Sefiani has published their communications, brands and reputations predictions for 2024 to help brands and organisations navigate the rapidly changing and volatile market.

Describing the year as "transformative and risk-rich", the agency states that adept communications will be non-negotiable to maintain a strategic advantage.

The six predictions the agency expects for 2024 are:

• Reputation management will be more important than ever.
  Organisations will be leveraging tools such as AI to address emerging issues proactively, and prevent reputational crises. The heightened focus on CEOs during crises will encourage communicators to strategically assess when and how their CEOs should be accountable for their organisations.
• The AI conversation will evolve, and communications roles will become more fulfilling and high-value.
  The AI discourse is shifting pragmatically as organisations integrate AI into business models for innovation. Despite the ongoing 'productivity versus job losses' debate, AI is anticipated to transform the communications sector in a positive way.
• As democracy faces its ‘biggest test’, brands may feel pressure to pick a side.
  2024 is a significant year for global democracy, but with political tensions heightened by misinformation, such as AI-generated fakes, there will be challenges in accurate reporting. Organisations may face pressure to align with ideological sides, making navigation around the geopolitical landscape complex.
• Sustainability communicators will have to work harder and smarter to build trust.
  For consumers, companies often fall into two groups, "greenwashers" or "greenhushers", which impact consumer trust. Effective communications from sustainability-focused brands will be crucial to bridging this trust gap and guiding consumers toward eco-conscious choices.
• Consumers will continue to demand greater transparency and authenticity from brands.
  Organisations must engage with audiences authentically and demonstrate ongoing value. For both B2B and B2C brands, the emphasis lies in innovation and genuine communication. Measuring the impact of long-term brand building will remain a focus, and it must go beyond share of voice to track how engagement is converted into action.
• Slaying the corporate jargon dragon in favour of simpler and more transparent communication.
  A 2023 LinkedIn report indicated that 40 per cent of workers made mistakes due to workplace jargon. Growing frustration with office buzzwords suggests a shift towards simpler language in internal communications, which can foster an improvement in corporate culture, trust and clarity among staff.

The full report can be found here.