Over the past three decades, we have witnessed the digital transformation, the rise of social media, the proliferation of communication channels, the emergence of new formats and, more recently, the advent of artificial intelligence. However, if there is one lesson that has remained unchanged, it is that communication is not about speaking louder than others, but about building solid and credible relationships with the people who matter to an organisation.

After more than 20 years as a communications agency in Madrid and Barcelona (27 years, to be precise), we have found that the companies that communicate most effectively are not necessarily those with the largest budgets or those that appear most frequently in the media. They are the ones that know who they are, what they want to convey, and how to do so consistently over time, supported by the best advisors.

Strategic communication begins with listening

There is a belief that communication consists of sending messages. Our experience shows exactly the opposite.

The best strategies stem from listening. Listening to customers, employees, shareholders, the media and all those groups that influence a company’s reputation.

Before designing a communication plan, it is necessary to understand the context, identify expectations and pinpoint risks and opportunities. Listening enables us to craft relevant messages and foster meaningful conversations.

This has been one of the most valuable lessons that we have learned by working with companies from various sectors over the course of these 27 years.

A reputation is not built in a single campaign

Another key lesson is that reputation is not the result of a single action. It is the cumulative result of hundreds of decisions made over time.

Many organisations turn to an agency when they need greater visibility or when they find themselves in a difficult situation. However, a reputation is built long before a crisis arises.

Our experience in corporate communication has taught us that the companies best prepared are those that work their positioning on a constant basis, maintain a narrative that is consistent and build relationships based on trust with their groups of interest.

Communication can boost a company’s reputation, but only when there is a consistent strategy behind it.

Experience brings more than just knowledge

People often talk about experience in terms of years. At comma, we believe that experience has more to do with the ability to interpret complex situations.

A communications agency with 27 years’ experience has seen markets evolve; it has supported companies through periods of growth, transformation and crisis; it has learnt to distinguish between passing fads; and it has witnessed major technological transformations and truly significant changes.

Experience provides perspective. It enables you to make informed decisions, anticipate scenarios and tailor strategies to the specific needs of each organisation.

And that value is particularly important in an environment where speed often takes precedence over reflection.

Communication must be aligned with the business

One of the most significant changes we have observed is the increasingly strategic role of communication.

Years ago, it was seen as a support function. Today, it plays a key role in major business decisions.

Communication helps to attract talent, build trust among investors, strengthen customer relationships, manage crises and consolidate a brand’s positioning.

That is why an effective strategy cannot be developed in isolation. It must be aligned with the business objectives and serve as a tool for creating value.

How to choose a communications agency

After many years of working with organisations of all sizes and from various sectors, we have also learnt what factors make the difference when choosing a communications partner.

If a company is wondering how to choose a communications agency, our recommendation is to consider factors such as:

• Genuine experience in similar projects.
• The ability to understand the business and not just communication.
• Knowledge of the media and communication and the digital environment.
• Specialisation in strategic areas such as reputation, corporate communications or crisis management.
• The quality and experience of the consulting team that will be involved in the project.
• The ability to provide strategic insight and independent judgement.

The best agency isn’t always the biggest or the best known. It’s the one that understands the organisation’s challenges and is able to support it over the long term.

What remains important even after 27 years

Technology will continue to transform the way we communicate. Communication channels will continue to evolve. And artificial intelligence will continue to change our habits and processes.

However, there is one thing that will remain essential: trust.

Organisations need to build credibility, generate meaningful dialogue and maintain strong relationships with their audiences. This has been the cornerstone of communication for the past 27 years and will likely remain so for decades to come.

Experience has taught us that a good communication strategy combines judgement, active listening, knowledge of the environment and a deep understanding of business objectives. Because communication is not just about being visible. Above all, it is about being relevant and credible.

In a world where information overload coexists with a growing demand for transparency, companies need communication based on trust, consistency and expert knowledge more than ever. That is precisely the main conclusion we have drawn after 27 years of working with organisations across a wide range of sectors.

Agencia comma, a communications agency based in Madrid with 27 years’ experience helping companies and institutions manage their corporate communications, reputation, media relations, financial communications and crisis situations, continues to learn every day because communication is constantly evolving. And it is precisely this combination of accumulated experience, adaptability and strategic vision that enables us to continue adding value for our clients almost three decades on.

La entrada What we have learned as a communications agency in 27 years of experience se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

The distance between us and others doesn’t always begin with an open conflict. Sometimes it starts almost imperceptibly: we stop challenging our assumptions, we stop listening, and we assume that the person opposite us won’t understand us or, worse still, doesn’t deserve our trust. Once that dynamic takes hold, understanding one another becomes much more difficult. And that is precisely what the latest edition of the Edelman Trust Barometer describes: a society that is more inward-looking, more reluctant to trust those who are different and, consequently, finding it harder to maintain shared values, public discourse and progress.

From polarisation to insularity

The report highlights a clear shift: whilst in 2025 the debate was characterised by polarisation and social discontent, in 2026 the central issue is a different one: insularity. That is to say, the reluctance or refusal to trust anyone different from oneself, whether because of their values, the sources they believe in, their approach to social issues, or their background and lifestyle. In Spain, according to the report, 75% of the population subscribes to this mindset of withdrawal.

