How to navigate change on social media
We find ourselves in the teenage years of the dominant social media platforms – Facebook is 20 years old; Instagram is 14; and 18-year-old Twitter has angrily changed its name to X. As with any teenager, volatility is the norm. Recent years brought us the mountainous rise of TikTok, the faltering of Twitter, the birth of Threads, the rise and fall of the metaverse, Bill C-18, Apple’s app tracking transparency, and generative AI for all. There’s been a tremendous amount of change.
Constant change and disruption are woven into the fabric of the digital landscape. So how do communicators and marketers navigate these rapid transformations of technology, norms, and tastes? There are really only two choices – radical change every quarter or create a long-term, stable social strategy. The former is going to consistently get you into trouble, the latter will set you up for success for years to come.
Just because platforms are volatile doesn’t mean brands have to be. Amidst the chaos, the smart move is to create integrated strategies that bring together social, creative, media, and web teams to curate moments and create ownable content focused on measurable goals.
If users don’t win, everyone loses
We are in the midst of a fierce battle for attention. Consumer ability to jump toward shiny new platforms is forever shifting how social media properties operate. As communicators, we should be rooting for more success, not failure. A healthy, competitive social media ecosystem is better for all of us as it incentivizes communicators to create compelling messaging.
Meta’s platforms, along with TikTok’s, increasingly suffer from a proliferation of out-of-touch and socially disconnected ads. A surge in poorly crafted – and often auto-generated messaging results in user disengagement; they post less frequently, see less of what they want, and before you know it, you’re in a platform death spiral. This cycle creates a worse environment for users, contributing to declining diversity, doom-scrolling and deteriorating mental health – which is a lousy environment for organizations to communicate in with users.
No one should add to this deterioration. Marketers and communicators must be thoughtful about what we bring to the party. Audiences want to be seen and acknowledged, and they crave relevant content. Brands who lead with authenticity and demonstrate they understand the diversity of their customers’ values will continue to flourish.
Paid and organic: BFFs
Organic reach is dead. But that doesn’t mean organic efforts should be abandoned. It just means that paid campaigns and organic publishing shouldn’t operate in silos, and certainly not with distinct teams behind them. Organic and paid should be part of the same strategy conversation – with creative and media at the table. Paid and organic can complement each other strongly. Organic audiences are engaged supporters, driving content views, comments and organic website sessions. Organic content nurtures and informs those who know your brand or your perspective. These audiences are your most loyal, and insights from their actions and interests will inform your paid audience targeting, and your next round of creative content planning. On the flip side, within your best-performing social media content – that’s tested across millions of targeted impressions and dozens of AI-powered creative treatments – lies the spark for your next most engaging organic content.
Bigger! Better! Fewer!
Face it, very few are waiting for your organization’s next social media post. You should be communicating when you have something relevant to say. It’s more effective to focus your integrated social media efforts within your brand’s own schedule. Find your most meaningful and most impactful moments. Pick your times to speak, and break through with meaning, authenticity, and the weight of a focused ad spend to drive higher exposure for the moments that matter (to you and your audiences). Less is more!
Bigger moments are more likely to align with strategic outcomes. And social media outcomes should be a means to an end, aligning with actual business objectives. Your organization is not powered by impressions and likes. Calibrate your conversions and turn on an ecosystem that is fine-tuned to nurture first-party customer data – data from which you can grow more meaningful relationships. Engaged audiences are more likely to connect through to your websites, your ecommerce shop, your CRM initiatives and your physical assets.
Embrace platform formats
The smartphone is the TV of today. And vertical video is its 22-minute sitcom. XDR screens and 5G networks have made social media feeds the perfect place for vertical video entertainment. Steve Jobs dreamed of an entertainment and communications device for the park bench, the bus and the bathroom. And now we have it, full-screen and lightning fast. Today, content carrying your message needs to resonate with your mobile viewer within just 2 seconds. This is why your creative and social media teams should integrate from the start, so that possibilities are never missed. Your content planning and production stream can be designed to incorporate native platform truths, from the start. The format is vertical, short, and quickly engaging – with branding and key message right up front.
