BARCELOS
COMMUNICATION

Picture It: Your Favorite Childhood Meal. Mine was my grandmother’s piri-piri chicken and potatoes: smashed garlic, rich olive oil, and spicy piri-piri sauce (or really, whatever hot sauce she could find). She would bake it to golden perfection, using only the dark meat—drumsticks and thighs—and peel the potatoes to ensure every bite melted in your mouth. There’s comfort in knowing what to expect: the flavor, the texture, the aroma, the feeling you associate with that first b

"You’re so much more than just marketing and communication." Oh, cool, thanks! Now what the hell am I supposed to say to that?   I’m exhausted from hearing people treat communication like it’s the sprinkles on top, the last-minute garnish on their strategy casserole. My well-meaning colleague probably thought they were paying me a compliment, but what I heard was that tired, old tune where communication, marketing, and PR are seen as extras—just accessories to the “real work.

Have you ever wondered why some decisions feel so natural, almost like second nature, while others require careful thought and deliberation?   Think about your favorite coffee shop, where you stroll in on a crisp fall morning, half-awake, but already certain of what you’re going to order: a medium caramel latte with oat milk, just the way you like it. You’ve made this choice so often that it feels automatic—no hesitation, no second-guessing. It just feels like the right thing

When I first dove into brand psychology, I was struck by a powerful realization: the internal conversations of brands and individuals are surprisingly similar. Just as people have their own inner dialogues, brands have theirs—albeit in a more metaphorical sense. Every brand has its own identity, core values, and personality that gradually become ingrained in both the company and its audience. Much like how our self-talk shapes our actions, the way a brand communicates with it

In advocacy and nonprofit work, passion is often the driving force behind the efforts of many dedicated individuals. But as with any passionate cause, comes a fine line between advocating with conviction and forcefully pushing our beliefs. Too often, this push-and-pull leads to resistance rather than support. So, how do we navigate these tricky dynamics without jeopardizing those fragile relationships? The answer may just lie in the approach of world-renowned conservationist,