In this month’s episode of the “Red Sky Fuel for Thought” podcast, host Ellen Mallernee, Editorial Director at Havas Red is joined by Redsters Linda Descano, CFA®, EVP and client partner Bianca-Maria Cavuoto to discuss our 2023 Word of the Year: “CHAOS”. 

Together, they walk through our process of selecting “chaos,” other Words of the Year that have been announced so far (from “AI” to “rizz”) and each of their own personal picks for Word of the Year. 

As our survey respondents who selected this word wrote, “Chaos encapsulates 2023’s tumultuous global events — embodying uncertainty, disruption and the need for collective solutions. It reflects our shared experience and challenges ahead.” 

One wrote that we have “too many changes without clear objectives,” while another pointed to “global waring factions (Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Gaza), U.S. congress disruption, Trump indictments, the impact of global warming on the global temperatures and weather phenomena.” 

The opposite of chaos? It’s peace. That’s our hope for 2024. We hope it’s peace that has the last word. 

"Red Sky Fuel for Thought" is a monthly podcast produced by Havas Red, examining emerging themes relevant to brand communicators and marketers.   

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For further reading: 

• Merriam-Webster: Authentic   
• Oxford University Press: Rizz  
• Collins Dictionary: AI  
• Cambridge Dict HAionary: Hallucinate  
• Oxford English: Pay harder  
• Australia National Dictionary Centre: Mathilda  
• Germany youth word of the year: Goofy