LONDON: 07 March 2022, our latest Comms Futures Pulse indicates that nearly one in two senior communications leaders (44%) are struggling with cancel culture. Some are less concerned and appear to shrug ‘it’ off but other comms leaders speak with grim realism on how cancel culture affecting them in the highly charged and uncertain world we live in.
One Agency CEO put forward – “The problem is the fear that cancel culture generates (which) then changes behaviour for the worse. In particular, it reduces diversity of opinion…it’s difficult to navigate.”
34% claim cancel culture is having little or no impact on them with 13% saying they are not really bothered at all.
One Director of Communications was robust – “While ‘cancel culture’ is a concern at the professional level (I spend time working out how to negotiate this while remaining true to organisational values) at a personal level, I don’t think it is impacting me.”
Another CEO opined powerfully, “Leftish wokery is destroying national cohesion and pride, and ultimately undermining the country” while a seasoned Agency Board lead told it straight “It is preventing me from raising my hand and expressing a view.”
The last word sits with this CEO who said, “The whole culture wars / war on woke / cancel culture furore is got up by politicians and the media and actually only exists on university campuses, in elite sports, and tabloid newspapers (which are now read by very few people). It has limited bearing on the real world and no bearing on me.”
So in light of current world events, perhaps we have bigger things to worry about.
Cancel Culture is thriving. What impact, if any, is this having on you personally as a comms professional?
