Interviews with 22 leading chief communications officers and chief marketing officers were conducted between October 2016 and February 2017 by Peppercomm and the Institute for Public Relations as part of their latest white paper, “A Time of Change: How CCOs and CMOs are Handling a New Presidential Administration.”

A Time of Change: How CCOs and CMOs are Handling a New Presidential Administration

All respondents, except one who doesn’t conduct business in the U.S., admitted to increased planning for a scenario where an action by the Trump administration either affects them or their industry.

“When we started this project, we weren’t focused on President Trump, but overwhelmingly, CCOs and CMOs we interviewed said they are experiencing challenges with the new presidential administration,” said Steve Cody, co-founder and CEO of Peppercomm.

Many companies have looked to data and case studies to determine when or if to engage if pulled into a public discussion related to politics and/or policy.  Some have doubled-down on messages that convey open-mindedness and tolerance while others are channeling how they can contribute to the U.S. economy and culture.

Participants represented both consumer and business-to-business industries, including financial services, healthcare, insurance, law, pharmaceuticals, retail and transportation.