Because social media is so volatile, we as marketers need to be extra-focused on stability. When users, platforms and policies ebb and flow, integration and cohesion are our secret weapons. Increase the proximity between social, creative, media and web teams. Lead with authenticity. Embrace and test new platform formats. These are the efforts that enhance immediate success during these platform teen years and prepare us for weathering the expected volatility ahead.
International Communications Veteran Jorge Ortega Joins ChangeMakers USA as Executive Vice President, Client Success
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 10, 2025) — ChangeMakers, a leading North American communications and marketing firm focused on reputation and social impact, has appointed Jorge Ortega as Executive Vice President, Client Success and a member of the firm’s U.S. leadership team.
A former senior leader at two multinational agencies, Ortega brings decades of experience advising public and private sector clients on CEO communications, leadership development, brand strategy, and crisis response. He will report to Robert Gemmill, President of ChangeMakers, USA.
“Jorge is a major addition to the ChangeMakers team,” Gemmill said. “The trust he has earned from C-suite executives is evident by his deep relationships and broad experience across sectors. His leadership will be key as we grow our U.S. business and deliver the results our partners expect.”
Ortega joins ChangeMakers from CRA | Admired Leadership, where he served as Managing Director. He previously led Edelman’s southwest region and held senior roles at Burson. His career spans reputation strategy, brand communications, and high-stakes crisis response.
“Jorge’s appointment reflects our commitment to building a leadership team with both insight and impact,” said Mario Simon, CEO of ChangeMakers. “His integrity and experience align with our mission to navigate complexity for our clients.”
Ortega joins the ChangeMakers U.S. team, which specializes in helping clients anticipate and navigate complex, high-stakes communication situations. The firm uses its proprietary Reputation Score© AI platform to inform counsel and to measure and predict reputational impact in real time.
“I’m eager to bring my experience advising global clients to help ChangeMakers grow and deliver meaningful results,” Ortega said.
About ChangeMakers
For more than 40 years, ChangeMakers has helped organizations solve complex communications challenges by blending strategy, creativity, and insight. With more than 400 professionals across 10 locations in North America, we partner with clients to build stronger brands, navigate change, and drive meaningful impact. From corporate reputation and brand storytelling to social purpose and executive advisory, ChangeMakers brings together diverse expertise to help clients lead with confidence and clarity.
Ron Smrczek joins ChangeMakers as Executive Creative Director
Marketing, Reputation Management, and Social Impact Consulting firm ChangeMakers has appointed creative leader Ron Smrczek as the company’s new Executive Creative Director.
A prominent figure in the agency creative community, Smrczek is known for his transformative work on leading brands in diverse business categories from Viagra (pharma) to Interac (finance), Canadian Tire (retail), and TELUS (telecom).
Over his 27-year career, he has worked at agencies including TAXI—across Toronto, Europe, and the U.S.—as well as Zulu Alpha Kilo, McCann, The&Partnership, and BBDO.
“Ron’s breadth of integrated experience on big brands and the creative leadership he has demonstrated internationally across so many business challenges will help us elevate our creative output throughout all our business lines,” says Alyssa Huggins, ChangeMakers President, Marketing. “We are also excited by his collaborative style and advertising-agnostic thinking that Ron will bring to our clients.”
For Smrczek, ChangeMakers’ in-house portfolio of discipline expertise provides the kind of resource base that is required in today’s marketplace.
“We are well into a new era where it takes much more than advertising or PR to tell the story of brands,” says Smrczek. “Companies need to tap into broader and more integrated areas of expertise, such as reputation management and social impact, to solve modern business problems.”
Adds Smrczek: “The challenge today is not so much about getting projects done, but more about meeting the changing needs of consumers and clients. You need to have the flexibility to meet problems as they arise—to have the expertise readily at hand that can guide clients through change as it happens.
“It also helps that ChangeMakers is independent. I’ve always felt independence brings the ability to put clients and people first”
About ChangeMakers
ChangeMakers is a 400+ person independent marketing, reputation management, and social impact firm with offices throughout North America. ChangeMakers combines deep business specialization with human-centered strategies, working alongside our clients to strengthen their brands and succeed in a disruptive world.