What the Barometer highlights is that mistrust is taking on an identity-based dimension, ceasing to be merely a defensive reaction and becoming a barrier to understanding. Insularity stifles progress. And not only because it hinders coexistence, but because it blocks any possibility of building shared solutions in societies that are becoming increasingly complex and fragmented.

Spain remains trapped in mistrust

If we look at the data on confidence for 2025, Spain barely shows any improvement. The overall index rises from 44 to 45 points, a rise of negligible significance. The data is revealing because it does not indicate a collapse, but rather of a stagnation that persists. We remain far from a recovery solid of the bond between citizenship and institutions.

Even so, there are some interesting nuances. In Spain, confidence in businesses is rising slightly, the media and the government, whilst NGOs are falling. “My employer”, furthermore, rises to 69 points and is consolidates its position as the institutional actor with the best relative position. In addition to this, the study highlights that this year all institutions, except for NGOs, are perceived as more competent and more ethical. These are positive signs, yes, but insufficient to speak of a a50> genuine change of cycle. The overwhelming dominant feeling continues to be one of an enormous fragility of confidence.

The company is holding out but is not coming out of it unscathed

This relative improvement in companies’ standing should not be interpreted as a clear-cut victory. The report itself shows that confidence across the various business sectors is falling across the board in our country. The most striking declines are occurring in manufacturing, consumer goods, healthcare and entertainment. And the financial sector, which is particularly relevant to many public and corporate debates, remains at a low rating: 46 out of 100. In other words, companies retain a comparative lead over other institutions, but they do so on an eroded footing.

Here is an important read on corporate communication. For many citizens, business remains a more practical, accessible or credible point of reference than other stakeholders. But that position is not set in stone. Legitimacy is no longer taken for granted; rather, it must be built, demonstrated and constantly renewed.

Pessimism is also a form of mistrust

Mistrust does not merely undermine relationships with institutions or with those who hold different views. It also dampens expectations for the future. Only 13% of Spaniards believe that the next generation will be better off than the current one, nine percentage points fewer than in 2025. This figure reflects a society that not only harbours doubts about the present, but is also beginning to doubt that the future will be any better.

And it is not just a pessimistic outlook on the economy. When the system is perceived as biased, distant or incapable of correcting inequalities, it weakens as well the idea that it is possible to move forward together.

The battle for the truth in an oversaturated environment

Added to this erosion is information disorientation. The study reveals a significant decline in exposure to differing political viewpoints. In Spain, only 41% say they obtain information at least once a week from sources with a political stance different from their own – a drop of 14 percentage points from the previous year. We are less exposed to differing viewpoints and, as a result, more easily reinforce our own biases.

At the same time, fears are growing about misinformation and its ability to sow internal division. In an environment of digital platforms, rapid consumption and endless scrolling, the truth is at a disadvantage when competing against impact, oversimplification or noise. And this creates a clear opportunity for corporate communications and public affairs: to provide context, rigour, education and solid references amidst an increasingly disintermediated conversation.

Ángeles Blanco, a presenter on Informativos Telecinco, summed it up well during the presentation of the report when she pointed out that we tend to treat social media as news outlets, when in reality they function primarily as entertainment platforms. In this context, newsrooms must strengthen their analysis, fact-checking and contextualisation. That is why corporate communications today also have the opportunity and the obligation to help steer the debate, not to distort it.

Mediation as a new requirement for companies and leaders

In the face of this entrenched isolation, the report highlights the need for ‘trusted mediators’: individuals capable of building bridges between groups that mistrust one another. In Spain, all institutions are expected to take on this role, but the report’s conclusions identify CEOs and employers as the guarantors or architects of this mediation.

In times of disengagement, a sense of connection becomes increasingly valuable, and the public expects business leaders to set an example, listen, and engage constructively with those who criticise or mistrust the company. In fact, 75% believe it is effective for CEOs to engage constructively with critical groups, and 69% believe that, when making decisions, they should consult people with different values and backgrounds.

The media, governments and NGOs are also expected to play a clear role. In the case of the media, the demand is very specific: to devote equal time and coverage to different viewpoints on major issues and to write accurate headlines that are neither exaggerated nor fear-mongering. It is a direct call to restore the fundamental role of information mediation.

Communicating also means building bridges

All of this places communication at the heart of the matter. Not as a mere embellishment or a tool for amplifying messages, but as the foundation of trust. Because in a society that is turning in on itself, communicating effectively means more than simply being right or visible. It means helping to create common ground.

The report itself notes that people trust those who are open-minded and do not try to change them, and those who are transparent about their differences. Trust, therefore, is not restored by sweeping disagreements under the carpet and forgetting them, but by learning to deal with them honestly.

And this is where “my employer” is particularly well placed to extend this mediation to the entire workforce, through training in conflict resolution and genuine opportunities to work with people who think differently. The company thus ceases to be merely an economic entity and becomes, in addition, a space for coexistence.

Eva Pavo, OHLA’s corporate director of communications and branding, summed it up in a simple yet apt phrase: “Mistrust hinders progress”. And Jordi Sevilla, former chairman of Red Eléctrica, added that mistrust is not always a bad thing; the problem lies in mistrusting those who are not like me, because then human and social progress becomes unfeasible.

