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Twenty years ago this August, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. More than 1,300 lives were lost. It destroyed homes, displaced families, and overwhelmed many of the institutions that undergird civil society. It was also a wake-up call that reshaped how the country responds to natural disasters. Over the past two decades, we’ve made real progress. Government agencies, nonprofits, businesses, and community organizations have built stronger systems to prepare before disaster strikes. But as the recent devastating Texas floods, California wildfires, and many other disasters have shown, we still have work to do to make preparedness universal. And with experts predicting another active hurricane season this year, it’s vital that we all work together to help communities get ready. Stakeholders of all sizes have critical roles to play in building resilience as storms arrive faster and hit harder. Do what you know best One major lesson from the last two decades is that businesses can have an outsized impact on disaster preparedness when they do what they know bestwhether that’s logistics, supply chains, or other specialized services. FedEx, for example, used its logistics expertise to create emergency preparedness checklists that help small businesses build their own plans. Other companies are partnering with nonprofits to reinforce disaster response systems. Following Hurricane Katrina, Abbott partnered with Feeding America and Direct Relief to stock essential nutrition and healthcare products at food banks and clinics in high-risk areas. Since 2006, these partnerships have delivered rapid aid to 700,000 people across the Gulf, the Southeast coasts, and other areas. We expect to help an additional 270,000 people this yearextending our support to nearly 1 million people. This model continues to grow. Feeding America is now working with new partners, including supermarket chain ALDI, to preposition shelf-stable food and emergency items for broader distribution. Subhed Of course, comprehensive disaster preparedness requires more than ensuring supplies for quick distribution in the aftermath of a storm. Across the country, nonprofits and companies are working together to strengthen infrastructure, train staff, and develop continuity plans so aid can reach families faster when it is needed most. Natural disasters pose an especially acute threat to small businesses. According to a 2025 report from the Milken Institute, nearly two-thirds of small businesses close within a year of experiencing a natural disaster. Less than four in 10 have insurance that covers natural disasters. These gaps may make it harder for them to recover, and for communities to bounce back. A natural disaster can disrupt supply chains, displace employees and customers, and ripple outward to stall entire local economies. Resilience Fortunately, resources are available. Groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation offer guidance and step-by-step planning tools tailored to small businesses. But that is only part of the solution. The next step will be to facilitate proactive, long-term resilience. Our aforementioned partnerships, which facilitated investment in backup energy systems, emergency storage facilities, and staff training programs, are examples of this approach. Such practical upgrades help ensure that essential services remain available during and after a crisis, disaster-proofing the systems communities rely on most. Every community is different. What is needed in New Orleans may not be the same as what is needed in Miami or San Juan. But one thing is clear: The more we collaborate and prepare, the stronger we will be when the next storm arrives. Melissa Brotz is the chief marketing, communications, and sustainability officer at Abbott.
Category:
E-Commerce
I grew up on different continentsAfrica, Europe, and North America. Having the privilege of living in and experiencing diverse countries and cultures during my formative years made it clear to me that, while we are all unique in many ways, there are still core things that are universal. We all want to nurture and spend time with our families. We all want to have fulfilling careers and to feel safe. We all value community. That last shared sentiment is at the center of a brand purpose trend that has remained largely resilient, despite some who claim otherwise. Studies show that were still in an era where people not only demand brands that reflect their values, but show a deep commitment to a communalcause. We want brands to create change that makes our lives better, not just make a healthy profit. These alignments are areas where brands can lean in, promote belonging, and foster unity at a time of growing divisiveness. Creatives can be valuable partners in this, toolending brands their insight as well as design, advertising, and strategic expertise. But only if we properly value and nurture their rich spectrum of lived experiences, encouraging the unique qualities that make creatives essential to cultivating a sense of togetherness. Thats why, as community-building becomes the new imperative, we must provide creatives with environments that not only celebrate their work, but their individual voices and points of view. Community from creativity Creativity is more than a tool for messaging and communication. Its impact can transcend business into culture, helping us see the world in exciting new ways. And when you choose to be a creative, youre joining a community with its own codes and way of operating. Being in a creative community necessitates a willingness to contribute, participate, and add/realize value for everything from a group of people to an entire industry. As importantly, creative communities tend to have a diversity of perspective that results in more provocative ideas built from lived experiences and unique insights. For example, in working on a community engagement-focused campaign for Delta Air Lines, alongside their in-house agency and graduates from D&AD Shiftour