{"id":2852306,"date":"2025-09-12T09:31:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T14:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/?p=2852306"},"modified":"2025-10-02T06:25:04","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T11:25:04","slug":"beyond-the-echo-chamber-how-shakira-made-me-reimagine-think-tank-communication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/articles\/beyond-the-echo-chamber-how-shakira-made-me-reimagine-think-tank-communication\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond the echo chamber: How Shakira made me reimagine think tank communication"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shakira filled the GPN Seguros stadium in Mexico City eight times this year. Her recent <\/span>Las Mujeres No Lloran<\/span><\/i> tour captivated more than 2.5 million people across America, with over one million in Mexico alone. But it is more than just music; the show pulses with her \u201cwolf mandates,\u201d tapping into the rising spirit of women\u2019s autonomy. Tens of thousands of people shout in unison: \u201c<\/span>Las mujeres no lloran, las mujeres facturan<\/span><\/i>\u201d: \u201cWomen don\u2019t cry, women cash in.\u201d The words flash across screens, appear on T-shirts and hats, and echo across social media. Shakira\u2019s album became the most-streamed in 2024 with billions of combined plays on Spotify and YouTube, proving the extraordinary reach of her message. What started as a lyric has become a global slogan, mobilising audiences with a speed and scale that a carefully crafted press release, report, or institution can rarely match.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the middle of this sea of voices, I noticed an older man, conservative in style and demeanour, proudly wearing a bright cap with the slogan embroidered on it. Watching him, I wondered: Does he really embrace the call for women\u2019s independence, or is he just enjoying a catchy phrase stripped of its deeper meaning? Around us, the crowd roared on, each person making the message their own. For some, it\u2019s empowerment. For others, just a tune. And for women who still face structural barriers, \u201ccashing in\u201d isn\u2019t even an option. The moment shows both the power and the risk of mass communication: it spreads quickly, but its meaning changes once it leaves the stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Think tanks face a similar challenge. They, too, want their “lyrics” to be repeated loudly because influence depends on it (See <\/span>Communication options for think tanks: channels and tools<\/span><\/a>). But unlike Shakira, their reach is limited. And if their message is unclear, the risk is high: credibility and reputation can crumble, and with them, relevance. That’s why audiences matter so much. Understanding them is not optional; it’s the starting point of influence. Yet, too often, audience analysis is treated as a one-time exercise rather than an ongoing strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mapping audiences: A continuous effort<\/b><\/h3>\n

As the article <\/span>“Selecting Different Ways to Reach Audiences”<\/span><\/a> reminds us, mapping audiences is a continuous effort. When think tanks compare who they want to reach with the channels they actually use, they often find mismatches. Some channels reach everyone indiscriminately, others speak only to narrow groups, and some crucial audiences are entirely ignored. Spotting these gaps helps decide which channels to strengthen, adapt, retire, or create.<\/span><\/p>\n

And audiences don\u2019t stand still. As behaviour shifts, think tanks must adjust by testing new formats, refining old ones, and sometimes letting go. Look again at Shakira: her reach isn\u2019t just about talent, it\u2019s about connecting with people where they are, in ways they trust. For think tanks, the parallel questions are unavoidable: What would happen if their research reached people with the speed and energy of a pop tour? Should they work with influencers to bridge the gap? And how should they handle their already complex relationship with social media? Nick Scott raised these questions more than a decade ago in <\/span>What social media and digital tools are think tanks using in their work?<\/span><\/a> They\u2019re even more urgent today.<\/span><\/p>\n

Learning from influencers and algorithms<\/b><\/h3>\n

Research on Germany\u2019s 2021 election<\/span><\/a> reveals that political influencers, individuals who blend lifestyle content with political messages on Instagram or TikTok, had a measurable impact. Six per cent of voters said these influencers helped them decide how to vote. That might sound small, but in a close race, it can determine the outcome. These voices resonated because they felt genuine, not institutional: younger audiences, in particular, trusted the authenticity and everyday tone of influencers more than official statements.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another study, this time <\/span>examining <\/span>3.8 million news articles shared on Reddit<\/span><\/a>, reveals how social media influences<\/span> what we see. U.S. politics are pushed to the front while global issues are drowned out. It\u2019s not just about what information is available; it\u2019s about what rises to the surface and what disappears. Reality is being reordered by platforms, not by publications. Algorithms, partisanship, and attention all play a role in shaping not only what people think about, but also how they think about it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For think tanks, this is not a call to rush onto every platform or copy every trend. It\u2019s about understanding the world as it is: audiences are shifting, channels are powerful filters, and ignoring this reality can make serious research irrelevant. Sometimes, experimenting with new channels pays off; sometimes, it distorts the message; and sometimes, the wise choice is to step away. The relevant question is not whether to communicate, but how to guide knowledge through spaces where attention and meaning are constantly being contested.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond \u2018report then promote\u2019<\/b><\/h3>\n

And here’s the crucial point: once think tanks change how they communicate, everything else shifts too. Moving beyond the old “report then promote” model sparks a chain reaction. New skills are needed: digital storytellers, data visualisers, video producers, and strategists who understand online ecosystems. Research and communications must work side by side, not in sequence, so internal processes adapt: timelines, workflows, decisions all move at a different pace. These changes require investment: more time, additional tools, and further training.<\/span><\/p>\n

This shift could also affect what think tanks choose to research. Some issues are easier to explain in visual or interactive formats, while others are harder to communicate. Over time, these choices influence not only the kind of work a think tank does, but also how the public sees it. Decisions about format shape what gets noticed, what gets funded, and what makes it into the public debate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Communication as part of the business model<\/b><\/h3>\n

In this sense, changing how think tanks communicate is not an isolated tweak but a shift that reverberates across their business model. A think tank\u2019s business model encompasses the entire system by which it creates, shares, and sustains value. Communications and audiences are integral to that system, alongside income, staffing, outputs, partnerships, and governance. Change one, and the rest are affected.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is why \u201cbusiness models\u201d matter. They are not consultant jargon; it\u2019s about survival and relevance. To understand the full scope of what a business model encompasses, and why communications are inseparable from it, I invite you to read my conversation with Diego de la Mora, Executive Director of Fundar Mexico. His insights reveal how these pieces fit together and why the future of think tanks depends on seeing the system, not just its parts.<\/span><\/p>\n

After all, if a single lyric can ignite stadiums, hashtags, and headlines, imagine what could happen if think tanks mastered the art of carrying knowledge with the same force. The question is not whether your ideas will echo, but whether your business model is ready to sustain the resonance.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Shakira filled the GPN Seguros stadium in Mexico City eight times this year. Her recent Las Mujeres No Lloran tour captivated more than 2.5 million people across America, with over one million in Mexico alone. But it is more than just music; the show pulses with her \u201cwolf mandates,\u201d tapping into the rising spirit of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[220,294],"class_list":["post-2852306","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-communication","tag-influence","article-types-opinion","people-estefania-teran-valdez","theme-communications"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2852306","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2852306"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2852306\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2853117,"href":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2852306\/revisions\/2853117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2852306"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2852306"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}