View the story at StrategyOnline:
“ChangeMakers appoints Ron Smrczek as its executive creative director”
https://strategyonline.ca/2025/04/02/changemakers-smrczek-ecd/
View the story at O’Dwyer’s:
“On the Move: Real Chemistry Taps Griffiths for 21 Grams Post”
View the story at CampaignCanada:
“ChangeMakers appoints Ron Smrczek as executive creative director”
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“Smrczek joins ChangeMakers”
ChangeMakers secures a major win in eye health advocacy with the Alberta Association of Optometrists
ChangeMakers is proud to announce a major win in health advocacy, securing a strategic partnership with the Alberta Association of Optometrists (AAO) to champion the importance of eye health for all ages.
Through a province-wide campaign, ChangeMakers will help spotlight the critical role of regular eye exams in early detection and prevention, from infancy through to senior years. This collaboration will not only strengthen awareness of eye health but will also mark the beginning of an exciting new client relationship.
“Our partnership with ChangeMakers reflects the agency’s understanding of our mission and its ability to bring it to life through compelling storytelling and strategic communications,” said Brian Wik, CEO at Alberta Association of Optometrists. “We look forward to working together to amplify our advocacy efforts and improve access to essential eye care services.”
As a leader in purpose-driven communications, ChangeMakers will support AAO with a multi-faceted strategy, including strategy, creative and content development, earned media, influencer strategy, digital marketing, and media buying.
“Our work with AAO reinforces ChangeMakers’ commitment to advancing meaningful causes through impactful marketing and reputation management,” said Alyssa Huggins, President of Marketing, at ChangeMakers. “We’re honored to support the Alberta Association of Optometrists in raising awareness of its vital initiatives that protect vision and improve lives across Canada and beyond.”
About ChangeMakers
ChangeMakers is a 400+ person independent reputation management, social impact and marketing firm with offices throughout North America. ChangeMakers combines deep business specialization with human-centered strategies, working alongside our clients to strengthen their reputation and succeed in a disruptive world.
About the Alberta Association of Optometrists
The Alberta Association of Optometrists is Alberta’s leading optometric professional organization, representing more than 900 Doctors of Optometry in over 120 communities across the province. AAO members are highly trained regulated health professionals providing primary eye health and vision care to Albertans. For more information, please visit optometrists.ab.ca.
View the story at StrategyOnline:
“ChangeMakers teams up with Alberta optometrists”
https://strategyonline.ca/2025/03/19/agency-news-hover-group/
Save the Children renews its commitment with ChangeMakers as AOR
ChangeMakers has been named the Agency of Record for Save the Children in Canada, building on the numerous successful campaigns the agency has executed on behalf of the charity since 2023.
“Our continued trust in ChangeMakers reflects the agency’s deep understanding of our mission and ability to bring it to life through compelling storytelling and communications,” said Jessica Bryant, Head of Communications, Media and Public Relations at Save the Children. “We look forward to continuing to work with ChangeMakers to amplify the work we are doing around the world and here in Canada to improve the lives of children.”
With ChangeMakers’ proven track record in purpose-driven and non-profit campaigns, the agency will be providing support in influencer programs, media relations, celebrity ambassador programs, DEI communications, issues management, crisis communications, and digital campaigns.
“Our work with Save the Children underscores ChangeMakers’ commitment to advancing meaningful causes through our reputation management services,” said Caroline De Silva, Senior Vice President, Consumer at ChangeMakers. “We’re honoured to continue supporting Save the Children to elevate its profile in Canada and raise awareness of its critical programs that benefit children around the world.”
About ChangeMakers
ChangeMakers is a 400+ person independent reputation management, social impact and marketing firm with offices throughout North America. ChangeMakers combines deep business specialization with human-centered strategies, working alongside our clients to strengthen their reputation and succeed in a disruptive world.
About Save the Children
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In Canada and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.