Perhaps that is the key lesson of the Edelman Trust Barometer 2026: that restoring trust is not just about improving metrics, but about rebuilding a willingness to listen to one another. That is how it works in personal relationships. It is the same in public discourse. And in that arena, corporate communication has far more to say than it sometimes realises.

La entrada When we stop listening to one another: 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer and how insularity is undermining trust in Spain se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

A short walk from Soho to Southwark

In our work we have the privilege of speaking to the owners of marketing agencies all over the world every day. Those conversations offer a rare vantage point from which to sense the true pulse of the industry: how people are responding to the challenges we all face, what clients are asking for, how teams are coping, and what agency leaders really think about the future that lies ahead.

At the moment, that pulse feels uneasy.

Many owners quietly admit that they would like to step away from the business altogether. They survived COVID and the extraordinary disruption that followed, endured the relentless pressure of procurement, adapted to waves of new technology, and watched margins tighten year after year. For many of them, work that once felt exhilarating now feels draining, and a profession that once promised excitement and creative adventure has begun to feel more like a long, grinding obligation.

Perhaps the most telling observation of all is a simple one: it no longer feels like fun.

That thought was on my mind the other day as I walked past the WPP Campus—the sleek grey monoliths of One Southwark Bridge Road and Rose Court in London, where thousands of advertising professionals now spend their days inside immaculate glass buildings filled with identical chairs, identical meeting rooms and, inevitably, identical PowerPoint decks.

One cannot help but wonder whether identical thinking sometimes follows.

These buildings are more than just real estate; they are architectural symbols of an entire era in our industry. They reflect the age of the holding company and the industrialisation of creativity – a business model that elevated scale, automation and operational efficiency above the more intangible qualities of texture, personality and inspiration that once defined the craft.

It was striking to hear the new CEO of WPP, Cindy Rose, recently suggest that the organisation no longer sees itself as a holding company. Perhaps that shift in language reflects a deeper realisation shared quietly across the industry: that the model itself may have reached the end of its useful life, not only as a business structure but also as a cultural framework. It has struggled to serve clients as well as it once promised, and it has often served the people working inside it even less.

The world those buildings represent feels very far removed from the Soho where many of us first learned the business.

In those days advertising felt less like an industry and more like a slightly disreputable travelling circus that had somehow taken up permanent residence in a single, energetic square mile of central London.

When Soho was a village

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Soho was not merely a district of London; it was the creative village of the global agency world, and quite possibly the most exciting place on earth to work in an agency.

Agencies occupied crooked Georgian townhouses whose staircases creaked with the footsteps of young creatives rushing between floors. Around them clustered production companies, edit suites, photographers, illustrators and publishers, all scattered through narrow streets that seemed permanently scented with espresso, cigarette smoke and the faint but unmistakable smell of possibility.

The geography of the place made creativity wonderfully accidental. You might leave the office with the beginnings of an idea and, within the space of an hour, find yourself returning with a director, a photographer and a much better version of the thought you had started with.

Lunch might unfold at Il Siciliano, with Aldo holding court at the centre of the room, while the evening would almost inevitably drift toward the Groucho Club, where the industry gathered to exchange stories, gossip and occasionally even ideas.

Between those moments you would inevitably encounter a planner, a copywriter, a film director and—quite possibly—a jazz musician, because Soho at that time existed at the intersection of advertising, film, music, publishing and art. The entire neighbourhood seemed to run on a combustible mixture of talent, mischief and mild chaos, and it was precisely that chaos that made it so fertile.

Creativity, after all, is rarely tidy. It thrives on collisions between personalities, arguments about ideas, bursts of laughter, flashes of ego and the occasional moment of glorious irrationality.

The industry was full of characters. Copywriters often resembled slightly dishevelled poets who had accidentally wandered into commerce, while art directors dressed like rock stars and producers possessed the miraculous ability to solve impossible problems in the time it took to order another round at the bar.

Today an HR department might describe many of those individuals as “challenging”, but at the time they were simply the people who made the work extraordinary.

On evenings like those you might hear the melancholy warmth of A Rainy Night in Soho drifting from a nearby bar, sung by The Pogues. The song somehow captured the spirit of the place: boisterous and imperfect, full of life in the moment yet already carrying the faintest hint of nostalgia.

We did not realise it then, of course, but we were living through what would later be remembered as a golden era.

The age of big risks

Part of what made that era so exhilarating was the way the business itself operated. Decisions were often made in rooms filled with strong opinions and stronger personalities, and ideas were approved not because they had passed through endless layers of procurement or been validated by predictive analytics, but because someone in the room believed in them deeply enough to fight for them.

An idea that made people laugh, or surprised them, or simply felt brave in a way that others had not yet attempted could quickly gather momentum. Agencies took risks—sometimes enormous ones—and when those risks succeeded they did so spectacularly.

Campaigns entered popular culture, agencies became famous almost overnight, and careers were launched on the strength of a single piece of work that captured the imagination of the public.

It was not always sensible, but it was undeniably exhilarating, and above all it was joyful.

