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The Message and the Meta-Message
How to Assess and Control the Body Language
of Your Communications

PLAI N 2013, Vancouver BC
September 26, 2013
Josiah Fisk
President, More Carrot LLC
Boston
Sounds Great,
But What Exactly
Are We Talking About?
EXAMPLE

Message with Conflicting
Meta-Message from Actions
Please stay
on the line.
Your call is ver y
impor tant to us.
Your call is ver y
impor tant to us.
Your call is ver y
impor tant to us.
Your call is ver y
impor tant to us.
Your call is ver y
impor tant to us.
Your call is ver y
un impor tant to us.
Your call
Your questions
Your problems
Your time
You
All totally unimpor tant to us.
Now what was it
you were calling about?
EXAMPLE

Message with Conflicting
Meta-Message from Environment
The Message and the Meta-Message
The Message and the Meta-Message
EXAMPLE

Message with Strong
Meta-Message Shift over Time
The Message and the Meta-Message
EXAMPLE

Message with its Own
Conflicting Meta-Message
Message and meta-message aligned.
The Message and the Meta-Message
Message and meta-message misaligned.
Worse than no message at all.
ME TA-MA XIM #1

The meta-message
is contexts commentary
on the message.
ME TA-MA XIM #2

A bad meta-message doesnt
just cancel out the message:
it can re-aim it
in the wrong direction
ME TA-MA XIM #3

If you dont control
the meta-message,
you dont control
the message.
Message Sent
vs.
Message Received
EXAMPLE

Self-Introduction with
Desired Message Articulated
Hello.
I am a nice guy.
You will like me!

Who is
this nutjob and
how can I get
rid of him?
EXAMPLE

Self-Introduction with
Desired Message as a Reaction Goal
Hello.
I really liked your
presentation!

Hey, he seems
like a really
nice guy!
ME TA-MA XIM #4

To get the meta-message right,
sometimes you have to
change the message.
ME TA-MA XIM #5

You already know how to
manage your personal
meta-message.
Borrow those skills.
Learning From
The Masters
Recognize this guy?
How about this guy?
The Marlboro Man
The Marlboro Man
1957
The Message and the Meta-Message
The Message and the Meta-Message
1965
The Message and the Meta-Message
Brand name
Headline
Feature list

Brand imagery

Product in use

Packaging

Body copy
Product in use
Headline
(2-part, includes
brand name)

Brand imagery
(bigger, in color)

Body copy
(shorter)

Packaging
Brand imagery
Product in use
Headline
(shorter)

Packaging
(only mention
of brand name)
Package and brand name barely visible
Brand name big, no headline;
surgeon generals warning added
Brand name tilted and partly obscured.
Image, brand name, product in use.
Image, brand name.
No headline, no features, no body copy.
No packaging, no product in use.
And yet no lack of communication.
Ankara
Source: Tobacco Control, 1998

Ankara

% of 2nd - 5th graders who recognize Marlboro brand:

92%
Q: How well has this worked?
A: Well never know for sure.
. . . but we can do some message analysis.





Sterile
All text
Logic-based
Clunky






Human
Visually rich
Emotion-based
Enticing
What you are
doing is bad.

You bet Im bad.
Life

Death

Factual Reality
Death

Life

Emotional Reality
Stealing From
The Masters
Meta-messaging that hijacks
rational thought processes.
Messaging that hijacks
Marlboros meta-messaging.
Created by an ad agency.

Created by an ad agency.

Created by a bureaucracy. . .





Sterile
All text
Logic-based
Clunky






Human
Visually rich
Emotion-based
Enticing

Look and feel dictated by tobacco companies
ME TA-MA XIM #6

When youre up against
the manipulative
power of emotions,
manipulate back.
Fixing the Meta-Message
EXAMPLE

Consumer Disclosure (TSA)
Boarding Pass Kiosk  TSA Screen
Redress Number
privacy impact assessment
published system of records notice
I sure hope I dont
miss my plane!

. . . 49 U.S.C.
section 114 and 49
C.F.R. parts 1540
and 1560 . . .
TSA requires you
under the authority of 
Not providing the information
will discontinue your check-in.
Were totally absorbed in our own reality.
We dont care if you understand or not.
Youre probably a terrorist anyway.

The meta-messages.
We hold the power here.

The most important meta-message.
Original Screen
Simplified Screen*
*Hypothetical
Asking for your help
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.

OK

Cancel
Check-In

Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
Goal we all support (and citation is credible)
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.

OK

Cancel
Check-In

Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
Hey, its not our idea
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.

OK

Cancel
Check-In

Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.

No big deal

OK

Cancel
Check-In

Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.

OK

Cancel
Check-In

Same choices, non-threatening presentation
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.

OK

Cancel
Check-In

Questions? Go to tsa.gov.

Helpful tone (vs. if you dont believe us tone)
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.

OK

Cancel
Check-In

Questions? Go to tsa.gov.

Design gives visual prominence to key elements, for speed
To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.

OK

Cancel
Check-In

Questions? Go to tsa.gov.

Design gives visual prominence to key elements, for speed
We know youre in a hurry so well be brief.
Yes, you have to. But security benefits us all.
. . . unless youre a terrorist, which we
assume youre not.

The new meta-messages.
We recognize your concerns.

The most important meta-message.
ME TA-MA XIM #8

Nobody ever
likes to be reminded
that you have more power
than they do.
EXAMPLE

Icon-Style Highway Sign
MESSAGE: Picnic area with trees, turn right.
MESSAGE: Picnic area with trees, turn right.
META-MESSAGE: Now doesnt that look lovely and fun!
OTHER META-MESSAGES:
Maybe youd like a little break from driving.
OTHER META-MESSAGES:
Wholesome place to bring the family.
OTHER META-MESSAGES:
See, we havent completely wasted your tax dollars.
META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
Bent trees?
META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
High wind area?
META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
We dont know how to draw a tree?
META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
Beware of falling trees  enjoy your picnic?
Positive/unambiguous meta-messages.
Negative/unclear meta-messages.
Actual sign
ME TA-MA XIM #9

Its very easy to miss the
flaws in your communications.
Unfortunately, you may be
the only one who does.
Live Discussion of Examples
The Message and the Meta-Message
How special is this supposed to make me feel?
EXAMPLE

Coverage Update Letter from
Health Insurance Provider
The Message and the Meta-Message
Quickest and easiest way for whom?
(requires typing 43-character url)
EXAMPLE

Pharmacy Benefits Change Mailer
from Health Insurance Provider
The Message and the Meta-Message
Why are you trying to sell me
when youve already told me
youre forcing me to buy?
ME TA-MA XIM #1 0

Overdoing
the meta-message isnt
as bad as underdoing it.
Its worse.
Takeaways
Meta-messages:
 Can change the direction of your message.
 A re never neutral: either theyre helping you,

hurting you, or letting you down.
 Are always there  you cannot turn them off.
 But you can manage them:
	 - Assess, anticipate, monitor
	 - Control the ones you can control
	 - Plan around the rest
Meta-message management:
 Never promise more than you can deliver
	 - in communications
	 - in actions and follow-through
 S how that you care, show that you understand

- show, dont tell
- dont patronize
  ork hard on your meta-messages and they will
W
hard for you.
Thank you!
Questions?
less stick

www.morecarrot.com
@MoreCarrotLLC

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