View the story at Adnews:
“Save the Children retains ChangeMakers”
ChangeMakers Reputation Index Reveals the Impact of Change Events on Corporate Reputation
Washington, DC, January 28, 2025 —The inaugural ChangeMakers Reputation Index highlights the powerful connection between change events and corporate reputation, uncovering the significant positive and negative impacts of how change is managed. The annual analysis examines 25 companies experiencing five types of change events, both planned and unplanned, and finds that immediacy – both of communication and strategy when a pivot is required – plays a critical role in shaping long-term reputational outcomes. Companies that handle change effectively often bolster their reputation, while those that falter under pressure risk substantial harm.
“In today’s environment, the highest value driver for any organization or individual is reputation,” says Mario Simon, CEO of ChangeMakers. “Preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and even harnessing significant change events is a top priority for any company. This exciting research clearly demonstrates how reputational impacts can and should be managed. Poorly communicated or delayed responses to change events can leave significant value on the table and, in extreme cases, be financially devastating. We have cracked the quantifiable code to manage that for our clients and achieve the best outcomes.”
Importantly, the study revealed that planned business changes—such as seemingly innocuous events such as brand changes and leadership transitions—can have reputational risks as significant as those stemming from unexpected crises.
Key Findings:
- Merger & Acquisition Transactions: While mergers and acquisitions often deliver a short-term boost to a company’s reputation, this positive impact tends to fade quickly among stakeholders not directly involved or affected.
- Brand Change: Contrary to expectations, brand changes frequently lead to both immediate and long-term damage to reputation. This is often a result of missteps in communication strategy, undermining the intended positive outcomes.
- Financial Change: Financial changes produce mixed reputational effects, with positive or negative impacts typically short-lived. However, significant mismanagement can exacerbate negative perceptions. Notably, the absence of proactive, targeted communication with key audiences often results in muted or underwhelming reputational outcomes, even when changes are objectively positive.
- Leadership Transition: The reputational effects of leadership transitions hinge significantly on whether the departure is planned or unplanned. How the transition is communicated and managed plays a critical role in shaping public perception.
- Public Crisis: The reputational impact of a public crisis is highly contingent on preparation and the company’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively. Organizations that demonstrate readiness and transparency are better positioned to mitigate both immediate and long-term damage.
The ChangeMakers Reputation Index establishes the new industry benchmark for measuring how companies navigate change events and underscores the importance of proactive reputation management. It is powered by the proprietary ChangeMakers Reputation Score©, which uses a wide range of sources to determine a numeric measurement of reputation in near real-time.
To explore the full findings and gain actionable insights from the study, download the report at https://thechangemakers.com/us/reputation-index-2024/.
About ChangeMakers:
ChangeMakers is a 400+ person independent reputation management, social impact and marketing firm with offices throughout North America. ChangeMakers combines deep business specialization with human-centered strategies, working alongside our clients to strengthen their reputation and succeed in a disruptive world.
About ChangeMakers Reputation Index:
It is the most extensive review of impact to corporate and organizational reputation before, during, and after significant change events. Depending on the circumstance, reputation-altering events can be planned, unexpected, or both. This is the inaugural release of this important research driven by the ChangeMakers Reputation Score©, a unique and proprietary tool that measures brand’s reputation in real-time—mainly when the stakes are high. It analyzes data sources beyond the digital and social media space to include the most important factors to corporate executives and boards. Organizations are chosen based on our independent analysis of publicly available sources, such as industry rankings, financial reporting and market intelligence, while also seeking sector diversity.
Media Contact:
Caroline DeSilva /Senior Vice President, ChangeMakers
caroline.desilva@thechangemakers.com
Believeco:Partners Unveils ChangeMakers: A Bold New Brand for a Disruptive World
Toronto, ON, October 29, 2024 — Believeco:Partners, along with its individual operating brands Argyle, Believeco and Castlemain, unveil a new strategic direction, vision, and brand: ChangeMakers. This brand transformation reflects the company’s commitment to navigating today’s complex, ever-evolving landscape.
The brand evolution follows two years of successful integration efforts, after Believeco:Partners formed with a bold agenda to unite six of Canada’s leading marketing, public relations, engagement, and Indigenous advisory firms in the Fall of 2022.
