SE2’s Principal Eric Anderson has been with the company since the beginning. He is an ex-journalist chancing new communications challenges. Get some of his fresh perspectives and get to know him a little better through these three questions.
Q: In what ways has SE2 shifted in the 25+ years of change-making marketing and communications?
A: From the start we committed to focus exclusively on pressing public issues – not products — and that’s remained a constant. Most of the shifts since then have been evolutionary.
When we started, we still relied on the “sneaker net” (i.e., sharing files between computers by carrying floppy disks). Faxed and hand-delivered media releases were the norm. But the the foundations of success, regardless of the technology, are the same. For example:
- Strong messages are everything.
- Meaningful relationships matter.
- Pay attention to the forest and the trees.
- Find the courage to make bold strokes.
Along with technological advances, we’ve seen the science of behavior change and the best practices for building successful movements become clearer over the years. It’s our job to stay on top of those developments as we innovate.
Q: How do you suggest bringing people together to create change in this polarized election season and beyond?
A: From the start, SE2 existed in a sort of empty space between ideological extremes. I had friends and SE2 colleagues who were politically diverse. When we spent a lot of time together, we learned that we had a lot in common.
Unfortunately, these days fewer opportunities exist in society to interact in person and find this common ground. Social media sniping may provide a dopamine rush, but it can become an addiction that just pushes us further to our corners.
The best advice I have is that we all take the time to get to know people around us, even if that pushes us out of our comfort zones. And we need to engage in person whenever we can!
Q: What’s one way you suggest making work more fun?
A: We’ve always been committed to having fun doing serious work. That means creating a community that offers opportunities for everyone to take part and be themselves. This is less about staff outings, though those can be fun, and more about finding joy in everyday activities.
About the Author:
Eric Anderson (he/him) began his career as a newspaper reporter in Washington, D.C., Hong Kong, and Denver before co-founding SE2 in 1998. He has helped guide marketing and communications campaigns on some of the era’s most pressing issues, from public health to education to the environment. He lives in Englewood, Colorado with his wife, Amber. Together they have four adult children, two dogs, and one cat.
