| | | | | | | Presented By Instagram | | | | Axios AM | | By Mike Allen · Feb 02, 2023 | | 🦫 Happy Groundhog Day! Today's Smart Brevity™ count: 1,498 words ... 5½ mins. Edited by Noah Bressner. | | | | | | 🤐 1 big thing: Companies zip it |  | | | Illustration: Tiffany Herring/Axios | | | | Companies that were once very vocal on human rights and societal issues have held statements close to the vest or stayed completely silent following the recent streak of tragedies in America. - Why it matters: This is a major shift in the way leaders communicate during heightened moments of tragedy and crisis, Eleanor Hawkins writes in her popular new weekly newsletter, Axios Communicators.
More CEOs are opting for internal correspondence in place of public pledges — and some are saying nothing at all. - There are fewer public calls to action, funding commitments and plans to reignite reform. But there are internal communications offering support and mental health resources for employees.
In 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, executives from Dell, Merck and Ford made statements slamming police brutality. - But when asked how the leaders were responding to the fatal Memphis police beating of Tyre Nichols, reps from all three companies declined to comment.
- The CEO Action Network — which consists of 2,400 CEOs who publicly "pledged to create more inclusive cultures while not being afraid of having difficult conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion" — is also a "no comment."
Experts point to a few reasons for this shift: - Power dynamics. Companies aren't facing public and internal pressure to make external statements.
- Economic uncertainty. The tech industry — which was previously out front on many of these issues — is now going through massive cuts and is focused on staying afloat, not wading in. Many tech companies have gutted their DEI departments in response to economic strains.
- ESG pushback. Recent pushback from activist investors, state and federal legislators, has caused businesses to become more skittish on environmental, social, and governance initiatives.
- Fatigue. "There's a sensitivity to not making a statement every time something happens," Paul Washington, executive director of the ESG Center at the Conference Board told Axios' Emily Peck. Companies don't want to get into the routine for fear of being asked, "Why did you say something about that, but not this?"
The bottom line: The pendulum is resetting for how and when a company, brand or leader responds to outside events or national crises. |     | | | | | | 2. 🕶️ Meta's sunny day |  | | | Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios | | | | Meta investors got a double dose of good news yesterday: Why it matters: Meta's positive earnings come amid dour reports from many other flagship tech firms that are struggling in a softening economy, Axios' Ina Fried, Ashley Gold and Sara Fischer report. Meta reported quarterly revenue of $32.16 billion, ahead of Wall Street estimates of approximately $31.5 billion. It said to expect revenue of between $26 billion and $28.5 billion for the current quarter, which runs through March. 🖼️ The big picture: Meta has been retrenching, announcing plans to lay off workers, cut some hardware projects and scale back its investments in real estate and data centers. 🔎 Between the lines: The company has managed to be less in the spotlight in recent months due to upheavals at Elon Musk's Twitter, and regulatory moves against Microsoft and Google. 🥊 Reality check: Meta's Reality Labs unit — which is spearheading its metaverse projects — lost $4.27 billion last quarter, bringing its total losses for the year to $13.71 billion. - The unit generated $2.15 billion in revenue last year, down slightly from $2.27 billion in 2021.
Share this story. | | | | | | | | 3. 🏛️ Dems question Capitol security | | Speaker McCarthy speaks to the media after meeting with President Biden at the White House yesterday. Photo: Kent Nishimura/L.A. Times via Getty Images House Democrats are raising concerns about Capitol security after House Republicans scaled back metal detectors put in place after Jan. 6, Axios' Andrew Solender reports. - Why it matters: The renewed focus on Capitol security comes ahead of President Biden's State of the Union address — next Tuesday — when nearly all members of Congress, Biden's cabinet and the Supreme Court will be packed into the House chamber.
More than a dozen House Dems wrote a letter to congressional leaders expressing "urgent concern for the safety and security of the President, other dignitaries, and guests at the upcoming State of the Union[.]" - House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, asked about SOTU security, told Axios: "I haven't had a briefing on that." He said he'll include Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) in the planning.
Share this story. | | | | | | | | A message from Instagram | | Setting up daily time limits can help teens spend less time online | | |  | | | | Instagram's daily time limits let parents say how long their teens can spend on the platform once supervision is set up. The impact: Teens can spend time online more intentionally. Set up daily time limits and learn more about the 30+ tools that can help teens have a positive experience on Instagram. | | | | | | 4. 🐐 Time finally gets Tom |  | | | Photos: Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images, Jim Rogash/Getty Images, Tom Brady's Instagram via Reuters | | | | From left: Tom Brady, age 24, practices the day before his first Super Bowl win, in 2002 ... Brady, 37, at the AFC Championship in 2015 ... Brady, 45, announcing on Instagram yesterday: "I'm retiring. For good." - Brady finished by saying: "I wouldn't change a thing. Love you all."
