Our take on the most, and least,
effective communication
Every year, our team of language strategists sits down and identifies the key language moments that actually moved the needle. Lee Hartley Carter reflects on the words, phrases, and strategic messaging choices that changed how people think, vote, and behave in 2025. This is how language changed everything in 2025–and what it means for you.
Language shapes what we notice, remember, and act on. The words and phrases that break through—from the funny to the “cringey” to the profound—become true Language Moments. They jump out, capture our imagination, and change the way we talk and think about people, issues, and events.
In 2025, they spanned politics, business, tech, and culture. From the “Golden Age of America” and “MAHA” to “AI slop,” “job hugging,” and who can forget “Labubu”… our annual video compilation highlights the language moments that defined the year. It’s fast-paced, punchy, and packed with the year’s most memorable phrases!
This year’s language didn’t just describe the world—it reshaped it. In this episode of HearSay, an annual favorite, we recap and analyze the most memorable language moments of 2025, across politics, culture, and business. It’s a fast, fun look at the language that moved audiences this year.
Synthetic research isn’t magic. It’s not snake oil, either. It’s a tool that can deliver insights faster, more affordably, and with audiences that were previously out of reach. But like any tool, it works best when you know how and when to use it. The research projects that will win aren’t the ones that blindly adopt AI research or stubbornly avoid it. They’re the ones that ask the right questions first.
Before you commit to synthetic research – or write it off entirely – here are five steps that will help you be successful.
Democrats had some big wins nationwide this past Election Day. While Democrats understood what resonated with voters this year, Republicans are facing challenges similar to what cost Democrats so dearly in the recent past. Lee Carter says it all centered around one big issue–and one resounding message: AFFORDABLITY.
America’s trust in vaccines is declining fast, as the “Make America Healthy Again” movement is reshaping the national conversation. If you’re a communicator or business leader, you’re probably already feeling the pressure. The old rules don’t work. Talking about “science” doesn’t persuade. Even the word “vaccine” can blow up in your face. So what do you say when the language itself is under attack—and how do you say it so people will actually listen?
In this episode, we reveal some strategies that can help you break the deadlock, connect with skeptical audiences by communicating effectively about vaccines, and turn a polarizing issue into a moment of real leadership.
Mamdani didn’t win because New York suddenly fell in love with socialism. He won because he captured something every politician should be listening to right now: a deep frustration that the system doesn’t feel fair anymore. Lee Carter shares thoughtful, timely analysis about why Mamdani won in this opinion piece for FoxNews.com.
Every few election cycles, America rediscovers an old political pastime: name-calling dressed up as moral clarity. This year’s favorite epithet is “socialist.” But when we label something, we often fail to see what’s really resonating. Republicans warned Barack Obama was a socialist. He won twice. In 2016 and 2024, Democrats branded Donald Trump a fascist. He still won. The pattern is clear: moral name-calling doesn’t persuade. It polarizes. It makes us feel righteous but sound out of touch. In this thought-provoking opinion piece for FoxNews.com, Lee Carter suggests that when everything becomes an “-ism,” we stop listening for the “why.”
There are moments in history when the ground beneath us moves and everyone feels it. Today, we’re living through one of those moments. Outrage is everywhere. It’s not just on the news or in your social feeds. It’s on the checkout line. It’s at the customer service desk. People aren’t simply disappointed. They’re angry. And the target of that anger is no longer just politicians or Wall Street “fat cats.” It’s any company, in any industry, that fails to measure up to a new, higher standard: fairness. Our latest research reveals three seismic shifts you need to know about what Americans expect from the companies they do business with.