The age of optimisation

Over time, however, the centre of gravity within the industry began to shift. Technology transformed the way agencies operated, data became an essential currency, procurement departments gained influence and efficiency gradually became the dominant language of the business.

In many respects these changes were inevitable and even necessary. The industry professionalised itself, then systemised its processes, and eventually began to optimise them with increasing sophistication.

Yet somewhere along that journey something subtle changed.

Creativity, which had once been the beating heart of the industry, increasingly began to feel like a department within it rather than the force that animated the whole enterprise. Even the architecture of the business seemed to reflect the shift, as the crooked townhouses of Soho gave way to vast corporate campuses that were functional, efficient and impressive, yet curiously devoid of the quirks and irregularities that once made the industry feel human.

In the process something of advertising’s personality—and perhaps even its soul—was quietly diminished.

The change calls to mind the eerily ordered vision of industrial progress imagined by Thomas Hardy, in which every aspect of life becomes rationalised and optimised until something essential to human vitality slowly disappears.

Finding our way back

And yet there are reasons to feel optimistic.

Creativity has never truly depended on buildings, holding companies or organisational charts. At its core it has always been about people—curious people, brave people, slightly eccentric people who take pleasure in surprising and delighting others through the ideas they bring into the world.

Those instincts have not disappeared. They have simply been buried beneath an accumulation of dashboards, processes and quarterly forecasts that have gradually obscured the simple pleasures that once drew so many talented individuals into the profession.

Which suggests that finding our way back to joy may not require a revolution at all, but rather a thoughtful rebalancing of priorities.

For those of us who own or owned agencies, that rebalancing might begin with a few simple commitments.

Five ways agency owners can find their way back to joy

1. Put ideas back at the centre of the business.
   Technology, data and process should support creativity rather than replace it. The agencies that thrive over the long term are rarely the most efficient; they are the ones whose ideas capture the imagination of clients and audiences alike.
2. Focus on agency culture and create space for characters.
   Agencies have always been built by brilliant misfits—people whose curiosity, eccentricity and stubbornness often made them difficult to manage but indispensable to the work. If we try to sand away every rough edge, we inevitably sand away the originality as well.
3. Encourage thoughtful risk again.
   The most memorable campaigns have rarely emerged from cautious thinking. They have come from moments when agencies and clients were willing to be brave together and trust an idea that felt slightly uncomfortable but undeniably exciting.
4. Rebuild real creative communities.
   Great ideas flourish when people collide in the real world—in conversations over lunch, in late-night debates, in the spontaneous encounters that once defined Soho. Creativity is still, at heart, a social activity.
5. Make the business fun again.
   Joy is not a frivolous luxury in a creative industry; it is one of its most powerful fuels. The best work in advertising has almost always been created by teams who were enjoying themselves and who believed, even briefly, that what they were doing mattered.

The Soho of the 1990s may never return in quite the same form.

But the spirit that made it special—the sense that creativity could appear anywhere when curious people collided—remains available to us.

And if we can rediscover even a small measure of that spirit, the next great era of agencies may not lie behind us at all.

It may simply be waiting for us to remember how to enjoy the work again.

*Written by Doug Baxter, Managing Partner · Agency Futures

La entrada Finding Our Way Back to Joy se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

What is it like to work in a communications agency as part of Generation Z? There is no single answer. Sometimes it is motivating, sometimes demanding. It combines enthusiasm, responsibility, constant learning and a great desire to do things well.

Those of us in this generation bring a different perspective: we grew up in a digital environment, we value purpose and we care about the values we work with.

We are looking for coherence, environments where you can contribute from the start and a professional culture that also takes people into account.

This article is a personal look at how we experience agency work, what drives us and why, despite the challenges, we remain committed to this profession.

Gen Z at work: what we look for, what we value

We have never completely separated the personal from the professional, because life has taught us that everything is mixed. We want to work in a meaningful way, with responsibility, but also with freedom. Teams where we can propose without fear, learn without having to prove it all the time and make mistakes without drama.

We are motivated by projects that add up, that bring more than notoriety. We care about how things are said, but also from where and for what purpose. We are not satisfied with “it has always been done this way”; we look for criteria, intention and impact.

In the communications sector, this translates into a more agile, more collaborative and more critical approach to ideas. If a campaign has no soul, it shows. And we notice it faster than anyone else.

Teleworking, flexibility and trust: that’s how we work best

We have normalised working from home, from a café or from another city. Not because we don’t want to see the team, but because we understand work as something that is organised, not watched over. The important thing is that it is done well, not from where it is done.

One of the keys to our work experience as a generation is flexibility. Being able to work from home or in a hybrid model helps us to concentrate, to organise ourselves better and to give our best. But it’s not just about convenience: it’s also about mutual trust and a more contemporary way of understanding teams.

Teleworking in communication works well when there is structure, effective digital tools and a collaborative culture. At comma, hybrid is not an exception, it is part of the DNA.

Although connecting in person multiplies

Not everything happens through a screen. Going back to the office when it’s time or meeting in a coworking space can unlock an idea that didn’t come up, spark a valuable conversation or simply remind you that there are people behind the email.

