12 communications lessons from Monopoly

All right. Enough of that Minecraft business, I recently told our youngest kid, Thing Two. Let’s see if you’re up to a real game.

It was time to play Monopoly—or at least a round, since we didn’t have 72 hours to devote to a full game.

This year marks the 80^th anniversary of Parker Brothers’ launch of the game. So it seemed a fine time to round up some wisdom that communicators have accumulated while playing the beloved board game devoted to bankrupting your closest friends and family.

1. Listen to your fans.

Working for Hasbro, which now makes Monopoly, has taught Jen DeAngelis the importance of listening to one’s fans—and thinking creatively to keep an 80-year-old brand relevant.

“It’s still the world’s favorite family gaming brand—more people are playing it now than ever before,” DeAngelis says. “Hasbro has been able to maintain its popularity by tapping into what our fans are saying and giving them the opportunity to let their voices be heard, and often even make changes to the game.”