talking the talk: messaging that moves

Talking the Talk:Messaging that Moves

Meredith FentonFenton Communications

Robert PerezWonder Strategies for Good

Amy SimonGoodwin Simon Strategic Research

Dwayne ProctorRobert Wood Johnson Foundation

Zachary NorrisElla Baker Center for Human Rights

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Talking the Talk: Messaging that Moves

Meredith FentonFenton Communications@meredithfenton

Robert PerezWonder Strategies for Good@rperezzz

Amy SimonGoodwin Simon Strategic Research@amyrsimon

Dwayne ProctorRobert Wood Johnson Foundation@drdwayneproctor

Zachary NorrisElla Baker Center for Human Rights@ZachWNorris

Agenda Goals & AudiencesThe Messaging Landscape What the Research Teaches Us Strategic Messaging Case Studies

Robert Wood Johnson FoundationElla Baker Center for Human Rights

Discussion and Questions

zscott

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Messaging that MovesTalking the Talk: Messaging that Moves






Goals & Audiences

GoalsTalking the Talk: Messaging that Moves






Audiences

Need to know the starting place of our audiences so we know how to reach them.







Audiences

Lived experiences impact opinions.

Racial bias and internalized oppression impact people’s mindsets.







The Messaging Landscape

The Messaging Landscape Talking the Talk: Messaging that Moves






PUBLICADVOCATES

The Messaging LandscapeTalking the Talk: Messaging that Moves












Upstairs BrainResponsible for decision making and planning, control over emotions and body, self-understanding, empathy and morality.

Allows for empathy which is a precursor to altruistic behavior.

Downstairs BrainThe primitive brain responsible for basic functions, innate reactions and impulses, and strong emotions.

Shuts down upstairs brain to respond to fear and focus on survival.

Your Brain on

Messaging







Your Brain on

Messaging

How do you calm the downstairs brain (the amygdala)?

Familiarity calms the amygdala.

–Neuroscientist Gregory Berns







Neural Coupling & MirroringWe translate ideas and experiences from stories into our own ideas and experiences. We feel the same emotions as the protagonist.

DopamineWhen something emotionally charged happens in a story, your brain releases dopamine – making it easier to remember story details and with greater accuracy.

Your Brain on Stories







“When we read nonfiction, we read with our shields up. We are critical and skeptical. But when we are absorbed in a story, we drop our intellectual guard. We are moved emotionally, and this seems to leave us defenseless.”-Jonathan Gottschall, The Storytelling Animal

The Messaging Landscape

● Because we disagree with a belief that our audiences holds, doesn’t mean its not true for them.

● To effectively engage with them, we have to acknowledge their deeply held beliefs.

● Otherwise these beliefs become roadblocks.

● Understanding where people are coming from does not mean you agree with it.







The Messaging Landscape: Where do our values overlap?







Advocates

Civically Engaged

AmericansPolicy-makers

What the Research Teaches Us

Research Methodology

Focus Groups

8 groups hosted in May 2013

Denver, CO:White menWhite womenLatino menLatina women

Raleigh, NC:White menWhite women

Philadelphia, PA:African-American menAfrican-American women

Online Poll Sample of national adult

U.S. population, February 2014

Total: n 1209 Subgroups by self-report: White: n 895African-American: n 145Hispanic: n121Asian: n 36Other races/ethnicities: n

12







Research Findings

Increasing public support for young men of color programs.







Research Findings: Show, don’t tell.







Research FindingsTalking the Talk: Messaging that Moves






Summary of Agreement/Disagreement With Statement

Please indicate if you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. Please use a scale of 0 to 10 where a 0 means you strongly disagree and a 10 means you strongly agree. You may use any number from 0 to 10.

50%

57%

43%

47%

28%

37%

35%

34%

37%

32%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Initial

Final

Initial

Final

Initial

Final

Initial

Final

Initial

Final

Non-profit programs that are well designed and well run can make a real difference in the lives of young men of color, and help to address the particular problems and challenges they often face.

Young men of color face greater poverty, education, and family challenges – including the trauma of crime, violence, and abuse - than most other young people in our nation.

Our schools need to focus on academics and should not be responsible for teaching social skills or proper behavior, which should be taught at home.

Let’s face it, if kids do not have family support at home, no intervention or support program is going to make a real difference for them.

As a nation, we should be investing tax dollars in programs that are specifically designed to address the problems and challenges often facing young men of color.

Ranked by Final Strongly Agree (8-10)

+7pts

+4pts

+9pts

-5pts

Research Findings

Survey shows encouraging results among most subgroups







Democrats/Liberals

Black Men and Women

Latino Women and Men

Conservative Men Independent

Women

Republican Women

Research Findings

Some recognize that young men of color face especially difficult challenges…







Young men of color often have a different set of circumstances that are an obstacle in reaching their potential. If there are programs out there to help them in that path, it could only benefit us as a nation.

- Latina woman

All children in difficult environments need help, but young people of color can often feel more discrimination just for their skin color.- White woman

Research Findings

… yet, explicit focus on YMOC can create pushback.

Many reject the idea of special treatment for young men of color – why help them

and not me or others?







I don't think only young men with color suffer these problems.

- Asian woman

I think it should be more focused on all races not just one.- Black woman

All kids in a bad situation should have a chance, not just young men of color.”

- White man

Research Findings: Highlighting programs that work







Research Findings: Focus on the kids







These young men are our country’s future and need to be invested in to assure the American way of life.

-White man, Pennsylvania, age 57

Research Findings

Strong support for counseling and mentoring







Research Findings

Use strategic messengers who share values with your audience













I think the words that come to my mind are accountability, right and wrong, consequence, mentoring. I walk away thinking we used to have that. We used to have all of those things and somehow those have fallen by the wayside and I think that is why you have to have so many different solutions because we don't do that anymore. There is no consequence or accountability. I got in trouble. When I told you I was the problem kid, I got in trouble. I knew I was in trouble and I don't know that that happens now. – Latino man

Accountability and Responsibility are key

Research Findings

People believe deeply in the importance of family.







A lot of the problems can be solved. It starts with the community and first of all the family. The parents need to step in. Don't let someone else try to parent your child.

- Black manIt is a truth that the support

of family is necessary and just creating programs is not going to help.

- Asian woman

Case Studies

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Expanding the Conversation about Childhood Obesity







Ella Baker Center:Advocating for Incarcerated Youth







Questions?

Thank You!

talking the talk: messaging that moves

Government & Nonprofit

messaging landscape

human rights discussion

downstairs brain

zachwnorris public advocates

primitive brain responsible

experiences impact opinions

strong emotions

basic functions