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Black adults are more likely than other groups to see their race or ethnicity as central to their identityBlack History Month, which is celebrated every year in February, honors the achievements of black Americans throughout history. It’s also a time to reflect on larger themes of identity and community. Findings from Pew Research Center surveys conducted in recent years show that most black adults feel that they are part of a broader black community in the United States and see their race as important to how they think of themselves.

In this busy world, consumers of all generations are engaged in a silent battle to disconnect from work and social media — and the devices that keep them tethered to both. Millennials are no different. A recent survey of 1,004 Millennials (aged 23-38) living in the U.S., conducted by Kelton Global on behalf of Mazda, revealed that if given free time, they would most like to hit the road for a trip, with 39 percent of respondents saying they would head out for a driving adventure. That is 50 percent more Millennials than those who would choose to be a homebody for the weekend to binge content — only 26 percent.

The 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals that despite a strong global economy and near full employment, none of the four societal institutions that the study measures—government, business, NGOs and media—is trusted. The cause of this paradox can be found in people’s fears about the future and their role in it, which are a wake-up call for our institutions to embrace a new way of effectively building trust: balancing competence with ethical behavior.

I have to thank those nice people at Mediacom for sharing 'Two minutes with Simon Peel, Global Media Director at adidas'. In the video, Peel shares his thoughts on the power of a shared idea, and while he might be thinking that a shared idea of what makes things cool encourages people to buy a pair of sneakers, I think it applies to all strong brands.  by Nigel Hollis

For the second year, Bain Media Lab and AI pioneer Hive partnered to analyze marketing within and around the Super Bowl using Mensio, an AI-powered TV advertising and sponsorship analytics platform developed in partnership between Bain and Hive.

Super Bowl advertising has come a long way. This year’s commercials were no longer limited to male targets with creative using guy humor to get a good laugh and be memorable. The categories represented were no longer dominated by the more traditional ones, like beer, soft drinks, snacks and automobiles, but included technology, beauty and, of course, politics. Female-targeted spots were in full force, with empowering, #FutureIsFemale-themed creative including Secret, Olay and Genesis; as were messages of sustainability from Saucony and SodaStream. The casting selection made major strides in terms of diversity, with spots featuring protagonists representing the Black, Asian, Hispanic, 50-plus and LGBTQ+ communities.  By Louis Maldonado - partner at d EXPOSITO & PARTNERS