Laura Sutphen, who led Ketchum's sustainable business/social impact group and headed the firm's corporate work in San Francisco, is now at Golin.
At the Interpublic unit, Sutphen helms the social purpose, corporate responsibility and sustainability unit from a perch in Chicago.
In her more than 20-year career, Sutphen has represented Walmart, Nestle USA, eBay and Procter & Gamble.
Prior to Ketchum, she was a Fenton Communications staffer and founder of Social Planets, which linked social issues with companies and non-profits.
She now reports to Scott Farrell, president of Golin's global communications chief.
Continuing a trend that began last year, purpose-driven messaging is falling out of favor among communications pros working in our politically polarized environment, with many now also anticipating fewer future corporate investments in DEI, sustainability and other CSR initiatives.
Most Americans believe companies should remain neutral on political and social issues, but new findings suggest that a growing number now think it's appropriate for brands to make political statements and to take a similar stand on racial-justice issues.
Support for corporate social responsibility initiatives among public relations professionals has declined consistently each year for the past three years, according to the latest USC Global Communications Report.
True purpose-driven marketing isn’t about a one-off campaign. It’s about embedding values into the core of business operations. It's ensuring that marketing reflects genuine actions. It’s thoughtfully executed, authentic storytelling.
