Editor's Letter: How We All Are Navigating the New Normal

I’m writing this week’s editor’s letter from my home office. Painted sky blue, it’s decorated with portraits of fish my 12-year-old son, Gabe, likes to catch: striped bass, northern pike and, he hopes, one day soon, a blacktip shark. By the window is a fleet of Star Wars Lego fighters and ships. On the floor is a tarp where I navigate paint, wet canvases, pencils and sketchpads scattered about. Meanwhile, my wife, Liz, is Zooming on business calls from our bedroom; Gabe is loudly playing Call of Duty with his buddies. Banjo, our Goldendoodle, just obliterated my headphones. And how’s your WFH day going? This week’s cover, featuring the Deutsch N.Y. office on Zoom, pretty much sums it up. We have entered a new normal—and that new normal is changing by the minute. But we are all in it together. This is a time for strong leaders, and that's something our industry has no shortage of. Features editor Kristina Feliciano and I checked in with members of Adweek’s Advisory Board, Brandweek’s Steering Committee and other leaders to learn how they are finding clever, creative strategies to support their clients and employees. We are incredibly grateful to the 16 executives—including Jo Ann Ross, president and chief advertising revenue officer, ViacomCBS Domestic Advertising Sales; S4 Capital executive chairman Martin Sorrell; Rich Antoniello, founder, CEO of Complex Networks; Rob Schwartz, CEO, TBWA\Chiat\Day New York; Deutsch N.Y. CEO Val DiFebo; and Vineet Mehra, global CMO of Walgreens Boots Alliance—for sharing such thoughtful, candid insights when so much about how we do business is still unfolding. As we all grapple with blending home life and work life, the Adweek edit team continues to surface stellar cross-platform content—from senior editor Robert Klara’s online feature detailing how brand marketers need to prepare for long-term disruptions, to programmatic reporter Andrew Blustein’s story on how Amobee, agency UM and others are helping publishers by teaming up to fill ad space with coronavirus PSAs. This is also a time to give thanks, especially to the incredible team I am part of. All of Adweek’s amazing content would be nothing without the standout images, art and design coming out of our Visual Newsroom. As for noncoronavirus content, audience engagement editor Jess Zafarris and senior editor Nicole Ortiz will co-host a special episode of our Yeah, That’s Probably an Ad podcast, celebrating Women’s History Month. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music and Stitcher or stream on our site. Be sure to send voice messages to podcast@adweek.com. By the way, for all you millennials and Gen Zers, the reference to "Come on and zoom" is a nod to the beloved Boston PBS show Zoom’s opening credits enjoyed by Gen Xers and boomers that ran from 1972 to '78. You’re welcome!

Coronavirus

Editor's Letter: How We All Are Navigating the New Normal

Come on and zoom

Lisa Granatstein

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Lisa Granatstein