Frank Luntz: Words That Work, 2018

Context & Methodology

• Frank Luntz presented "Words That Work 2018" at the Milken Institute, utilizing instant response polling (red line for Republicans, green for Democrats) to analyze public reaction to specific communication moments.
• The presentation analyzed four viral moments: James Comey's 60 Minutes interview, the "angry voter" sentiment, Mark Zuckerberg's Congressional testimony, and Stormy Daniels' CBS interview.
• The audience voted to prioritize the James Comey interview and the "angry voter" segment for the main analysis.
• Luntz noted a stark polarization where public trust is now strictly partisan, with only the military retaining a reputation for dignity and civility.

James Comey Analysis (Credibility & Communication Errors)

• Loss of Credibility: Comey failed to recall where he was on the night of Donald Trump's election, a failure Luntz compared to missing major historical anchors like JFK's assassination or 9/11, which destroyed his immediate credibility.
• Appearance Attacks: When Comey critiqued Trump's physical appearance ("small white half-moons"), Republicans reacted negatively, proving that attacking a candidate's looks is universally non-viable in 2018.
• Institutional Protection: Comey received bipartisan approval only when framing his actions as protecting the FBI and Justice Department from political corruption, specifically regarding the Attorney General's inability to announce the Clinton investigation results.
• Fact Denial: When Comey corrected Trump's claim about inauguration crowd sizes (calling it "not true"), Republican trust dropped, as millions of voters accepted the false premise as fact.
• Key Takeaway: Luntz concluded that in the current climate, reputation is more critical than brand; once reputation is deemed partisan, truth-telling cannot restore credibility across the aisle.

Stormy Daniels Analysis (Victimhood vs. Agency)

• Strategic Self-Definition: Daniels established credibility by explicitly rejecting the "victim" label, stating "I'm not a victim," which prevented the audience from perceiving her as seeking sympathy.
• Specific Narrative Details: She gained trust by providing granular, visual details of the encounter (e.g., Trump's lack of attraction, the "perched" sitting position), allowing the interviewer and audience to visualize the event without her claiming emotional trauma.
• Contrast with Comey: Luntz observed that Daniels achieved more public trust than the FBI Director because her communication style focused on personal agency and specific facts rather than legal or institutional posturing.

Political & Social Polarization Trends

• Speed of Division: The gap between Democratic and Republican approval lines has widened significantly faster than in previous decades due to the demonization of opponents.
• Erosion of Shared Reality: Luntz warned that the country is in "deep trouble" because Americans no longer share a consensus on basic facts, making compromise impossible.
• Ticket Splitting: Independent voters are virtually extinct; Luntz cited research showing that self-identified "ticket splitters" often had not voted Republican in decades.
• Youth Sentiment: 58% of 18-to-29-year-olds now believe socialism is a better economic system than capitalism, and 64% blame corporate America for the country's problems.

Business Communication Strategies & Linguistic Shifts

• The "Why-Therefore-So" Formula: Effective communication allocates 50% to explaining the problem (Why), 20% to the solution (Therefore), and 30% to the impact (So).
• The "Imagine" Trigger: Using the phrase "Imagine life at perfection" forces the audience to visualize their own goals, creating a stronger emotional connection than listing corporate metrics.
• Inclusion vs. Diversity: "Diversity" implies selecting specific groups (e.g., one person of color, one person with a disability), whereas "Inclusion" implies "all of us" and is preferred by 3:1 among whites and 2:1 among people of color.
• Capitalism vs. Cronyism: Luntz advises against using the term "crony capitalism," as it causes the audience to hear "crony" and reject the entire concept of capitalism; "performance" is the preferred alternative to "bottom line" or "profit."
• Service Language: The phrase "well-served" is more effective than "valued customer," and "fierce integrity" (100% honesty regardless of difficulty) is superior to standard "integrity."
• CEO Rebranding: The title "CEO" carries negative connotations of firing employees; organizations are encouraged to reframe leadership as being a "voice" or "advocate" for employees.

Visual & Generational Insights

• Physical Contact: The most effective sports imagery involves physical contact (e.g., fans touching players), as this signals genuine love for the game rather than passive observation.
• Generational Shifts in Values:
  • Over 50: Prioritize companionship, love, and relationships over material objects or status symbols.
  • Under 30: Do not perceive ethnicity, race, or gender; they respond to shared passions and emotions rather than demographic categorization.
• Millennial Priorities: Millennials prioritize work-life balance and feel skeptical of traditional corporate loyalty, often seeking to leave early or avoid weekend commitments.
• Universal Human Needs: Men prioritize money; women prioritize time; seniors prioritize "no hassles."

Strategic Recommendations for Leaders

• Listen First: Listening is the number one driver of trust; individuals must feel heard in both political and corporate contexts to grant credit to the speaker.
• Avoid Rehearsed Answers: Leaders should pause before answering questions to avoid appearing scripted; hesitation signals authenticity.
• Acknowledge Complexity: Demonstrating humility by acknowledging the difficulty of an issue or the existence of valid opposing views increases favorability.
• Strong Closings: Speakers must spend significant time on "how to close" and the impact of their message, as this is often the most memorable part of an interaction.
• Call to Action: Corporate and professional communication frequently lacks a call to action; leaders must explicitly challenge or celebrate the audience to drive engagement.