“It’s the economy, Stupid.”
I was 15 (ah-hem) when that phrase became the soundbite of the Clinton-Gore ‘96 presidential campaign.
Today, the line still resonates.
Simplicity rules. Aka the “KISS” Rule.
In our post-Clinton, post-MTV, post-long-form world, we now daily battle the ongoing onslaught of information offered up by a 24/7 news media and a voracious appetite for cat videos, food blogs and Tik Toks thanks to the overwhelming overtaking of social media.
Never before has it been more important to follow the “KISS” Rule to break through all the noise for our clients.
So, what does that mean? We speak plainly.
Fancy words, sophisticated descriptions — that’s not what moves people to action.
So, what does?
Stories. People. Real life.
When it comes to gaining public support for complicated policy issues, the media and digital arenas play a pivotal role. Reporters are tasked with informing the public, but they often lack the time or expertise to dissect the intricate details — increasingly, they’re doing more with less.
That’s where we come in. When we recently partnered with the Chicago Community Trust to pass legislation that would reform Illinois’ byzantine delinquent tax sale system, we had to go to great lengths to distill down how this bill would impact real people in easy-to-understand language. Beyond that, we had to find people who could bring this black-and-white policy to life, not let it linger on paper.
Our team created the narrative and key messages to translate a highly technical and complex policy issue into relatable terms to attract media interest and more easily communicate the importance of this measure to lawmakers.
Then, we identified local residents and small residential developers who could speak to the media about the challenges in trying to redevelop abandoned properties in their neighborhoods. They shared their experiences with reporters we pitched and with legislators during committee hearings.
In both instances, you could visibly see when the light bulb went off in their heads, listening to these real-life examples as to how this very wonky issue could actually make a difference.
In short order, the legislature passed the bill, and weeks later, the Governor enacted it. All because we kept it simple.
This article was written by President Natalie Bauer Luce. Natalie is a seasoned communications and public affairs strategist with extensive experience in government, law, media, politics and business.