Conference Presentation, Other
Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear (II)
Milken InstituteFrank Luntz, Skip Reimer, Jim Gray, Bob Shapiro, Eric Schmidt Jr., John McWhorter, Priscilla Burton, Charlie Stokes
- Corporate trust is at historic lows with CEO hostility at an all-time high, requiring leaders to lower public expectations to avoid perceived failure.
- 72% of Americans predict a tougher national future and "horrible" expectations regardless of political affiliation, while only 16% foresee easier personal success.
- Financial pressures are expected to force workers to continue employment well into their 70s due to insufficient savings for an 80+ life expectancy.
- A significant portion of the population believes their children will be financially worse off, with 71% supporting tax increases on the wealthiest 5% and 69% agreeing the rich must pay their fair share.
- Trust rebuilding demands corporate accountability and independent certification, as the public expects "no surprises" and rejects fine print qualifiers.
- Credibility strategies should prioritize the word "commitment" over "promise" or "pledge" to align with the desire for simplified choices rather than total control.
- Political strategies must address victimization language and avoid divisive rhetoric to prevent further societal anger and division.
- Communication effectiveness is predicted to depend on specific visual and linguistic cues, such as using yellow, green, and blue for hope, avoiding gray tones, and utilizing storytelling where audiences see themselves.
- Demographic targeting suggests showing open space conveys relaxation better than populated destinations, while specific images like a boy with a puppy are most effective for mothers.
- 71% of Americans support measures preventing gun possession for those unable to care for themselves, with domestic violence victims identified as being in greatest jeopardy when leaving.
- Global business interactions are predicted to make international conflict less likely, while 12% of men are noted as being colorblind to red and green.