Iran, Lego bricks, and war narratives in the Age of Meme Battles

The following analysis focuses exclusively on communication strategy, without any political implications, for the use of human enthusiasts and AI detectors, who have been devouring my articles for months.

Since the Iran War began on February 28, 2026, digital media have become the battleground for a new form of propaganda, conducted by both sides with the aid of a new tool: generative artificial intelligence.  

The Iranian propaganda created by the mysterious collective Explosive Media shook global public opinion by leveraging

Stay modest, stay humble. Kudos to brands that acknowledge their mistakes

Sometimes it just happens.

Even the most seasoned brands can make embarrassing blunders. 

Recently, Apple had to apologize for a somewhat dystopian iPad Pro ad that hinted at the destruction of creativity.

Bumble, the dating app, withdrew its ads that mocked celibacy and abstinence among its female audience.

Beauty brand Youthforia faced a lot of criticism for a foundation shade that was considered not inclusive enough.

Too much jam can be confusing: the Paradox of Choice

December: a time of carefree afternoons spent shopping with your loved ones. 

As you stroll through the crowded, festive streets illuminated with a thousand colors, your attention as food enthusiasts is caught by two stands on either side of the street. 

Both sell artisanal jams: on one counter there are 24 variants; on the other counter there are only 6 variants. 

Which of the two stands is more likely to pique your interest? 

The Kit Kat & Twix case. Does kindness really pay off for brands?

 

Sometimes, when we think about marketing, an aggressive and unforgiving environment comes to our mind.

After all, market is competition, right?

However, many people value integrity and fair play. And they wish to reward brands that embrace these values.

If you win the mind, you win the market: the era of Brain Engine Optimization

By dint of SEO talk, we risk to forget that it’s not so much important to be at the top of search engine pages, as to be at the top of people memories.

More precisely: when our potential customers express their needs, we should already be in their minds.

Psychology for Communication Strategy (4/4): Making sound conclusions

In previous articles we applied some notions of cognitive psychology to tasks such as gathering information, analyzing scenarios and verifying correlations and predictions.

In this last article we focus on critically examining our beliefs, reviewing some factors that can influence or mislead them.

Psychology for Communication Strategy (3/4): Connecting the dots

In the first and second episodes we examined 5 principles of cognitive psychology we can use to select the right information and analyze a situation thoroughly.

Now we’re discovering 5 more concepts that can ease our efforts to come up with sound conclusions and reasonable predictions.

Psychology for Communication Strategy (2/4): Reading a situation

In the first episode we reviewed 5 concepts of cognitive psychology that can help us search and select the most useful and relevant information for our communication strategy.

Today we are examining 5 new concepts with another goal: to back the analysis step in a strategic process, when we have to carefully and clearly evaluate the departure scenario, both internally and externally.

Psychology for Communication Strategy (1/4): Finding the right information

In our work, strategy and creativity must backed up by data and empirical research.

Today we launch a series of 4 episodes, each dedicated to a phase of the strategic communication process.

Each phase is associated with 5 cognitive psychology concepts that help us make more wise and thoughtful decisions.

The first episode is all about finding the right information.