The document discusses the interplay between message and meta-message in communication, highlighting how conflicting signals can lead to misunderstandings. It introduces various meta-maxims that emphasize the importance of aligning the meta-message with the intended message, and the potential negative impacts of miscommunication. Examples are provided to illustrate effective and ineffective messaging in different contexts, including advertising and consumer interactions.

1. The Message and the Meta-Message
How to Assess and Control the “Body Language”
of Your Communications
Plain Talk in Complex Times, Arlington VA
September 26, 2013
Josiah Fisk
President, More Carrot LLC
Boston

2. Sounds Great,
But What Exactly
Are We Talking About?

3. EXAMPLE
Message with Conflicting
Meta-Message from Actions

4. The Message

5. Please stay
on the line.

6. Your call is very
important to us.

7. Your call is very
important to us.

8. Your call is very
important to us.

9. Your call is very
important to us.

10. Your call is very
important to us.

11. Your call is very
important to us.un

12. Your call

13. Your call
Your questions

14. Your call
Your questions
Your problems

15. Your call
Your questions
Your problems
Your time

16. Your call
Your questions
Your problems
Your time
You

17. Your call
Your questions
Your problems
Your time
You
All totally unimportant to us.

18. Your call
Your questions
Your problems
Your time
You
All totally unimportant to us.
Now what was it
you were calling about?

19. The Meta-Message
Your call
Your questions
Your problems
Your time
You
All totally unimportant to us.
Now what was it
you were calling about?

20. EXAMPLE
Message with Conflicting
Meta-Message from Environment

23. EXAMPLE
Message with Strong
Meta-Message Shift over Time

25. EXAMPLE
Message with its Own
Conflicting Meta-Message

27. Message and meta-message aligned.

30. Message and meta-message misaligned.

31. Meta-message turning message on its head.

32. Result: message not just neutralized, it backfires.

33. Actually worse than no message at all.

34. Actually worse than no message at all.

35. META-MAXIM #1
The meta-message
is context’s commentary
on the message.

36. META-MAXIM #2
The message is
completely at the mercy
of the meta-message.

37. META-MAXIM #3
A communication that has
meta-message problems
can be worse than
no communication at all.

38. Message Sent
vs.
Message Received

39. EXAMPLE
Self-Introduction with
Desired Message Articulated

40. Hello.
I am a nice guy.
You will like me!

41. Who is
this nutjob and
how can I get
rid of him?
Hello.
I am a nice guy.
You will like me!

42. EXAMPLE
Self-Introduction with
Desired Message as a Reaction Goal

43. Hello.
I really liked your
presentation!

44. Hello.
I really liked your
presentation!
Hey, he seems
like a really
nice guy!

45. META-MAXIM #4
To get the meta-message right,
sometimes you have to
change the message.

46. Learning From
The Masters

47. Recognize this guy?

48. How about this guy?

49. The Marlboro Man

50. The Marlboro Man
1957

53. 1965

55. Brand name

56. Brand name
Headline

57. Brand name
Headline
Feature list

58. Brand name
Headline
Feature list
Product in use

59. Brand name
Headline
Feature list
Product in use
Packaging

60. Brand name
Headline
Feature list
Product in use
Packaging
Body copy

61. Brand name
Headline
Feature list
Product in use
Packaging
Body copy
Brand imagery

63. Product in use

64. Headline
(2-part, includes
brand name)
Product in use

65. Headline
(2-part, includes
brand name)
Product in use
Packaging

66. Headline
(2-part, includes
brand name)
Product in use
Packaging
Body copy
(shorter)

67. Headline
(2-part, includes
brand name)
Product in use
Packaging
Body copy
(shorter)
Brand imagery
(bigger, in color)

69. Brand imagery

70. Packaging
(only mention
of brand name)
Brand imagery

71. Headline
(shorter)
Packaging
(only mention
of brand name)
Brand imagery

72. Headline
(shorter)
Product in use
Packaging
(only mention
of brand name)
Brand imagery

74. Package and brand name barely visible

76. Brand name big, no headline;
surgeon general’s warning added

78. Brand name tilted and partly obscured.

80. Image, brand name, product in use.

81. Image, brand name.

82. No headline, no features, no body copy.

83. No headline, no features, no body copy.
No packaging, no product in use.

84. And yet no lack of communication.

85. Ankara

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

87. % of 2nd - 5th graders who recognize Marlboro brand:
92%
Ankara

88. % of 2nd - 5th graders who recognize Marlboro brand:
92%
Ankara
Source: Tobacco Control, 1998

90. Q: How well has this worked?

91. A: We’ll never know for sure.

92. ...but we can do some message analysis.

