Ron NehringRon NehringCHAIRMAN, California Republican PartyCHAIRMAN, California Republican Party

The Values-BasedThe Values-BasedCommunications Communications FrameworkFramework

Workshop Focus:Workshop Focus:Communicating with ValuesCommunicating with Values

What are values and how do they operate in What are values and how do they operate in communications?communications?

What is the difference between communications What is the difference between communications which integrate values effectively, and those which integrate values effectively, and those that do not?that do not?

What are values “ladders” and how do we use What are values “ladders” and how do we use them?them?

How do we diagnose existing communications?How do we diagnose existing communications? How do we rework or develop new How do we rework or develop new

communications based on values?communications based on values?

The Political LandscapeThe Political Landscape

Many conservatives have a non-descript image Many conservatives have a non-descript image among most voters.among most voters.– Outside of core strengths in economic and Outside of core strengths in economic and

business areas, conservatives are not business areas, conservatives are not associated positively with many issues.associated positively with many issues.

– Many voters do not feel conservatives share Many voters do not feel conservatives share their values.their values.

– Conservatives have not done a good job Conservatives have not done a good job communicating their common views on issue communicating their common views on issue positions to voters.positions to voters.

Political LandscapePolitical Landscape

Liberals’ core equities lie in the perception that Liberals’ core equities lie in the perception that they are more representative, care, and are they are more representative, care, and are more likely to look out for people’s interests.more likely to look out for people’s interests.

People feel liberals are better able to tell their People feel liberals are better able to tell their story.story.

Lessons Learned and LostLessons Learned and LostWhat the CLINTON campaign did in 1996 and throughout their What the CLINTON campaign did in 1996 and throughout their

administration, the Reagan campaign knew in 1980 and 1984.administration, the Reagan campaign knew in 1980 and 1984.

““How did President Clinton gain an unbeatable lead? How did President Clinton gain an unbeatable lead? Popular comment suggests that it was because he Popular comment suggests that it was because he ‘moved to the center’…or because he had the public on ‘moved to the center’…or because he had the public on his side when…the Republican Congress shut down the his side when…the Republican Congress shut down the government…government…

They were important moves, but they are inadequate to They were important moves, but they are inadequate to explain what happened…explain what happened…

The reason lies in the president’s unveiling of a The reason lies in the president’s unveiling of a ‘value’ agenda in the State of the Union Speech.‘value’ agenda in the State of the Union Speech.

Dick Morris, Dick Morris, Behind the Oval OfficeBehind the Oval Office, p. 207, p. 207

Issues matter to the Issues matter to the degree they degree they

differentiatedifferentiate parties and parties and reach people at the level reach people at the level

of of personal valuespersonal values..We must define ourselves in terms of those values which Americans hold most dear, using issues that touch their lives.

What are values, and What are values, and how do they operate in how do they operate in

communications?communications?

What are values?What are values?

Values are…Values are… The guides by which people determine the The guides by which people determine the

worth or importance of matters of concern in worth or importance of matters of concern in their lives.their lives.

The The driversdrivers of the choices people make. of the choices people make. Stable, and can therefore be used to evaluate Stable, and can therefore be used to evaluate

future events.future events.

““Persuade by reason Persuade by reason and motivate through and motivate through

emotion”emotion”

We stir emotion by tapping into personal values.

Dell skips the tech talk Dell skips the tech talk and shoots for emotionand shoots for emotionNew, personal pitch follows shift in how people use their PC’sNew, personal pitch follows shift in how people use their PC’s