Shared spaces remain key to creating team culture, strengthening relationships and activating creativity. Sometimes, the most improvised is the most brilliant. And in an agency, that goes double.

What does Generation Z bring to corporate communication?

Generation Z brings a vision that is more connected to social, digital and new languages. We understand platforms well, we handle different formats and we know how to communicate with younger audiences, without the need to impost.

But we also value consistency: messages with substance, brands with purpose, communication that is built on honesty. What drives us is not just doing it right, but doing it with meaning.

A new way of communicating: more authentic, more connected.

We are not here to change everything, but to add a different way of looking. Closer, more critical, more aware of how brands relate to people.

At comma, that perspective is complemented by the experience of the senior team, and the result is work that is more current, more relevant and more aligned with the times we live in. And that is, in the end, what we strive for: that our work connects, inspires and adds value.

La entrada What it ‘s like to work in a communications agency as Gen Z se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

Within a communication agency, we understand thatwe understand that strategic graphic design goes beyond the creation of visually attractive elements. It is a discipline that dives into the essence of the brand (its core values, personality and mission) to turn them into a coherent visual system. Colors, shapes, typographies and how they are arranged in the structure of the designs for the creation of its contents are chosen to convey a message and to provoke an emotional response in the consumer.

Consider a brand whose core value lies in sustainability and respect for the environment. It makes sense to capture this narrative in a graphic design with earth and green tones, incorporating natural organic elements, and selecting serif typefaces with organic shapes that evoke the irregularity and warmth of nature. This consistent visual language will reinforce the message of environmental commitment instantly and on a subconscious level, generating a deeper connection with those who share these values.

In contrast, a brand immersed in the technology sector, which seeks to project an image of innovation, vanguard and disruption, will require a different graphic design approach, tending to employ clean, minimalist lines, a more vibrant color palette, and a san serif typeface. san seriftypography, modern and geometric. This visual language conveys efficiency, progress and a vision of the future, appealing to an audience interested in technology. In short, what we have always said: everything communicates.

The symbiosis between image and content is fundamental in the construction of the brand narrative. The strength of a textual message is amplified when it is supported by an image that reinforces it visually, creating a greater impact on the audience. Likewise, an impactful image needs a content that contextualizes it and gives it meaning within the brand story. An image without relevant content can be empty, while content without adequate visual support can go unnoticed in the digital noise.

Brand enhancer

Graphic design, therefore, is a powerful catalyst that enhances a brand’s narrative in multiple ways:

• Creating a consistent and memorable visual identity: every customer touch point, both in your online presence (website, social media, email marketing) and offline materials (packaging, brochures, print advertising) should have a unified visual identity. This consistency builds brand recognition, fosters trust and facilitates memorability in an overwhelming information environment.
• Translating emotions and values into visual experiences: visual elements have a unique ability to transcend verbal language and resonate directly with the audience’s emotions. Colors evoke specific feelings (warmth, confidence, energy); typography conveys personality (seriousness, playfulness, elegance); and images tell stories and generate empathy.
• Simplifying complexity through visual clarity: In a world where information is constantly flowing, graphic design becomes a tool for distilling complex data and intricate messages into accessible and engaging visual formats. Well-designed infographics, clear illustrations and effective data visualizations facilitate understanding and retention of key information.
• Capturing attention and generating engagement: an eye-catching and well-executed graphic design has the power to stop the scroll, capture the eye and arouse curiosity. Design can generate interaction, encourage dialogue and build a community around the brand.
• Establishing a palpable competitive differentiation: a distinctive and memorable visual identity becomes a strategic asset. Branding expertise helps brands stand out from the crowd, communicate their unique value proposition and position themselves effectively in the consumer’s mind.

In conclusion

Graphic design cannot be used as a mere aesthetic tool of the strategy but must be considered as a fundamental component of it. Investing in a strategic design, coherent and aligned with the brand’s narrative is not a superfluous effort, but a smart investment in the brand’s ability to communicate its essence effectively, connect with its target audience and achieve its business goals. It is the subtle but powerful art of communicating without uttering a single word, leaving an impression on the viewer with every visual interaction.

La entrada Strategic graphic design: the brand’s visual narrative se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

The Edelman Trust Barometer is a global thermometer that analyzes in depth and with enormous experience (it has just celebrated its 25th anniversary) the state of trust in the world. Yes, trust, that intangible that, however, can shake the most powerful structure and that everyone seems to want to feel. Not for nothing was the main slogan of Davos 2025: ‘Rebuilding trust’. So, no one can deny that trust has become a strategic value, even if it is not seen or touched.

Confidence, according to the RAE, is the firm hope that one has for someone or something and, according to the conclusions of this edition – which for some reason has been titled “From polarization to social discontent” -, hope, little, although it is said that it is the last thing to be lost.

For those surveyed, only companies (especially in the technology, energy, food, healthcare and transportation sectors) are saved by being considered competent and ethical, because NGOs, media and government all fail on one or the other. This is no laughing matter.

