THOUGHT LEADERSHIP DISRUPTED

‘Diluted, but is thought leadership dead, dying or dynamic?’

Hill+Knowlton Strategies

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Thought leadership diluted

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The landscape

Knowledge businesses

Big picture positioning

Disrupters

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Thought leadership today

Knowledgebusinesses

• Strategic and tactical• Brand and sales return• Rooted in core service proposition• Immediacy vs dilution

Examples: McKinsey | E&Y | IT industry | Professional Services

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Thought leadership today

Big picture positioning

• Ingredient in a bigger campaign• Strategic purpose• Linked to societal challenge• Brand return• Rooted in core service

Examples: Shell Energy Scenarios | IBM Smarter Planet | GE Ecomagination

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Thought leadership today

Disrupters

• Actions louder than words• We learn in their slipstream• Will they change as they mature?

Examples: Uber | Tesla | Airbnb | Amazon

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Thought leadership today

• Strategic and tactical• Brand and sales return• Rooted in core service

proposition• Immediacy vs dilution

Examples: McKinsey | E&Y | IT industry

• Ingredient in a bigger campaign

• Strategic purpose• Linked to societal challenge• Brand return• Rooted in core service

Examples: Shell Energy Scenarios | IBM Smarter Planet | IO

• Action over words• Learn from their slipstream• Will they change as they

mature?

Examples: Uber | AirBnB | Amazon

Knowledge businesses Big picture positioning Disrupters

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The opportunity

Increased Desire

Flexible Strategy

High Rewards63% of executives have increased their levels of thought leadership consumption in the last 12 months

Having consumed engaging thought leadership, 76 % of executives are influenced in their purchasing decisions; 67% would advocate for that organisation externally; and 83% would consider the organisation as a business partner

Thought leadership is used for a range of goals including: brand differentiation (47%); recognition of company or individuals (42%); right through to paving the way for a change of direction or new market entry (20%)

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The new rule book

Raising the bar on content

Management Discipline

Presentation, Delivery and Distribution

Marketers need to rebalance and professionalise their approach

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The new rule bookCredible

Relevant

Innovative

Transformative

Impactful

Compelling

Accessible

Raising the bar on content

Why are we doing this?Find the critical concept

Credible

Impactful

Transformative

Compelling

Accessible

Lasting

Relevant

Innovative

CRITICAL

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The new rule book

The Management Imperative

1. Set the strategic context2. Process for developing thought

leadership concepts3. Protocol for internal alignment and

collaboration4. Planning and delivery system to include

an editorial board5. Clear policy on employee amplification6. Method of evaluating ROI, sentiment

and tactical effectiveness

Management Discipline

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The new rule book

7 Trends to watch in executive thought leadership

1. ‘Globalisation’ debate2. Cause fatigue3. Big data4. Return of long form content5. Visual storytelling6. Virtual reality7. New platforms

Presentation, Delivery and Distribution

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The new rule book

Raising the bar on content

Management discipline

Presentation, delivery and distribution

Marketers need to rebalance and professionalise their approach

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Let’s continue the conversation…