night school for self-taught creativesI was often surprised by the unexpected ideas shared by our incredible talent. Theyre a part of so many different subcultures, spread across the worlds of music, fashion, comedy, and more. And they are navigating their differences while developing their own community, making them experts at helping brands do the same. That ability to turn diverse perspectives into shared purpose is rareespecially post-COVIDand its a quality that must be protected as countless influences increasingly drive us apart. Build a better community The best creative communities dont just happen. Theyre designed with intention, and theyre given the clarity, investment, and support needed to thrive. In my work at Kin and D&AD, Ive seen that, for creative people, prioritizing community-building means cultivating a safe space to share, debate, and discuss ideas. That takes prioritizing several core principles: Embrace people as they are: Pioneering creatives can come from any cultural or economic background and be at any stage of their careers. Low-cost tools and social media have also given birth to a generation of self-taught creatives with an entirely different life experience. Celebrate their unique personalities and perspectives. Its their ability to use their insights to notice and address challenges that create value. Recognize and affirm progress: While making room for acknowledgement may seem like something that should be a secondary concern, its actually key to motivating and inspiring achievement. Incremental changes, consistently executed, lead to massive gains. Both deserve a nod when working with creatives. Positive friction is creative fuel: Theres nothing wrong withdisagreement when its structured and done respectfully. In fact, its entirely expected when different perspectives come together around creative work. Lively conversation, debate, and collaboration create camaraderie and a sense of shared ownership of creative ideas, elevating them to more potent outcomes. Treat failure as R&D: That meanscelebrating risk-taking and losses as essential parts of the creative journey. They are the building blocks of innovative ideas, important signs that youre experimenting with something interesting and on the path to inventing something original, as long as you learn and evolve from them. Creatives need more environments that wholehearted embrace these principles, giving them a foundation that enhances community-building potential. That way, as brands and organizations increasingly leverage community-based approaches, theyll do so more authentically and in ways that add value to businesses and the broader culture. Kwame Taylor-Hayford is the cofounder of Kin and president of D&AD.
Category:
E-Commerce
Just in time for the season’s kick off, the National Football League (NFL) is tapping into artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze game and performance insights in real time. On Aug. 20, the NFL and Microsoft announced they are expanding their partnership to bring AI to the field. Integrating technologies like Azure AI and Microsoft Copilot, coaches and players across the 32 NFL teams may now have more efficient sideline evaluations and enhanced scouting insights. Beyond the playing field, the 30 franchise stadiums will also have AI available to streamline its operations during the multiyear partnership. The NFL and Microsoft partnership is entering a new era, and were proud the league is once again putting its trust in Microsoft to bring AI to the NFL, Corporate Vice President, Global Marketing, Microsoft, Bryson Gordon said in a blog post announcement. “Whether youre preparing for the championship or running a global enterprise, the principles are the same: insights matter, preparation is essential, and the ability to act quickly is critical. Fast Company reached out to Microsoft and the NFL for comment but did not hear back at the time of publishing. AI-powered sideline decisions The current NFL’s Sideline Viewing Systemleague-provided, Microsoft configured tablets available to all clubswill be upgraded to include SurfaceCopilot+ PCs, providing data and analysis tools on game day. Making sound decisions and putting players in the best spots on the field is a coachs ultimate responsibility, head coach of the Los Angeles Rams Sean McVay said in a blog post. Microsoft Copilot enhances our efficiency and accuracy by breaking down complex data into digestible insights. For coaches and players, the dashboard will feature the ability to sort through plays filtering through scoring plays and penalties, and analyze formations and coverage. The feature, which is built with GitHub Copilot, will allow teams to make faster strategic decisions based on data. Additionally, club analysts may quickly spot insights like personnel groupings and more from the coaching booth using the upgraded dashboard. Beyond the field The NFL’s integration with Copilot and Azure, is not the league’s first AI related partnership in recent years. Notably, Sony’s Hawk-Eye, which uses cameras and artificial intelligence to make calls, is set to replace the line measuring system in favor of the faster and quicker autonomous option. Still, Microsoft’s partnership is set to expand beyod sidelines, integrating unto day-to-day activities at clubs and stadiums. Research is still underway for ways to incorporate Copilot as a tool for operation managers to help identify incidents like technical issues or weather conflicts to generate its own AI-powered dashboard for game day operations. While still in the works, the partnership also aims to provide data-driven insights on draft performance, as well as insights on non-football-related operations like business, finance, human resources, and events functions. And while development is underway, some teams are already utilizing Microsoft’s technology to optimize their strategies, wit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers using Copilot for a recent marketing campaign.
Category:
E-Commerce
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