LIVE FROM MWC19 LOS ANGELES: Amy Emmerich, chief content officer at media company Refinery29 (pictured), highlighted the changing dynamic between businesses and consumers, urging companies to use vulnerability as a tool to build trust with their audiences.

“If you’re building a business today where you only care about making a dollar you will fail. The younger generation expects you to have a higher calling.”

Emmerich cited examples of how Refinery29 capitalised on this shift by positioning itself as an ally to users in their vulnerable moments. For instance, she noted the company had been able to expand its audience by creating a space for marginalised communities to share their stories without shame or stigma.

“Some of our biggest successes were truly because we noticed a vulnerability, but we met it through the lens of allyship,” she said. “The audience is reclaiming their power, and you’ve got to be on the right side of it or they will cancel your ass.”