On first reflection, the word populist may conjure vague recollections from sophomore year American history class and images of Huey Long from cobweb-covered corners of the memory. But it would be a mistake to conflate the “populist party” of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with today’s “era of new populism.” New populism is an emerging phenomenon that is agnostic of political party and race, and it has serious implications for the way companies must communicate.
What is the era of new populism? We posit new populism is a bundle of attitudes held by generations of citizens who are reaching their maturity and buying power, but who feel the pathway to traditional markers of “success” are no longer readily achievable. Expressions of new populism—no matter your registered political affiliation—tend to be rooted in the belief that few organizations control the persuasive power and monetary resources that sway judgment. New populists aim to regain that influence.
This content is repurposed from O’Dwyer’s.