and discover you don’t have your phone...?"
That's the question that I was forced to consider the other day on my journey from Connecticut’s Eastern Shoreline to New York City. And doing so shined a light on our evolving relationship with technology and the power of human kindness - as well as reinforced the imperative for brands to take purpose-driven action.
The ground slipped from under me as the Metro-North train doors closed, and I realized I didn’t have my phone. No WiFi on the train to fire off messages to colleagues about the day's meetings. No app or ApplePay to pay for my train ride or the subway once I was in the city. No Uber to go from one place to another if I was running late. And no pay phones to use even if I could find some loose change in my bag. A momentary feeling of panic because I hadn’t planned on managing my day unplugged…
Followed by the recognition that I had little choice to do anything other than to surrender to my circumstances. And as I did so, I opened myself to recognize (in a safe and secure way) how our world is no longer set up for those who don’t have a ubiquitous smartphone and to firsthand experience lessons in contrast—between the kindness of strangers and the rigidity of rules and between human empathy and indifference.
A fellow traveler's generosity lending me his phone underpinned our shared humanity, regardless of the differences in our outward appearances and demographics. This stranger’s simple act of kindness spoke volumes about the potential for human connection, even in a world dominated by screens, polarized by ideology and struggling with indifference.
Unfortunately, not everyone mirrored this man’s compassion. A debate with a steadfast train conductor underscored how easily routines and regulations can overshadow real human limitations. And, well, one woman’s actions just are not appropriate to share here.
Although I often reference our dependence on technology, the absence of my smartphone truly spotlighted the extent to which technology shapes our daily routines – and the things that are no longer possible to do without it. Tasks that have become almost second nature, such as paying for transportation and coordinating meeting points, suddenly were daunting without my phone in hand. It was a striking reminder of the digital divide, a gap that often goes unnoticed as we revel in technological progress.
As I sat on the train without a screen, I found myself pondering how brands play a role as architects of societal norms. What if brands embraced transformation and, also, committed to making their resultant innovations accessible to all? What if they strive to bridge the gap between the tech-savvy and the digitally marginalized? It’s no surprise that this is where brand purpose enters the stage.
Even more so than emphasizing the technological intricacies of our daily life, unintentionally not having my phone reinforced the significance of kindness, gratitude and making a positive impact. With monitors clamoring for our attention 24/7, genuine human connection may catch us off-guard – and feel like a rarity. And yet, as I experienced the generosity of a stranger, I truly sensed the immeasurable value such connections hold.
So, how can brands leverage their influence to foster empathy, inclusivity and purpose? How can they contribute to a world where technological advancements don't inadvertently widen the gaps between us through cultivating authentic human connection?
In a landscape dominated by screens, being disconnected mirrored the broader challenges and opportunities we face – as individuals and as brand leaders. I continue to believe that we all have a responsibility to drive positive change, especially those who command influence. Brands can be agents of transformation, catalysts for bridging disparities and hallmarks for empathy – because they have the power to sway how we think and how we behave.
By prioritizing inclusivity and accessibility, brands can reshape our cultural narrative. They can use their power to ensure that no one is left behind. It's a path that aligns with the ethos of social responsibility and good citizenship and one that empowers brands to be forces for good.
While technology connects us virtually, it's our actions, our empathy and our relationships that truly interconnect us. And I’m encouraged by the possibilities that lie ahead. Brands, with their immense reach and influence, can place themselves at the forefront of change…. So let's use this opportunity to champion kindness, embrace the broader intention of purpose and pave a way for a future where technology and humanity harmoniously coexist.
Tags: CSR, Diversity and Inclusion, Leadership
Is greenhushing – or brands intentionally taking steps to stay quiet about their climate strategies, programs and initiatives – gaining traction as business leaders’ concerns about greenwashing heighten?
As people progressively call on the business sector to take greater action on climate change and social issues, brands increasingly are marketing and communicating their sustainability efforts. And as our depth of knowledge and understanding about sustainability enhances our understanding of what is and is not greenwashing, the bar for efficacy rises and escalates scrutiny of claims. And so it’s no surprise greenhushing is becoming a thing.
A challenge to remain relevant
Many brand leaders, entrepreneurs, and marketers I speak with admittedly feel wobbly as they’re finding their pathway and adjusting their orientation to demands for greater action. They’re concerned about how to stay relevant with the rules of the game changing before they can master them. They consider new ways to stay in the vanguard, maintain the loyalty and passion of their current fans, and simultaneously cultivate new ones. Other clients and colleagues I meet opt for a more comfortable route, centering corporate communications on sustainability goals and ambitions (perhaps taking their lead from governments) rather than on committing to tangible plans for the year, outcomes and impact. Alongside this, some brand/product managers continue to mistakenly (and even naively) consider things from vertical perspectives – in isolation – rather than take on a wider systems perspective in their sustainable product development and innovation. (Think recycled plastic and plastic waste, as a ready example.)
And others still are having an ever harder time adapting. Still hoping to return to the former status quo, they feel manic as they react to events in one-offs, rushing around chasing dozens of initiatives. Using trial and error, rather than taking a moment to pause and step back, they are managing —barely—to stand afloat in our overly turbulent world. They, too, are chasing relevance. They know things have changed, but many of their efforts to adjust to the overlapping environmental, social and political crises are yielding piecemeal results. Among many false starts, they find pockets of great success whether with new products, marketing initiatives, cool apps and videos, and the like. Yet frustratingly the “parts” are not adding up to greater than the whole as they hope.
The only way is forward
While some brand leaders may view silence about sustainability initiatives as the safe bet in terms of reputation management and risk management, it’s not necessarily good governance or even the smartest marketing and communications strategy. Coca Cola, Disney and Delta have all learned this lesson the hard way. People’s expectations of brands – and for the business sector overall – have shifted. And there’s no going back. Only forward.
Transparency cultivates trust
Transparency into how brands are responding to the challenges we face and to how organizational leaders are mitigating existential risks are important for consumers, employees and investors alike…. Whether it’s choosing a product to buy, an employer to work for or a company to invest in, knowing the actions a brand is taking guides everyone to make better decisions and increases demand for brands across sectors to responsibly consider all stakeholders – including the environment and society – on the pathway to living purpose and creating a better future for everyone. Transparency is essential to cultivating trust, and trust is essential for long-term success as traditional models for business are disrupted by necessity.
Brands catalyze attitudinal and behavioral change
As 2023 progresses, the list of environmental and social issues companies will need to address likely will grow longer – more complex and more interconnected. And as brand leaders focus on strengthening resiliency, marketing and communications professionals have an extraordinary opportunity to do good through product innovation, enhancing the customer experience and, yes, communications and campaigns that inform and educate. The possibilities to amplify impact will continue to expand as marcomms broadens its perspective and considers relationships/interdependencies and feedback loops, actors and trends across the wider social and environmental systems in which they interact.
Brands have the opportunity – and responsibility – to catalyze attitudinal and behavior change. After all, brands have the power to transform organizations and social norms. Because they have the influence to change the way we think and act.
Tags: Sustainability, Marketing