Today Dell, the world’s largest computer company, will Today Dell, the world’s largest computer company, will launch an advertising campaign that doesn’t focus on its launch an advertising campaign that doesn’t focus on its computers’ amount of memory or processor speeds. computers’ amount of memory or processor speeds. Instead, Instead, the campaign will stress more emotional elementsthe campaign will stress more emotional elements, , talking about how consumers can use their computers for talking about how consumers can use their computers for fun tasks such as gaming and video editing. Dell’s fun tasks such as gaming and video editing. Dell’s campaign follows one from rival Hewlett-Packard in May campaign follows one from rival Hewlett-Packard in May which features celebrities talking about how they use their which features celebrities talking about how they use their computers…computers………PC companies are dropping their tech-heavy messaging PC companies are dropping their tech-heavy messaging in hopes of in hopes of creating a more personal connectioncreating a more personal connection with a with a device that started out mainly in the workplace.device that started out mainly in the workplace.WSJ Europe, 7/10/2006WSJ Europe, 7/10/2006

Values CommunicationValues Communication

Effective communications persuade by reason, Effective communications persuade by reason, but motivate through emotion.but motivate through emotion.

All of our themes must go beyond the rational All of our themes must go beyond the rational arguments we develop so well, and become arguments we develop so well, and become personally relevant to our target audiences by personally relevant to our target audiences by highlighting the highlighting the personal emotional benefitspersonal emotional benefits and and personal valuespersonal values that stem from our actions. that stem from our actions.

Personal ValuesPersonal Values Self-PreservationSelf-Preservation SecuritySecurity Self-EsteemSelf-Esteem Self-ImageSelf-Image Personal SatisfactionPersonal Satisfaction Sense of Sense of

AccomplishmentAccomplishment Care for OthersCare for Others Peace of MindPeace of Mind EnjoymentEnjoyment HappinessHappiness Personal freedom and Personal freedom and

controlcontrol

LongevityLongevity Concern for future Concern for future

generationsgenerations BelongingBelonging TrustTrust Sharing with othersSharing with others Self-fulfillmentSelf-fulfillment Sanctity of LifeSanctity of Life PridePride LoveLove Preserve the EarthPreserve the Earth Eternal Life/GodEternal Life/God RespectRespect

Why Values Are Important for Why Values Are Important for Strategic Communications Strategic Communications PlanningPlanning

They are They are motivationalmotivational

Widely sharedWidely shared

Stable, enduring Stable, enduring – not volatile – not volatile like issueslike issues

Ideal to inspire voters Ideal to inspire voters to do somethingto do something

Ideal to build coalitionsIdeal to build coalitions

Ideal for continuity of Ideal for continuity of message -- message -- umbrellaumbrella

Strategic HingeStrategic Hinge

ISSUE

VOTERA strategic hinge connects the party/candidate to the voter in positive or negative, personally relevant ways.

Identifying the best means to activate the hinge is the purpose of strategic communications and positioning research.

Conceptual Framework for Conceptual Framework for Communications StrategiesCommunications Strategies

A successful communication message operates A successful communication message operates at all levels, at all levels, making the candidate personally making the candidate personally and positively relevant to votersand positively relevant to voters by linking by linking together:together:– Unique and ownable attributes.Unique and ownable attributes.– Positive consequences of those attributes.Positive consequences of those attributes.– Relevant personal values and emotions.Relevant personal values and emotions.

Voter Decision Making ModelVoter Decision Making Model

Stable, enduring personal goals.Stable, enduring personal goals.

Emotional or social benefits derived Emotional or social benefits derived from the issues or voter benefits.from the issues or voter benefits.

Functional benefits derived from the position Functional benefits derived from the position on issues or the candidates/party.on issues or the candidates/party.

Perceived issue beliefs or traits.Perceived issue beliefs or traits.

Personal ValuesPersonal Values

FeelingsFeelings

Benefits Benefits to votersto voters

“ “Features”/IssuesFeatures”/Issues

Emotional Components

Rational Components

How Campaign Positioning is How Campaign Positioning is BuiltBuilt

CANDIDATE/ISSUE

VOTERUnderstanding the linkages between levels is critical to crafting effective messages.

Attributes

Benefits to voters

Consequences/Feelings

Personal Values

Issues Bridge

Personal Relevance Bridge

Value Bridge