🚨In Q4, AI skepticism and affordability pressures emerged as the leading drivers of corporate reputational risk. Gravity Research’s proprietary Risk Index quantifies reputational risk across twelve high-impact societal issues, helping business leaders anticipate scrutiny and make defensible decisions with data-backed clarity. Here’s what rose to the top in Q4: 🟨 🔼 AI skepticism intensified amid “bubble” rhetoric and ROI scrutiny 🟨 ↔️ Economic headwinds fueled anti-corporate sentiment 🟨 ⬇️ Climate risk persisted as brands navigated regulatory uncertainty As political focus sharpens ahead of midterms, these pressures are likely to carry across 2026. Download the full Q4 Risk Index: https://hubs.la/Q041RQp90 #RiskIndex #Q4Risks #AI #Affordability #ESG #GravityResearch
Gravity Research
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Actionable, unbiased insights to move you forward.
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Gravity Research empowers organizations to anticipate risk, spot opportunities, and rationalize reputational concerns against a backdrop of evolving public pressures. We help companies calibrate action against competing demands and societal pressures. Armed with a deep public affairs acumen, we take an agenda-agnostic approach to gather the data-based insight you need to fully prepare your organization for your next move. We provide rigorous, evidence-based insights. Our work is always grounded in independence, objectivity, and a nonpartisan perspective
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Gravity Research reposted this
Really excited to share the study Gravity Research just conducted in partnership with Weber Shandwick and that Jim O'Leary and I rolled out in Davos this week. (Eleanor Hawkins had a nice rundown of the work in yesterday's Axios Communicators newsletter (https://lnkd.in/e4twBmPS)). Lots of good stuff in there, but here are the highlights: - The "confidence gap" between CEOs and their comms teams that Weber Shandwick identified last year appears to be closing, with 52% of comms execs reporting rising CEO confidence in their work over the past year. - While comms execs feel adept to manage many thorny issues, only 35% report feeling highly confident advising their CEOs on navigating AI transformation and messaging, and only 44% are highly confident in their CEO's ability to articulate clear, credible narratives on AI transformation and its implications. - Particularly challenging is messaging the disconnect between AI's promised business outcomes vs. measurable results and between executive messaging and employee experience. Navigating messaging on AI, as well as major geopolitical issues, trade, and other big challenges discussed at Davos requires communicators to serve as true strategic advisors to their CEOs. It's not enough to know how to get a message out - communicators need to understand the perspectives of employees, consumers, and other stakeholders, and they need to help their companies set a clear course while leaving space for uncertainty. Check out the full report: https://lnkd.in/eYA8MVNa
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Gravity Research reposted this
Wrapping the most consequential World Economic Forum annual meeting in memory with new research we just released in partnership with Gravity Research. This year’s study finds that communications leaders feel more confident in their ability to respond to stakeholder activism, manage geopolitical risks, and address regulatory pressures. Eleanor Hawkins breaks it down nicely in Axios: bit.ly/4pRIFby There were two very different Davos experiences happening this year, reflecting a broader global trend. One is the multilateral establishment that has always defined WEF. The other is something new: unilateral, skeptical of global institutions, and more hostile to elite consensus. The tension between the two camps was palpable. CEOs have become geopolitical actors in this increasingly challenging world—and many chief corporate affairs officers are helping them navigate the new dynamic. Our research shows they’ve largely risen to the challenge. Weber Shandwick Omnicom Public Relations
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Gravity Research reposted this
☎️ Earnings calls are no longer just about the numbers: they’re a snapshot into how executives and investors are communicating about today’s most reputationally sensitive topics. Join Gravity Research’s Chief Strategy Officer Kendall VanHoose and Strategic Executive Advisor Alex Cole on Wednesday, January 21 at 1:00 PM ET for a forward-looking webinar unpacking what messaging and analyst questions in Fortune 100 Q4 earnings calls are signaling about Q1 strategy and beyond. They’ll cover: How brands are addressing affordability pressures How executives are balancing AI’s promise with ROI expectations What political undercurrents around MAHA can mean for corporate strategy Register: https://hubs.ly/Q03_17gG0 #EarningsCalls #CorporateStrategy #AI #ReputationRisk #GravityResearch
