The widespread closure of brick-and-mortar stores due to COVID-19 has underlined the need for businesses to have effective e-commerce and social media strategies. But how do people want brands to behave in digital spaces? And why are privacy and community so important to online shoppers?

What does a lack of IRL interaction mean for virtual communities? Can influencers remain apolitical? How can Big Tech firms win back people’s trust? In this part of the 2021 Expert Outlook, we speak to three experts about how communications are shifting in the wake of a crisis-filled year.

Cause-based marketing sees brands launching campaigns and posting on Instagram to show their support for social issues. Yet while they may mean well, such efforts are routinely criticised, especially by discerning Gen Zers. So, how can brands demonstrate their commitment to a good cause?

The ways that people interact with businesses have been overhauled in 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests amplifying demands for brands to acknowledge and respond to social ills. So, how can companies translate their values into meaningful action?