One word: Plastics

In a recent speech, CIA Director William Burns said the world is going through a "plastic moment" unseen since the end of the Cold War.

A "plastic moment" is when the entire cross-section has reached its yield stress.

This moment is the maximum bending moment that the section can resist. When reached, a plastic hinge forms, and any load beyond this point will result in infinite plastic deformation.

Today, the world is far more crowded, complicated, contested, and connected.

Today, the world sees the United States as no longer the only big nation running geopolitics.

Today, the world is going through a "plastic moment."

Is your business ready?

Is your team ready?

Are you ready?

Caracal is here to help.

Clients are senior executives responsible for geopolitics, corporate affairs, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, and communications who rely on Caracal for help navigating today's interconnected business environment with intelligence, strategy, engagement, and education.

Let's get to work.

-Marc

Sound More Interesting at Cocktails Memo | September 1, 2023

25 talking points for better conversation at cocktails from news of the past week.

1. Xi Jinping plans to skip the G20 summit while China-India tensions mount.

2. Joe Biden to visit Vietnam after G20 summit in India.

3. Another coup in Africa: Since 1990, two-thirds of coups in Africa have been in ex-French colonies.

4. Japan seeks a record ¥7.7 trillion defense budget.

5. The US Space Force plans to expand its footprint in the Indo-Pacific region with a new subordinate command in Japan.

6. Grant Shapps has been appointed UK Defence Secretary. For Shapps — this is his fifth Cabinet post in just one year.

7. Sean Penn captures the first Russian bombs dropped on Ukraine in new documentary 'Superpower.'

8. UAE launches an Arabic large language model in the Gulf push into generative AI.

9. Election 2024: Francis Suarez is the first GOP candidate to suspend his campaign.

10. Foxconn's Terry Gou announces bid for Taiwan's presidency.

11. Joe Biden to visit Vietnam after G20 summit in India.

12. A worldwide lithium shortage could come as soon as 2025.

13. Toyota to build over 10m vehicles for the first time this year.

14. X will again allow political advertising after it was suspended in 2019.

15. 18%: The market vacancy percentage of US class A office space.

16. Revino is launching a new system to reuse wine bottles.

17. Barstool Sports reportedly lays off nearly 25% of staff.

18. Apple's iPhone 15 event will be held on September 12.

19. Gazprom sends the first-ever shipment of Baltic LNG to China via the Arctic.

20. Karlie Kloss wants to buy i-D magazine from Vice Media.

21. Happening now: The Venice International Film Festival.

22. Simone Biles won a record eighth US all-around title and became the oldest gymnast to win the championship.

23. Canada's men's national team head coach John Herdman steps down to take the Toronto FC job.

24. Megan Rapinoe to play her final game for USA on September 24.

25. Lewis Hamilton is extending a deal with Mercedes F1 until 2025.

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

Don't create unnecessary buzz

The 1979 poster by the UK Conservative Party declaring "Labour isn't working" is an all-time game-changing political campaign message.

The posters went up based on the expectation that Labour PM James Callaghan would call a general election.

The poster caused a commotion.

The UK Labour Party cried foul, moaning that Conservative Party members in the photo had never stood in a dole queue and that the poster was a "fake."

A Labour Party MP even spoke to the House of Commons and denounced the poster as "soap-powder advertising."

The Labour Party properly stepped in it.

All the attention only did one thing: it made a simple poster newsworthy.

News that demanded the poster be covered.

News that allowed the poster to enjoy maximum earned media.

The "Labour isn't working" poster appeared on the front page of newspapers and television news bulletins across the UK.

The more Labour cried foul and complained, the more news coverage it received.

With all the commotion, Callaghan delayed calling the election, and Britain entered a period called "the winter of discontent."

This general election delay only compounded the buzz and made the poster seem even more relevant.

When the call for a general election came in May 1979, the Conservative Party resurrected the poster and added one extra word to read "Labour Still Isn't Working."

The poster played a significant part in the election of Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government, as well as an increased use of negative advertising, forever changing the nature of British political campaigning.

If you need help knowing when to not to step in it and create a media buzz advantage for your opponents, Caracal is here to help.

Caracal believes successful geopolitical business communications requires intelligence, strategy, and engagement.

Caracal is here to help you succeed in today's interconnected geopolitical and earned media environment.

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc