Words that Work…
October 25th, 2007 posted by Joe Schubert“Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear” - Frank Luntz
Is a rose as sweet by any other name? Apparently not, according to Frank Luntz in his blockbuster book. From electing Presidents to garnering support for Social Security reform to gaining advocacy for the Oil & Gas Industry or for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Luntz has tested the words that work and the ones that don’t in politics, in labor relations and in industry.
Luntz doesn’t talk generalities; he gives you the numbers. For example, 17% more Americans favor eliminating the “Death Tax” than favor eliminating the “Inheritance Tax” – even though they are the same thing. Luntz shows how industries have rebranded themselves by changing their names: from gambling to gaming, liquor to spirits and banks to credit unions. Even Newt Gingrich relies on Frank’s Ten Rules of Effective Language to get his message through.
As marketing communicators, can we ignore these realities? Read “Words that Work.” Then you decide.