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Gravity Research reposted this
Wrapping the most consequential World Economic Forum annual meeting in memory with new research we just released in partnership with Gravity Research. This year’s study finds that communications leaders feel more confident in their ability to respond to stakeholder activism, manage geopolitical risks, and address regulatory pressures. Eleanor Hawkins breaks it down nicely in Axios: bit.ly/4pRIFby There were two very different Davos experiences happening this year, reflecting a broader global trend. One is the multilateral establishment that has always defined WEF. The other is something new: unilateral, skeptical of global institutions, and more hostile to elite consensus. The tension between the two camps was palpable. CEOs have become geopolitical actors in this increasingly challenging world—and many chief corporate affairs officers are helping them navigate the new dynamic. Our research shows they’ve largely risen to the challenge. Weber Shandwick Omnicom Public Relations
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🏔️ This week, Gravity Research president Luke Hartig went to Davos with Weber Shandwick to unveil our newest report exploring the confidence gap between CEOs and their communications teams. Watch a recap of Luke’s week below, and read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/erfTpKYb #ConfidenceGap #Davos2026 #WeberShandwick #GravityResearch
What a year to go to Davos for the first time. We rolled our new research today at a roundtable of CCOs, on how communications teams are building confidence with their CEOs and navigating the tricky messaging around AI, both its promise and challenges. Let us know if we can be helpful as you navigate these issues!
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🤖 The biggest challenge facing corporate communicators is messaging AI adoption to their employee bases. Our 2026 Gravity Insiders x Axios Communicators Annual Survey offers a firsthand look at how senior leaders across the Fortune 500 and Global 1000 are navigating shifting issue engagement — from messaging AI adoption internally to managing rising policymaker scrutiny — as volatility becomes the norm. Here’s what we found: ▪️67% of executives cite AI as a top pressure driver ▪️44% plan to increase communications investments in the year ahead ▪️62% say employees remain the most challenging stakeholder group Download the full report: https://hubs.ly/Q03_J7zl0 #CorporateComms #AIAdoption #AxiosCommunicators #GravityResearch
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Join us tomorrow at 1:00 PM ET for an inside look at how the Fortune 100 are messaging affordability, AI, and MAHA on earnings calls — and what it means for communicators in 2026. 📩 Register: https://lnkd.in/eryUT9Zm
☎️ Earnings calls are no longer just about the numbers: they’re a snapshot into how executives and investors are communicating about today’s most reputationally sensitive topics. Join Gravity Research’s Chief Strategy Officer Kendall VanHoose and Strategic Executive Advisor Alex Cole on Wednesday, January 21 at 1:00 PM ET for a forward-looking webinar unpacking what messaging and analyst questions in Fortune 100 Q4 earnings calls are signaling about Q1 strategy and beyond. They’ll cover: How brands are addressing affordability pressures How executives are balancing AI’s promise with ROI expectations What political undercurrents around MAHA can mean for corporate strategy Register: https://hubs.ly/Q03_17gG0 #EarningsCalls #CorporateStrategy #AI #ReputationRisk #GravityResearch
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☎️ Earnings calls are no longer just about the numbers: they’re a snapshot into how executives and investors are communicating about today’s most reputationally sensitive topics. Join Gravity Research’s Chief Strategy Officer Kendall VanHoose and Strategic Executive Advisor Alex Cole on Wednesday, January 21 at 1:00 PM ET for a forward-looking webinar unpacking what messaging and analyst questions in Fortune 100 Q4 earnings calls are signaling about Q1 strategy and beyond. They’ll cover: How brands are addressing affordability pressures How executives are balancing AI’s promise with ROI expectations What political undercurrents around MAHA can mean for corporate strategy Register: https://hubs.ly/Q03_17gG0 #EarningsCalls #CorporateStrategy #AI #ReputationRisk #GravityResearch
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📊 We’re wrapping up a report in partnership with Weber Shandwick that surveys communications executives on the confidence gap – the space CEOs experience between a volatile risk landscape and an accordingly fool-proof communications strategy. Our president Luke Hartig will be talking through findings at Davos next week. To receive an early look at the report, please email kcollins@gravityresearch.com. #ConfidenceGap #WeberShandwick #Davos2026 #WEF2026 #GravityResearch
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