FleishmanHillard and Contagious Reveal "The Chaos Advantage": New Study Shows Caution Has Become the Riskiest Strategy in Marketing

Jim Joseph, Global chair, Brand Impact at FleishmanHillard

“We're seeing this pattern where leaders know bold work wins but their organizations can't seem to approve and execute it”

Jim Joseph, Global chair, Brand Impact at FleishmanHillard

“We commissioned this research to quantify the gap and understand what's actually blocking action. The answer is behavioral, not strategic.”

Ellie Tuck, Chief creative officer, Americas at FleishmanHillard

“The data makes clear that uncertainty is now the operating condition, not a moment to wait out”

Ellie Tuck, Chief creative officer, Americas at FleishmanHillard

“Organizations that treat caution as a risk management strategy are actually multiplying their risk. The brands that thrive are the ones taking action despite, and because of, the uncertainty.”

Alex Jenkins, Editorial director at Contagious

“The research validates what we've seen across award-winning work. Companies growing through uncertainty are those responding with creative conviction rather than hesitation. This is less about recklessness and more about understanding that the operating environment has fundamentally changed and requires a different strategic response.”

Ellie Tuck, Chief creative officer, Americas at FleishmanHillard

“There's a bigger implication here for marketing and communications leaders”

Ellie Tuck, Chief creative officer, Americas at FleishmanHillard

“The old marketing playbook was built for a world where brands could control the message. That world is gone. Communities decide what's worth talking about. You can't buy your way through chaos. You have to know how to move through it. And that's where modern communications and the ability to predict shifts, earn attention and mobilize influence become a critical engine of modern brand growth. That's the conversation we want to start.”