Lucía Carballeda and Pelayo Alonso, co-heads of Edelman Spain, revealed in the interview we had in El elefante verde on the occasion of the presentation of the Edelman Trust Barometer 2025, that without trust there is no legitimacy and without it, there is no listening or collective action, and that, therefore, it has real consequences such as isolating leaders and institutions or blocking the necessary and perhaps urgent transformations needed to move forward.

Carballeda emphasized the need to view the report with perspective. While the conclusions of this year’s edition are worse compared to last year’s, he pointed out that circumstances have improved over the past decade. He believes it should be regarded as “a wake-up call” and an opportunity. “Citizens are still seeking trustworthy individuals, although their expectations are becoming increasingly high.” This, he notes, represents a significant opportunity.

Call to action

Indeed, in every crisis there is an opportunity, and it is a matter of listening, commitment and coherence on the part of the institutions, and that they get down to work.

There is no justification for saying that we do not know what is happening, or what citizens want, or what they need…. Studies and reports such as this one allow us to answer many of the questions that all types of organizations ask ourselves in order to know how to interact with our audiences.

If companies are considered the most ethical and competent, it is thanks to the work that has been done in taking action and communicating it, in transparency, which, not only in Spain, has become a fundamental element of trust.

But trust has to be earned. And it has to be nurtured. We all remember Groucho Marx’s phrase: “These are my principles, but if you don’t like them, I have others”. The massive change in the communication strategies of many American companies in the face of the anti-sustainability threat – in the broadest sense of the term – of Trump and his entourage reveals either a massive withdrawal of masks greenwashing of those who had only joined a Marquetinian fashion but who in reality neither believed nor supported it; or the cowardice of those who, although believing in these principles, hide to practice them without light and stenographers, lest the master gets angry… How can one not lose confidence in the face of so much demagogy?

Communication plays a crucial role in today’s business environment. Companies are facing increased scrutiny, and consumers are becoming more aware of how brands operate. People are not only judging brands based on the quality of their products but also on their actions, positioning on certain issues, and how they communicate their stories. Annual findings from the Edelman Trust Barometer 2025 highlight the significance of trust in driving business success. These findings also provide valuable tools for informed listening, enabling us to recommend decisions grounded in reality that can help propel us forward.

La entrada Trust: the power of an intangible that everyone wants to feel se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

Professional success is not just about technical knowledge or industry expertise. There is an essential part of performance that has to do with how we structure our days, what we decide to do first and how we anticipate the unexpected. How we manage our tasks says a lot about our ability to achieve results. In short, good planning is a strategic tool that boosts productivity and paves the way to success.

What is planning?

Planning is not simply making a to-do list. Planning is setting priorities, charting a clear path and making conscious decisions about how to spend our time. This practice allows us to focus our efforts on what really matters and reduce the feeling of constantly putting out fires.

Having a concrete and well-structured plan also helps to anticipate potential obstacles. It gives us room to react quickly, make more informed decisions and resolve situations strategically. More importantly, it allows us to stay focused, avoid unnecessary distractions and not fall into the trap of indefinitely postponing what we know we need to do. Solid planning is often the best antidote to procrastination.

Structure and clarity: keys to good planning

Structure is the foundation of all good planning. Having the workspace in order, both physically and digitally, speeds up access to information and avoids wasted time that, added together, can add up to hours over the course of the week. This basic organization is the starting point for working smoothly and without friction.

In addition, having the right tools to facilitate task management, assignment of responsibilities and project tracking contributes to more effective team coordination. But beyond the tools, what is really decisive is knowing how to prioritize. Identifying what is a priority, what can wait and how time should be distributed allows you to work with a clear perspective. In a communications agency, for example, having client materials well organized and accessible is not a minor detail: it is a question of operational efficiency and quality of delivery.

How good planning optimizes your work

When planning is done with a clear head, the work is aligned with the objectives and the teams are organized in a meaningful way. Duplications are avoided, errors are minimized and each professional knows what to do and when to do it. This order allows a better distribution of the workload, avoiding unnecessary saturation and ensuring that the most critical tasks receive the attention and time they require.

In addition, planning ahead allows us to identify the times of the day when we are most productive and make the most of them. It is not a matter of filling agendas, but of designing days that allow us to move forward efficiently. Reserving time in the day for highly concentrated tasks, alternating them with spaces for meetings or reviews, and leaving room for unforeseen events is a smart way to balance intensity and sustainability. A well-thought-out schedule not only improves results, it also improves the work experience.

Maintaining planning for unforeseen events

Planning well does not mean doing everything to the millimeter, but leaving room for the unexpected. Because if there is one thing that is certain in any professional environment, it is that unforeseen events will arise that will force us to implement certain changes. That is why good planning must include room for maneuver. That flexibility is what allows us to adapt when plans deviate, without the team losing pace or motivation.

In our industry, for example, it is not uncommon for a client to request a last-minute modification to a campaign or launch. If you have planned well from the beginning, reorganizing tasks, reallocating resources or changing deadlines can be done nimbly, without creating tensions or jeopardizing the backlog. The key is to build a system that is solid, but not rigid.

Great benefits for mental health and well-being

Beyond productivity, good planning has a direct impact on well-being. When tasks are clear and orderly, the stress level decreases and the mental load is lightened. Knowing what you have to do, when and how, allows you to work with greater serenity and focus. This feeling of control has a positive influence on motivation and the confidence with which you face each day.

