Written by: Vickie Sullivan  |  September 29, 2026

Read the Room

After all the work to define and build a compelling communication style that brands us, it’s tempting to just keep that vibe going. This Brand Innovator’s interview with Indeed’s James Whitemore highlights why this is a bad idea.

Indeed’s transition from funny to empathic looks easier than it really is. But it’s necessary when your buyers face big changes. For Whitemore, the humorous take that used to be the inside joke is now tone deaf.

Whitemore explains: “Over the last few years, we’ve used a lot of humor in advertising and digital content. And I don’t feel that’s appropriate right now. There’s nothing funny about the job market. It has to switch to being much more empathetic, to understanding that a lot of the job markets are very tough right now.”

In other words, he read the room.

It’s easy to bank on “authenticity,” justifying why your style is set in stone. This assumption sets up a big blind spot that hides changes in context, which changes how our content lands. Not seeing these signals is the leading cause of backlash (and many memes.)

Our brand voice is no longer plug and play. Let’s regularly assess and change accordingly.

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Now read this:

‘Vibe’ Isn’t Fluff. It’s the Edge in Thought Leadership Today

Market Assessments take the guesswork out of your next big move

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