9. Melissa Zorkin on 360Respect at Praxis

Melissa Waggener Zorkin is the Global CEO and Founder of WE Communications. One of the largest independent communications and PR consultancies in the world with more than 1,000 experts in the technology, health, and consumer sectors. She gave a keynote address on 360Respect at Praxis. She spoke about how today’s world of motion has created a new urgency for brand leaders and communicators to adopt a new business model of showing respect. How important 360-degree respect is when it comes to customers, environment, people and finally your self because one to respect its values. We must show that we can deliver exceptional products while creating a positive social impact. According to her, the business imperative is The New Brand Loyalty, and it will take a New Leader rooted in 360-degree respect, for all stakeholders not just shareholders. She made us think about, who is your hero? And that hero’s number one quality? She mentioned how consumers are demanding and how we can use data as a tool to gain insights. She said that when creating a campaign we can’t just make a purpose, it has to be in the DNA of the brand. Customers won’t buy the brand’s products if they are disappointed. She spoke about Miranda’s campaign #Releasethepressure about teenagers facing exam stress from their parents and Dettol’s campaign Swachh Banega Bharat. The consequences that come with purpose are considered to be most valuable. She said that leadership is quality and that’s what we should look for in everyone to invoke change. According to her what we do is the best job on this planet, this is the best time to enter the communications world because one can make a huge difference in the community. Her advice to the audience and her success mantra was to do what you love, do the right thing and be honest about what you don’t know.