Mastering the Art of Message Framing

The first chapter of my book, Winning the Inside Game: the Handbook of Advocacy Strategies, is focused on message framing. Why is it first? Because the way we present our message can make or break the support we garner for our cause. The key question is what audience you are trying to persuade with your messaging and why. 

Broad Appeal 

Most advocacy and political efforts seek to appeal broadly to different groups of people – constituents, legislators, donors, and more - to increase their likelihood of success. Yet advocates often embrace messages that reflect their emotional ties to an issue rather than trying to draw in other people. The DC statehood message is a good example of that.  

Statehood reflects all the rights that Washingtonians want and deserve as Americans. It has very strong appeal as a result, especially among activists, including me. During my tenure at DC Vote, however, we discovered through polling and focus groups that the statehood message received relatively low support around the country. Why? It prompted questions about DC's size, the intentions of the Founding Fathers, and even whether the U.S. flag would look fundamentally different with 51 stars! Surprisingly, the stronger appeal emerged with “equal representation” for Washingtonians and “democracy for DC.” Research showed that over two-thirds of people positively reacted to the argument that tax-paying Americans in the capital deserved equal rights and representation. Even congressional opponents had to concede that argument. 

This broad appeal approach to framing can also be seen in the shifts from "gay marriage" to "marriage equality" and “global warming” to “climate change.” The latter messages for both of those movements attempt to resonate with people beyond their base of supporters.   

Base Appeal 

Nevertheless, there are instances when a political movement seeks to rally their base through messaging that strengthens the emotional ties within their targeted constituency, thereby creating a sense of shared identity. For example, the “Make America Great Again” and “Black Lives Matter” messages resonate with distinct groups of Americans that can be described as “base” supporters. These supporters wear hats and t-shirts, and display signs and flags with these messages (and their acronyms, MAGA and BLM) to convey their personal values and their worldview and to identify them as part of a movement.  

Such appeals to the base through messaging help increase people’s commitment to a long-term advocacy mission. Creating emotional connections and identity among people can deepen their ties to each other and to the movement, which helps keep them involved over the long term. Given that, it’s probably no accident that when the voting rights effort in DC failed in 2010, advocates (including DC Vote) returned to the statehood message to rally the base and keep them engaged for a longer-term fight.  

Conclusion 

Framing an issue effectively is a balancing act. Often, language that resonates strongly with advocates does not connect as well with the broader public. That can make success more difficult. It is crucial, therefore, to understand both your goals and your audience.  

In my book, I discuss a model – the CDE – that can help clarify the impact of your framing. The CDE helps you identify your message (the “Container”), figure out the arguments that that message will likely generate (“Differences”), and explore the ways in which those messages get conveyed (the “Exchanges”). The interplay of those elements creates patterns of thought and behavior that either reinforce a base or broad appeal.  

The bottom line is, as an advocate, you should make an informed choice before you frame your message.  

To start a conversation with us about your message, fill out our form or send an email to connecting@civicaconsultants.com.