The document provides 3 takeaways from the movie Don't Look Up for communicating important information to audiences: 1) Don't bury the lead - introduce the most pressing information as early as possible, such as an impending comet threatening Earth. 2) Read the room - consider the unique needs and motivations of the audience and explain why the information is significant to them. 3) Drop the jargon - simplify astronomical concepts and omit technical details, calculations, and jargon when communicating to non-experts. The goal is to get people to listen and ideally take action.

1. (for companies that are also trying to save the world)
How to communicate:
3 take-aways from the
movie Don’t Look Up
01

2. Takeaway 1:
Don’t bury the
lead
02
Lead

3. If a life-ending comet is
hurtling toward earth,
introduce the most
pressing information as
early as humanly
possible.
03
You know, the stuff that will make your audience say:
“Oh, intriguing. Please, tell me more.”
or
“WHAT?!? What the %$&* are you talking about!?!”

4. COMPLEX DETAILS LIKE
THE TRAJECTORY OF
YOUR COMET, THE SPEED
AT WHICH IT’S HEADING
TOWARD EARTH, THE
SCIENTIFIC
CALCULATIONS THAT
BACK UP YOUR
CONCLUSIONS—THERE’S
A TIME AND PLACE FOR
THESE. BUT NOT IN YOUR
INTRO.
04
Respect the hook.

5. TAKEAWAY 2: READ THE ROOM
Or: Consider the unique needs and motivations of your audience

6. A comet in the sky
doesn't mean much on
its own. To captivate
your audience's
attention, you need to
tell them WHY the
comet is significant.
06
To fill in those blanks,
put yourselves in your
audience's shoes.
Understand what they
care about—and draw a
direct line between your
message and their
needs.
Instead, set it up the
right way, empathize
with their feelings of
despair and worry, and
outline a clear solution
and call to action—one
that will make them feel
empowered, and less
inclined to tune you out.
For example: If someone
is tuning into a light-
hearted news show to
catch up on the day’s
headlines, they’re likely
not in the mood to learn
they’re about to die in
six months.
This news will worry them, and ruin their day.

7. TAKEAWAY 3: DROP THE JARGON

8. ASTRONOMY IS
COMPLICATED.
We get it. You spent a bazillion years in school to get to where you are. And
you're undoubtedly very, very smart.
If you’re trying to convey an astronomical concept to
non-astronomers, however, you're going to need to
simplify it.
An easy way to do this is by imagining you’re talking to
a five-year-old. Offer a high-level background,
streamline the need-to-know information, and omit
the nitty-gritty details, calculations and jargon.
You know, the stuff that's over our heads.

9. MORAL OF THE
STORY
If you discover a comet that’s about to lead to mass
extinction—but there’s still time to stop it—your
ultimate goal is to get people to listen and, ideally, act.
This will require putting a little thought into your
communication efforts.
Sometimes, you can do this yourself. Other times, you
need a little extra support.
In the latter scenario, consider reaching out to
h2hcontent.
We specialize in creating written content and
strategies to help planet- and people-focused
companies change the world.
Learn more at h2hcontent.com.
9