💬 Axios Sports editor Kendall Baker tells me that this season, Brady "looked frustrated on the sidelines most games ... if the season had gone differently, maybe he doesn't retire." Photos: Jim Davis/The Boston Globe, Andy Lyons, Jed Jacobsohn, Tom Pennington, Timothy A. Clary/AFP, Harry How and Patrick Smith, all via Getty Images Above: Courtesy Axios Sports and senior editorial designer Aïda Amer, here's a GIF of Tom Brady winning his record seven Super Bowls in the span of 19 years and three different decades — 2002-2021, ages 24-43. 🔮 What's next: Brady now begins his deal, announced in May for whenever he retired, to join Fox Sports as lead NFL analyst. Kendall and Jeff Tracy point out that Brady will make more in the booth than he did on the field — in less than half the time. - Greatest QB ever: 23 years, $333 million.
- Unproven analyst: 10 years, $375 million.
👀 I wouldn't be surprised to see Brady pop up during Fox coverage of the Super Bowl, coming up Feb. 12. | | | | | | | | 5. Klain hands reins | | Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Above: President Biden salutes outgoing White House chief of staff Ron Klain and welcomes his successor, Jeff Zients, in the East Room yesterday. - "This is the best job I've ever had," said Klain, immediately crying after he said he couldn't promise a tear-free speech, AP reports.
Biden patted him on the back. Klain has worked for the president off and on for 36 years. - "I learned everything I know about how to be a good father from Joe Biden," Klain, the father of three, said he choked up.
Klain's last day is Feb. 8, the day after the State of the Union. | | | | | | | | 6. 🎓 Humanities make a comeback |  | | | Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios | | | | The pro-STEM movement has gutted high school and college humanities programs — but there's evidence of a post-pandemic revival afoot, Jennifer A. Kingson writes for Axios What's Next. - Why it matters: Academic circles blame the humanities' decades-long decline for everything from the proliferation of falsehoods on social media to the rise in racism and the precarious state of democracy (not to mention our etiolated vocabularies).
What's happening: Some professors, colleges and departments have been trying to boost humanities' popularity by touting their real-world utility. - They're citing salary information that's competitive with STEM (science, tech, engineering and math) fields and the value of critical thinking and writing skills.
- And they're making the case that studying history is essential to becoming a well-rounded citizen — or corporate middle manager.
🧮 By the numbers: U.C. Berkeley saw a 121% rise in first-year students declaring majors in the arts and humanities — which includes English, history, languages and philosophy. Reality check: Colleges are still disinvesting in the arts and humanities and pouring money into vocationally oriented programs. | | | | | | | | 7. 🇦🇺 Sign of the times: Booting the king | | Australia's current $5 notes. Photo: Mark Baker/AP King Charles won't succeed his mother on Australia's $5 notes — the last of the country's currency to bear the monarch's visage. Instead, the new notes will have a design honoring Indigenous culture. - Why it matters: The queen's death has reignited debate in Australia about its future as a constitutional monarchy, Reuters reports.
In 2021, Australia officially amended its national anthem to remove reference to the country being "young and free," amid calls to recognize that its Indigenous people are the oldest civilization in the world. - Australian coins are mandated to carry the image of the British monarch. New coins will have the effigy of King Charles.
King Charles, who'll be crowned on May 6, is the head of state in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and 11 other Commonwealth realms outside the United Kingdom. The role is largely ceremonial. | | | | | | | | 8. ✈️ 1 fun thing: "Airplane!" book |  | | | Cover: St. Martin's Press | | | | Coming Oct. 3: An oral history of the 1980 cult comedy classic, "Airplane!" - David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker — the legendary comedy trio (known as ZAZ) who wrote and directed the film — share behind-the-scenes stories, including how they got Leslie Nielsen to play his first comedy role after a career of straight-man roles.
With a budget of $3.5 million, "Airplane!" has raked in nearly $200 million. | | | | | | | | A message from Instagram | | Explore 30+ Instagram tools helping teens have positive experiences | | |  | | | | Teens' experiences on Instagram should be positive and supportive. That's why we have tools to help teens see less sensitive content and help them spend less time on our platform. Learn more about our tools and set them up with your teen today. | | | | 📬 Thanks for starting February with us. Please invite your friends to sign up. |  | | Are you a fan of this email format? Your essential communications — to staff, clients and other stakeholders — can have the same style. Axios HQ, a powerful platform, will help you do it. | | | |
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