Social Impact in the Era of Misinformation & Media Chaos

Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact

We are living through the biggest shift in media and marketing of our lifetimes. Misinformation spreads faster than ever, trust in institutions is crumbling, and social impact leaders are left navigating a fractured, chaotic digital landscape.

So how do you build credibility, mobilize communities, and create real impact when attention is scattered and trust is eroding?

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan break down the new realities of marketing and media—the rise of digital tribalism, the fine line between authenticity and performance, and why the old marketing playbook no longer works.

Episode Highlights:

⏳ [00:00] A Changing Landscape – Why today’s media environment is unlike anything we’ve seen before.
⏳ [02:46] Misinformation, AI, and Media Silos – How rapid shifts in digital communication are reshaping public trust.
⏳ [06:29] The Attention Economy is Broken – We have more information than ever—so why do people feel more disconnected?
⏳ [09:40] Should Your Organization Speak Out? – The pressure to comment on every social issue vs. staying mission-focused.
⏳ [12:48] Authenticity or Performance? – The rise of “authenticity washing” and why your audience sees through it.
⏳ [17:14] The Death of Traditional Marketing – Why the old broadcasting model no longer works—and what’s replacing it.
⏳ [21:24] From Broadcast to Relationships – How social impact leaders can shift their approach to build real trust.
⏳ [26:00] The Future of Digital Trust – How organizations can navigate the chaos and create meaningful connections.

Notable Quotes:

• "We are in the middle of the biggest shift in media and marketing of our lifetimes." – Eric Ressler [01:26]
• "I know that my reaction to the world as it is, has been to sort of shrink my sphere of attention and sort of align my attention with where my ability to make impact overlaps." – Jonathan Hicken [07:31]
• "If we don’t actually take action on the things we say, is it really authenticity—or just another marketing play?" – Jonathan Hicken [12:48]

Resources:

• The Lookout
• Article - Don’t Build Your Brand on Rented Land
• Article - Top 10 Mistakes Social Impact Websites Make
• Article - Develop a Distribution-First Mindset to Win in the Attention Economy
• Article - How to Defeat the 3 Toughest Challenges All Nonprofits Face
• Article - 4 Scroll-Stopping Digital Experiences to Inspire Your Nonprofit's Content

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Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

Chapters

1. Social Impact in the Era of Misinformation & Media Chaos (00:00:00)

2. Trust in a Fractured Media Landscape (00:00:08)

3. The Attention Economy's Impact (00:03:18)

4. Building Trust: Digital vs. Personal Relationships (00:07:31)

5. When Should Organizations Take a Stance? (00:10:56)

6. Authenticity Washing vs. Real Results (00:17:14)

7. Balancing Digital Presence with Real-World Impact (00:21:57)

8. Can We Tame the Digital Beast? (00:25:20)