94. • Sterile

95. • Sterile
• All text

96. • Sterile
• All text
• Logic-based

97. • Sterile
• All text
• Logic-based
• Clunky

98. • Sterile
• All text
• Logic-based
• Clunky
• Human

99. • Sterile
• All text
• Logic-based
• Clunky
• Human
• Visually rich

100. • Sterile
• All text
• Logic-based
• Clunky
• Human
• Visually rich
• Emotion-based

101. • Sterile
• All text
• Logic-based
• Clunky
• Human
• Visually rich
• Emotion-based
• Alluring

103. Yeah whatever.

104. Factual Reality

105. Life
Factual Reality

106. Factual Reality
Life Death

107. Emotional Reality

108. Death
Emotional Reality

109. Death Life
Emotional Reality

110. Stealing From
The Masters

112. Meta-messaging that hijacks
rational thought processes.

114. Messaging that hijacks
Marlboro’s meta-messaging.

115. Created by an ad agency.

116. Created by an ad agency.
Created by an ad agency.

117. Created by an ad agency.
Created by an ad agency.
Created by a bureaucracy.

118. META-MAXIM #5
When you’re up against
the manipulative
power of emotions,
manipulate back.

119. META-MAXIM #5
When you’re up against
the manipulative
power of emotions,
manipulate back.*
*WARNING: Do not try this at home.

120. Fixing the Meta-Message

121. EXAMPLE
Consumer Disclosure (TSA)

122. Boarding Pass Kiosk — TSA Screen

123. “Redress Number”

124. “Redress Number”
“privacy impact assessment”

125. “Redress Number”
“privacy impact assessment”
“published system of records notice”

126. I sure hope I don’t
miss my plane!

127. . . . 49 U.S.C.
section 114 and 49
C.F.R. parts 1540
and 1560 . . .
I sure hope I don’t
miss my plane!

128. “TSA requires you”

129. “TSA requires you”
“under the authority of ”

130. “TSA requires you”
“under the authority of ”
“Not providing the information
will discontinue your check-in.”

131. The meta-messages.

132. We’re totally absorbed in our own reality.
The meta-messages.

133. We’re totally absorbed in our own reality.
We don’t care if you understand or not.
The meta-messages.

134. We’re totally absorbed in our own reality.
We don’t care if you understand or not.
You’re probably a terrorist anyway.
The meta-messages.

135. The most important meta-message.

136. We hold the power here.
The most important meta-message.

137. Original Screen

138. Simplified Screen

139. Simplified Screen*
*Hypothetical

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

141. 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.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel
Check-In

142. 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.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel
Check-In

143. Hey, it’s 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.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel
Check-In

144. To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel
Check-In
No big deal

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

146. To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel
Check-In
Helpful tone (vs. “if you don’t believe us” tone)

147. To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel
Check-In
Design gives visual prominence to key elements, for speed

148. To help keep air travel safe, the federal government requires
that you tell us your full name, date of birth, and gender.
Questions? Go to tsa.gov.
OK
Cancel
Check-In
Design gives visual prominence to key elements, for speed

149. The new meta-messages.

150. We know you’re in a hurry so we’ll be brief.
The meta-messages.

151. We know you’re in a hurry so we’ll be brief.
Yes, you have to. But security benefits us all.
The meta-messages.

152. We know you’re in a hurry so we’ll be brief.
Yes, you have to. But security benefits us all.
. . . unless you’re a terrorist, which we
assume you’re not.
The meta-messages.

153. The most important meta-message.

154. We recognize your concerns.
The most important meta-message.

155. META-MAXIM #6
Nobody EVER
likes to be reminded
that you have more power
than they do.

156. EXAMPLE
Icon-Style Highway Sign

158. MESSAGE: Picnic area with trees, turn right.

159. MESSAGE: Picnic area with trees, turn right.
META-MESSAGE: Now doesn’t that look lovely and fun!

160. OTHER META-MESSAGES:
Maybe you’d like a little break from driving.

161. OTHER META-MESSAGES:
Wholesome place to bring the family.

162. OTHER META-MESSAGES:
See, we haven’t completely wasted your tax dollars.

164. META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
Bent trees?

165. META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
High wind area?

166. META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
We don’t know how to draw a tree?

167. META-MESSAGES UNCLEAR:
Beware of falling trees — enjoy your picnic?

168. Positive/unambiguous meta-messages.

169. Negative/unclear meta-messages.

170. Actual sign

171. META-MAXIM #7
It’s very easy to miss the
flaws in your communications.
Unfortunately, you’ll be
the only one who does.

172. Live Discussion of Examples

173. EXAMPLE
Customer Promotion Letter

175. How special is this supposed to make me feel?

176. EXAMPLE
Coverage Update Letter from
Health Insurance Provider

179. “Quickest and easiest way” for whom?
(requires typing 43-character url)

180. EXAMPLE
Pharmacy Benefits Change Mailer
from Health Insurance Provider

187. Why are you trying to sell me
when you’ve already told me
you’re forcing me to buy?

188. META-MAXIM #8
Overdoing
the meta-message isn’t
as bad as underdoing it.
It’s worse.

189. Thank you!

190. Questions?

191. less stick