In addition, being well organized allows you to preserve personal time, which is essential to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It’s not just about performing better, it’s about living better. And in an environment like communication, where rhythms are demanding and deadlines are tight, this balance becomes a strategic asset.

Good planning, the key to efficient and satisfactory work

Planning and organizing is not an operational issue, it is a philosophy. It is a way of understanding work from the respect for one’s own time and that of others, from the commitment to results and from the awareness that the urgent should not overshadow the important.

Investing time in planning well not only improves processes and raises the quality of work, but also strengthens the team, reduces daily pressure and allows us to enjoy what we do more. It is an investment with a guaranteed return: in efficiency, well-being and satisfaction.

La entrada The importance of good planning se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

What are the challenges of 2025?

Every year, at comma we pose this beautiful riddle as a tradition to kick off our blog as the days begin. For this year, we believe that communication agencies will have to face three important challenges:

Assumption of AI.

The past year has been a year of intense debate about how artificial intelligence will impact our work. The debate will not cease but it is true that the assumption, uses and applications of AI in our day to day lives is becoming evident. The key, for Comma, is twofold. On the one hand, not only we do not deny but we are in favor of its use as a tool to support and help in different processes (especially those that have little added value but subtract a lot of work such as reports, reports, evaluations, etc.) And, on the other hand, the importance of experience and knowledge to avoid falling into the homogenization of results and projects. Our value is now more important than ever as it will make the difference with those consulting firms that only focus on the primary results of AI assistants.

Concentration of firms to gain size.

Size seems to be more in focus than ever. Quite a few acquisitions and mergers materialized in 2024. Customers are looking to unify their communication services in a single provider so that they do not have to use resources to manage different teams. Although it may seem contradictory, at the same time, it will increase the value of those small and very specialized companies so that they have a premium service for very specific and high quality tasks. Working with these boutiques will be a hallmark of distinction in itself.

Labor flexibility and productivity.

With the reduction of working hours that seems to be starting soon and the increasing demand for 100% remote jobs, the debate is still on the table about the need or not of the presence or not: advantages, disadvantages, opportunities… Hybrid models are still the most numerous, but there are more than a few consulting firms that are questioning whether productivity is not being affected too much and insisting on the need to return to the office every day and feeling that the essence that made them their trademark is being lost.

Two commitments for 2025

This time, if you will allow us, in addition to this brief approach to what we believe will be some of the keys to the year ahead, we propose two commitments that we want to consolidate over the next 365 days.

Taking care of words

Be impeccable with your words’. This is the first of the 4 agreements determined by Dr. Miguel Ruiz based on Toltec wisdom. In his book, The 4 Agreements, Ruíz already advances that it is one of the most difficult to fulfill, but it is tremendously powerful. I believe so. According to the RAE, Impeccable means “exempt from blemish” (correct, irreproachable, neat, spotless…) and “incapable of sinning”. Through our words we manifest, create or destroy… Depending on how we use them, they will liberate or enslave us. In a world as infoxicated as the one we live in, in which content is reverberated without limits, without conscience, without shame… this commitment becomes even more imperative if possible. But not only outwardly, but also inwardly, being aware of how we use words with ourselves. In this sense, Ruiz points out in her book that “the amount of love you feel for yourself is directly proportional to the quality and integrity of your words”. Therefore, she adds: “use your words appropriately”.

Words are magic, they are power, they have a life of their own. In 1994 the Japanese alternative writer and physician, Masaru Emoto, author of Messages from Water, showed an experiment (reviled and considered pseudoscientific) in which he exposed water to different words (he also did it with music and drawings) AND that, once frozen, the aesthetics of the resulting crystals – photographed microscopically – varied considerably if these were positive or negative words (or dissonant music or unpleasant drawings).

Whether Emoto’s evidence is questionable or not, we have all experienced firsthand how words impact us. A few days ago, during lunch, talking to a colleague, he told me that his team had already been told that the year ahead was going to be “very complicated”. I was alarmed and asked him if they were having problems. No,” he replied, “not at all”. Then I asked him: “Do you mean that it is going to be a year of challenges, of reinvention, of projects? He confirmed that he did and it was then that I asked him to be aware of the words he was using to convey what he really wanted because the message I had perceived had nothing to do with what he wanted to say and thought he was conveying to me.

But make no mistake. I am not talking about magic. Saying “that’s a lie” is not the same as saying “that’s not true”. It is not the same to say “we are in danger” as to say “we are in a complicated situation”. You can do a little exercise. Notice what feeling comes over you when you hear the word ‘CRISIS’. What did you feel? Nerves, anxiety, nothing…? Obviously, not all of us perceive in the same way, but we can (and should, especially those of us who are dedicated to communication) be aware of the raw material we are working with.

I sometimes have discussions with my team because they reproach me for always having the dictionary in my hand. I just try to convey to them that each word has an intrinsic power of which we must be aware, because sometimes we can achieve a different effect than the one we are looking for. Words should not be used in vain.

