the message and the meta-message
TRANSCRIPT
The Message and the Meta-MessageHow to Assess and Control the “Body Language” of Your Communications
PLAIN 2013, Vancouver BC September 26, 2013
Josiah Fisk President, More Carrot LLC Boston
Sounds Great, But What Exactly
Are We Talking About?
EXAMPLE
Message with Conflicting Meta-Message from Actions
Please stay on the line.
Your call is ver y important to us.
Your call is ver y important to us.
Your call is ver y important to us.
Your call is ver y important to us.
Your call is ver y important to us.
Your call is ver y important to us.
un
Your call
Your questions
Your problems
Your time
You
All totally unimportant to us.
Now what was it you were calling about?
EXAMPLE
Message with Conflicting Meta-Message from Environment
EXAMPLE
Message with Strong Meta-Message Shift over Time
EXAMPLE
Message with its Own Conflicting Meta-Message
Message and meta-message aligned.
Message and meta-message misaligned.
Worse than no message at all.
META-MA XIM #1
The meta-message is context’s commentary
on the message.
META-MA XIM #2
A bad meta-message doesn’t just cancel out the message:
it can re-aim it in the wrong direction
META-MA XIM #3
If you don’t control the meta-message,
you don’t control the message.
Message Sent vs.
Message Received
EXAMPLE
Self-Introduction with Desired Message Articulated
Who is this nutjob and
how can I get rid of him?
Hello. I am a nice guy. You will like me!
EXAMPLE
Self-Introduction with Desired Message as a Reaction Goal
Hello. I really liked your
presentation!Hey, he seems
like a really nice guy!
META-MA XIM #4
To get the meta-message right, sometimes you have to change the message.
META-MA XIM #5
You already know how to manage your personal
meta-message. Borrow those skills.
Learning From The Masters
Recognize this guy?
How about this guy?
The Marlboro Man
The Marlboro Man 1957
1965
Brand name
Headline
Feature list
Product in use
PackagingBody copy
Brand imagery
Headline (2-part, includes
brand name)
Product in use
Packaging
Body copy (shorter)
Brand imagery (bigger, in color)
Headline (shorter)
Product in use
Packaging (only mention of brand name)
Brand imagery
Package and brand name barely visible
Brand name big, no headline; surgeon general’s warning added
Brand name tilted and partly obscured.
Image, brand name, product in use.
Image, brand name.
No headline, no features, no body copy. No packaging, no product in use.
And yet no lack of communication.
Ankara
% of 2nd - 5th graders who recognize Marlboro brand:
92%
Ankara
Source: Tobacco Control, 1998
Q: How well has this worked?
A: We’ll never know for sure.
. . . but we can do some message analysis.
• Sterile• All text• Logic-based• Clunky
• Human• Visually rich• Emotion-based• Enticing
You bet I’m bad.What you are doing is bad.
Factual Reality
Life Death
Death Life
Emotional Reality
Stealing From The Masters
Meta-messaging that hijacks rational thought processes.
Messaging that hijacks Marlboro’s meta-messaging.
Created by an ad agency.
Created by an ad agency.
Created by a bureaucracy. . .
• Sterile• All text• Logic-based• Clunky
• Human• Visually rich• Emotion-based• Enticing
Look and feel dictated by tobacco companies
META-MA XIM #6
When you’re up against the manipulative
power of emotions, manipulate back.
Fixing the Meta-Message
EXAMPLE
Consumer Disclosure (TSA)
Boarding Pass Kiosk — TSA Screen
“Redress Number”
“privacy impact assessment”
“published system of records notice”
. . . 49 U.S.C. section 114 and 49
C.F.R. parts 1540 and 1560 . . .
I sure hope I don’t miss my plane!
“TSA requires you”
“under the authority of ”
“Not providing the information will discontinue your check-in.”
We’re totally absorbed in our own reality. We don’t care if you understand or not.
You’re probably a terrorist anyway.
The meta-messages.
We hold the power here.
The most important meta-message.
Original Screen
Simplified Screen* *Hypothetical
Asking for your help
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel Check-In
Goal we all support (and citation is credible)
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel Check-In
Hey, it’s not our idea
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel Check-In
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel Check-In
No big deal
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel Check-In
Same choices, non-threatening presentation
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel Check-In
Helpful tone (vs. “if you don’t believe us” tone)
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel Check-In
Design gives visual prominence to key elements, for speed
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel Check-In
Design gives visual prominence to key elements, for speed
We know you’re in a hurry so we’ll be brief. Yes, you have to. But security benefits us all.
. . . unless you’re a terrorist, which we assume you’re not.
The new meta-messages.
We recognize your concerns.
The most important meta-message.
META-MA XIM #8
Nobody ever likes to be reminded
that you have more power than they do.
EXAMPLE
Icon-Style Highway Sign
MESSAGE: Picnic area with trees, turn right.
MESSAGE: Picnic area with trees, turn right.
META-MESSAGE: Now doesn’t that look lovely and fun!
OTHER META-MESSAGES:
Maybe you’d like a little break from driving.
OTHER META-MESSAGES:
Wholesome place to bring the family.
OTHER META-MESSAGES:
See, we haven’t completely wasted your tax dollars.
META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
Bent trees?
META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
High wind area?
META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
We don’t know how to draw a tree?
META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
Beware of falling trees — enjoy your picnic?
Positive/unambiguous meta-messages.
Negative/unclear meta-messages.
Actual sign
META-MA XIM #9
It’s very easy to miss the flaws in your communications.
Unfortunately, you may be the only one who does.
Live Discussion of Examples
How special is this supposed to make me feel?
EXAMPLE
Coverage Update Letter from Health Insurance Provider
“Quickest and easiest way” for whom? (requires typing 43-character url)
EXAMPLE
Pharmacy Benefits Change Mailer from Health Insurance Provider
Why are you trying to sell me when you’ve already told me
you’re forcing me to buy?
META-MA XIM #10
Overdoing the meta-message isn’t as bad as underdoing it.
It’s worse.
Takeaways
• Can change the direction of your message.
• Are never neutral: either they’re helping you, hurting you, or letting you down.
• Are always there – you cannot turn them off.
• But you can manage them: - Assess, anticipate, monitor - Control the ones you can control - Plan around the rest
Meta-messages:
• Never promise more than you can deliver - in communications - in actions and follow-through
• Show that you care, show that you understand - show, don’t tell - don’t patronize
• Work hard on your meta-messages and they will hard for you.
Meta-message management:
Thank you!
Questions?
less stick
www.morecarrot.com
@MoreCarrotLLC