The Story of Hunger Needs Change
People care about what they can see and recognize. But too often, complex challenges like hunger are framed in ways that are distant or abstract, and easy to ignore. For example, the sector often talks about “food insecurity,” but real-world experiences are much simpler: Can I afford groceries this week? To make clear that hunger […]
When Brands Made Us Dream, Dare and Do — And How They Can Again
In a world where everything looks and sounds the same, the brands that break through will be the ones willing to show up as they are, and spark a movement.
Never Let Anyone Define Your Brand But You
Four reminders for brand leaders navigating the complex voices of today’s marketplace.
The Lived Experience I Never Wanted and Why It Matters
The lived experience, especially one you never wanted, changes everything. How do we get people to care about what doesn’t yet feel like their issue?
In History, We Can Find Hope
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired. So tired. I’ve spent over two decades working in the social impact space. And in that time, we’ve seen real momentum — from marriage equality to shared wealth-building. But COVID laid bare deep, long-standing inequities — from limited access to health care to widespread financial insecurity. The […]
Four Strategies for Achieving Positive Change in a Divided America
As a professional communicator who has spent more than two decades uniting decentralized organizations — from academic medical centers to universities to federated nonprofits — around shared strategies, stories and experiences, one might assume I’d be able to deftly navigate the divisive politics that have shaped America — and the world — over the past […]
Four Tips for Social Impact Communications in 2025
Following an election, the key to audience engagement isn’t outrage or fear — it’s about inspiration and action.
The Answer to Positive Change is Clear
The Challenge of Complexity: Irrespective of sector, whether it’s healthcare, education, financial services or even in marketing communications — a field that should know better — we all speak our own language. It’s often characterized by coined phrases, acronyms and hyphenates. You know what I’m talking about, right? In social impact, we discuss and debate […]
Hayley Berlent on Rising to the Top: Lessons in Leadership Podcast
We’re proud to share that Hayley is featured on this week’s episode of Rising to the Top: Lessons in Leadership, from Columbia University School of Professional Studies. She discusses what inspired her to found Additive, her leadership philosophy, and three questions that will help you find purpose and meaning in your career and life. You […]
10 Election Resources to Ensure Your Voices + Choices Count
Additive was founded on the belief that every one of us has the potential to effect positive change, but together we have the power to do so much more good. It’s this guiding principle that makes us so passionate about voter rights and participation. Now, with one of the most important elections of our time […]