And it is not about manipulation but about being impeccable in our words. Lao-Tze said: ” Watch your thoughts, for they will become your words. Watch your words, for they will become your actions. Watch your actions, for they will become your habits. Watch your habits, for they will become your destiny.”

Responsibility

A few days ago Ignacio Jiménez Soler wrote an article on his Substack channel about what communication is not. We invited him to our podcast El elefante verde to talk about it, but I think it also comes up in this corner especially for one of the points of his text, when he says that he understands communication “as a tool that promotes transparency and good governance from within organizations; as a vehicle for direct connection with the public, occupying the massive space, the information mainstream, only when there is content of value“.

I underline this last sentence because it seems to me fundamental: “when there is content of value“. How much noise are we collaborating to generate? How much infoxication is also part of our responsibility? The debate in his Linkedin post was wide-ranging and the references to the role that we communication agents play in this regard, recurrent. It should not be that quantity outweighs quality.

And here, colleagues, we have to make a mea culpa. Look inward and analyze if everything we send, create, cure… is really valuable. To do a self-analysis of our authority. There are moments in which it is appropriate to say: “no”, without blushing, without fear, without complexes. Because it is this unnecessary excess that collaborates, to a great extent, in that pandemic that, silently and without vaccine, is spreading like a great grease stain in the ocean of everyday life: misinformation.

So we face the new year, rather than guessing what will happen, setting the framework in which comma intends to move this year. And it makes no difference whether we start with one or the other, because each is a consequence of the other.

Welcome 2025!

La entrada 2025: of words and responsibility se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

La entrada Contagious communication se publicó primero en Agencia comma.

I am going to dare to make a list of what I consider should be taken into account in order not to fail in our selection of a communication agency. to take into account in order not to fail in our selection of a communication agency.

1. A communication agency is not an NGO. Its work must be recognised and remunerated fairly. If you receive an offer that does not ask for fair pay, then your work is not worthwhile. Therefore, be smart and run away from price gougers, be smart and run away from those who throw away prices with the sole purpose of only to add you to their list of customers on their website. The long term is always going to be ruinous. And, by the way, we have to start thinking that corporate communication competitions should also be remunerated. This is overdue.
2. Don’t leave the final selection decision in the hands of those who don’t know about communication. I am talking about authority. If you don’t have it, don’t make the selection yourself. Let the decision-maker’s right-hand man, who usually boasts of having fantastic contacts who always recommend the best (or not, but whatever), take care of it. It’s not worth wasting energy.
3. An agency comes to take work from you, not to give it to you. If you detect that it is going to force you to be behind it all the time, walk away. Proactivity is inherent to the role of a real consultant. But it is true that, until you see it in action, paper holds everything. Trust your instinct too.
4. Run away from those who talk, talk and talk about themselves. We only have one mouth, but two ears. There must be a reason; Pay close attention to their listening skills, it is directly proportional to the attention they will give you on a day-to-day basis.
5. Put your budget first. Don’t think that just because you don’t say what your budget is, you ‘ ll save a little money. Wrong! It’s like going to the market without knowing what you want to buy. Would you buy barnacles for 10€/K? And green beans for 90€/K? Put everything at its fair value. The best thing to do is to say what budget you are talking about and ask them to suggest what to do with it. Creativity is much more sincere and the purchase will be rounded.
6. At comma we believe that presentations should be attended by only the team that will be involved in the account. the team that will be involved in the account. I think it is essential to avoid the temptation of fraudulent use of armies of interns. Again, paper holds everything.
7. Size does matter. Decide if you need a partner, an ally, an expert, an expert in the crowd, one that treats you like a crowd, one that treats you like a crowd, one who treats you like a regular, one with a lot of interns, one with a track record, one with experience, one cheap, one creative, one fast, one with experience, one that ‘s cheap, one that’ s creative, one that’ s fast, one that covers the dossier, one that has a lot of name and saves you from its failures… According to these criteria you will see if it is more convenient for you to be included in the list of those who are lucky to work with x or if you prefer to be treated with the utmost professionalism and care, albeit with less spotlight.
8. Los tiempos, ¡oh, los tiempos! Ya he hablado de esto en varias ocasiones, pero es realmente un infierno. Concursos que convocan a 10 agencias, que se alargan meses, que no se responden, que marean, que desaparecen. Insisto: convoco, analizo y selecciono. Un concurso no puede durar más de un mes. To the point.
9. Unless it is a creative project, corporate communication knows no magic. It is what it is. It’s like trying to do your tax return with a lot of frills. Keep in mind exactly what you need and don’t cheat yourself.
10. Last but not least: be honest, discover your cards. If you have limitations, impediments, obstacles, complications, mandates, infiltrators… If you have to do a mock competition, if you are unable to make a decision, if you ‘ve been tricked into a recommended one, if you haven ‘t been given a sufficient budget, if… Tell us about it! Surely, surely we will find a solution together. And if not, you are giving us the opportunity to say no, which is a luxury.

In the end, it’s not that complicated. It is all about common sense, respect and professionalism. We need, and more and more of it, a bit of self-criticism is needed , because life knows no fixed positions; maybe, in a while, neither of us will be in the same place.

La entrada The, not always easy, selection of a communications agency se publicó primero en Agencia comma.