Why Does Framing Matter in Communication?

In November 1973, the United States found itself in the midst of a Watergate scandal that had been unraveling for more than a year.

The ongoing investigation had already implicated several members of Nixon's administration and raised questions about Nixon's involvement.

To address questions from the media, President Richard Nixon's team has arranged a press conference at Disney's World in Orlando, Florida.

During the press conference, Nixon faced several questions from reporters about his personal finances and possible conflicts of interest.

In response to one of the questions, Nixon said, "People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook."

Nixon's statement was meant to assert his innocence and distance himself from the scandal but became emblematic of his administration's lack of credibility. He ultimately resigned from his position on August 8, 1974.

Before I explain why we're talking about this story, let's take a short detour.

George Lakoff is the Professor of Cognitive Science at the University of Berkeley. Every time he takes his class on Cognitive Science 101, he asks his students to perform an exercise - Whatever they do, don't think of an elephant.

He has never found a student who is able to do this. That's because a word like elephant evokes a frame, which can be an image or other kind of knowledge.

As soon as the word is mentioned, it draws a mental image of an elephant from your memory. When we negate the frame, we evoke the frame.

Going back to the earlier story, when Richard Nixon stood up on stage and mentioned he wasn't a crook, all people could think of was that he was a crook. By negating the frame, he had invoked the frame.

This gives us a basic principle of framing: When arguing against your competition, you should not use their language. Competition's language picks out a frame - and it won't be the frame you want.

You will also see this situation playing out in business as well.

There is a precise reason why Apple doesn't want to categorize Vision Pro headsets under virtual reality or metaverse-related initiatives but chooses to use spatial computing instead.

By positioning itself as a spatial computing device, Apple avoids being compared to Meta Quest, which hasn't yet delivered on its promise.

Now, how do you use some of these basic principles of framing in your day-to-day communication?

Getting Framing Right at Workplace and Beyond

If you have struggled to sell your ideas at the workplace, the chances are you've got the framing all wrong or your ideas aren't compelling enough. While I can't help you think and rationalize better ideas, framing them well can certainly enhance your ability to sell them internally.

Reframe the debate

If Richard Nixon had to convince the media that he wasn't a crook, he had to reframe the debate. As marketers, we face a similar dilemma when crafting a positioning statement.

The question that I often ask myself is: If my brand asserts "X", what will be the competition's response, and will I be able to maintain the credibility of the claim I've made?

In other words, is the positioning statement sustainable in the long run?

During the entire course of Barack Obama 's first election campaign, he was often referred to as young and inexperienced to handle such an important position.

But Obama reframed the debate by suggesting that judgment and vision had little to do with experience and that the country needed modern leadership and a fresh perspective.

Frame Positively

When pitching your ideas or countering someone else's idea, emphasize what you stand for rather than what you oppose. Positive framing is always more persuasive and inspiring.

So instead of saying, "Why are we not doing this?" say, "We should be doing this." The first statement may come across as finger-pointing and blaming others, while the second is more positive in nature.

Use of metaphors and analogies

Utilizing metaphors to convey abstract ideas in concrete terms can make your message more vivid, memorable, and relatable. Analogies, on the other hand, can be used to draw comparisons and explain complex concepts and ideas.

For instance, when discussing the potential disruption caused by artificial intelligence and the resulting job losses, people often use the analogy of the lift operator.

This comparison highlights how technological advancements rendered the lift operator's role obsolete, illustrating the potential impact of AI on various industries.

Speak to the Identity (Audience's Worldview)

Consider how your message connects with the identity and self-concept of your audience.

For example, if you're proposing an idea to drive revenue to an executive known for their frugality, emphasize how your proposal adheres to the core value of frugality while still achieving the business goals.

This approach highlights the compatibility of your idea with the executive's beliefs and priorities, making it more likely to be well-received.

Be Consistent and Repetitive

By nature, we have a short memory span, so communication should be designed to reduce cognitive load. Besides keeping your message concise, it's crucial to ensure consistency.

Repeating key messages and frames consistently over time helps reinforce the message and makes it more likely to stick in the minds of your audience. This repetition reinforces understanding and increases the likelihood of retention.

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