This week's episode provides a fascinating look into the art of communication in innovation. It's crucial for reaching audiences, teams, and the broader market. Carmen Collins is a name I've admired and spoken about at international conferences, even before we met for this podcast. Carmen's transformative work at Cisco, particularly in reviving the brand through employee voices and social media post-telecom boom, is inspiring. In this episode, Carmen, with her extensive experience in social media brand marketing and communications, delves into the art of creating compelling dialogues around innovation on social media. Her journey includes leading roles at Intuit QuickBooks and other notable brands, where she harnessed the power of storytelling to align corporate vision with engaging content strategies. We'll explore how Carmen's approach to social media transcends traditional marketing, focusing on tangible goals and priorities rather than just surface-level engagement. Her accolades, including being a top woman in communications and a four-time winner of the Social Media Professional of the Year, speak volumes about her expertise. Our conversation takes a deep dive into integrating social media strategy from the outset, using examples like a hypothetical Burger King Super Bowl commercial. Carmen highlights the pitfalls of not including digital and social teams in the planning phase, leading to potential flops on platforms like TikTok or Instagram. Moreover, we discuss the crucial role of personal connection in social media messaging. Carmen advises making content relatable by sharing the stories behind innovations, including the failures and challenges. This approach humanizes the brand and resonates deeply with audiences, tapping into our inherent attraction to stories of overcoming adversity. Join us in this insightful episode as Carmen Collins shares her wisdom on using social media to effectively communicate innovations, balancing the demands of platform algorithms with the need to engage and captivate audiences.