“Our greatest potential is realized when we work together across all disciplines,” says Mario Simon, CEO, ChangeMakers. “The past two years have seen tremendous growth in our business, surfacing a unifying thread of unparalleled expertise in helping clients anticipate, navigate and create change. With ChangeMakers, we take these capabilities to the next level, embracing the opportunities and challenges that complexity entails for our clients. We apply thoughtful, human-centered strategies designed for client impact.”
By combining decades of experience in reputation management, social impact and marketing, ChangeMakers is an essential partner in driving client success, particularly in complex spaces where the solution requires multiple perspectives. The company’s specialized work in partnership with Indigenous Nations and expertise in governance, negotiation, economic development, engagement and communication, makes ChangeMakers the ideal partner in addressing multi-stakeholder problems.
“Our world is shaping and shifting at an unprecedented pace, presenting new challenges and opportunities every day,” added Simon. “With ChangeMakers, we are prepared to meet these challenges head-on, working alongside our clients to navigate both planned and unplanned change.”
About ChangeMakers:
ChangeMakers is a 400+ person independent reputation management, social impact and marketing firm with offices throughout Canada and in the US. ChangeMakers combines deep business specialization with human-centred strategies, working alongside our clients to succeed in a disruptive world.
Learn more at www.thechangemakers.com.
Media Contact:
Caroline DeSilva /Senior Vice President, ChangeMakers
caroline.desilva@thechangemakers.com
We are ChangeMakers
In this age of Disruption, change is the only constant.
Our world is shaping and shifting at an unprecedented pace, presenting new challenges and new opportunities, daily. Communities, individuals, institutions and ideas are intertwined and influenced by change like never before. Achieving results in such a complex environment demands human intervention with an experienced and thoughtful strategy.
ChangeMakers was created for this complexity – to help navigate change.
Both planned and unplanned. Welcome and unwelcome. We excel where success demands a multidimensional approach, and where audiences intersect. Working in some of the most complex environments provides us a deep understanding of how to anticipate, navigate and create change, allowing our clients and partners to achieve their goals.
We are a team of over 400 seasoned, passionate experts of various disciplines working as one team in offices throughout Canada and in the US.
Our decades of experience in reputation, social impact and marketing have equipped us with a deep comprehension of diverse audiences, enabling us to craft solutions that address multiple needs simultaneously. This allows us to have multiple perspectives on the challenges and opportunities presented by our clients and partners.
After an initial assessment of a client’s challenges and opportunities, we handpick a core team based on the skillsets and experience that best suit their needs, and scale and adapt as needs progress.
We think big, bold and long-term. We are curious, nimble and good listeners.
We believe in strong partnerships and shared success.
We are ChangeMakers – a supercharged brand that formed when Believeco:Partners’ reputation advisory Argyle, social impact advisory Castlemain and marketing advisory Believeco united as one business and one team to create a reputation, social impact, and marketing firm.
Vision
To anticipate, navigate and create change better than anyone else.
Mission
We exist to navigate complexity to help organizations make the most out of change.
Sustainability
We believe sustainability is a mindset, driven by purposeful action. Whether we’re focused on sustainable growth, sustainable work-life balance or a sustainable environment, ChangeMakers views our choices through a long-term lens. We navigate and create positive, lasting change, setting our teams, clients, communities and our society up for long-term success.
Training: ChangeMakers Academy
Communications and leadership training designed to level up your organization’s reputation and resilience.
Leadership matters, more than ever. In the midst of organizational and societal shifts, leaders who project strength and communicate clearly and with empathy can earn confidence, reduce risk and improve reputationally, even when crisis hits.
Introducing the ChangeMakers Training Academy
Training Offerings
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Social Impact Consulting
ChangeMakers creates meaningful partnerships to navigate change for community development, well-being and justice.
We foster relationships with and between Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments, organizations, communities and businesses. Through our deep expertise in negotiation, economic development, engagement, advocacy, program design and social impact, we help clients navigate transformational change in their communities.
Services
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[01]Class Action Outreach and Advisory
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[02]Community Program Design and Capacity Bridging
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[03]Economic Development, Land and Infrastructure
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[04]Indigenous, Public and Interest Holder Engagement
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[05]Reconciliation Strategies
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[06]Social Change and Advocacy Communications
Social Impact Leadership Team
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