The Language of AmericaThe Words & Visuals to Use … and lose
2015
Visuals
That
Work
Which image represents
LIFE AT PERFECTION
for you, personally?
1.
Which image best represents “Life at Perfection?”
35%
10%
11%
51% 10%
13%
1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6.
We’re All Searching for
Lasting Companionship, NOT stuff
Which image
did Americans pick
as best representing
“The American Dream?”
2.
Which image best represents “The American Dream?”
5%
26%
3%
14% 27%
64%
1. 2. 3.
4.5.
6.
© 2006 Luntz Maslansky Strategic Research 8
(visuals speak louder than words)
What Fans Really Want
© 2006 Luntz Maslansky Strategic Research 10
What Fans Really Want
Which of the following images give you
the most favorable impression?
Example: The Very Best Image for Celebration/Respect
Working at a desk and/or alone.
Even happy faces don’t work
Images That DON’T Work
© 2006 Luntz Maslansky Strategic Research 14
Top 3 Energy Ads
#1 #2
#3
Website Imagery… IT MATTERS
The Best Sites: Tell A Story
Your website should detail your products and
services. The best sites find a way to do this
in an ENGAGING WAY.
What’s Your Story?
46%
The Worst Sites: Are Cheesy.
Is your site communicating the wrong message about your company?
9%
The Best Sites Show Your
Track Record of Success
Individualize, Personalize, Humanize
46%
Johnson & Johnson
Display
products, but show how
they affect your
consumers.
The Worst Sites Focus on the Process
rather than the Benefit
Does Your Site Showcase Your Strengths? Or Highlight Your Failings?
10%
The Best Sites:
Highlight REAL Employees
Does your website feature employee accomplishments?
42%
They’re the
backbone of your
company.
Make them the
face of your
company as well.
The Worst Sites:
Staged Photos & Actors
Does your site use too much stock photography with staged situations?
11%
The Best Sites:
Simple but Eye-catching
Is your story as compelling as your products & services?
32%
The Worst Sites:
Just Too Complicated.
Does your site have confusing graphics or navigation?
10%
Communicating Visually:Commitment To Healthy Environment
Which image best represents a corporation's commitment to a healthy environment.
59% 43% 38%
25%
The Best Visuals: Outside, Green, Community
Involvement at the LOCAL Level.
Communicating Visually:Commitment To Healthy Environment
Which image best represents a corporation's commitment to a healthy environment.
10% 14% 16%
The Worst Visuals: It’s NOT about accounting, or industrial production(regardless of how sustainable that production might be)
Dress
For
SuccessSuit and Tie
Still Communicates
Trust, Confidence
and Capability
Trust: The Clothes Matter: Gender Split
Imagine each photo depicts a business leader.
Choose the image that represents the person you would TRUST MOST.
Male: 43%
Fem: 35%
Male: 38%
Fem: 23%
Male: 29%
Fem: 19%
Male: 17%
Fem: 31%
Male: 13%
Fem: 24%
Imagine each photo depicts a business leader.
Choose the image that represents the person you would TRUST MOST.
Male:
13%
Fem: 23%
Male:
15%
Fem: 20%
Male:
16%
Fem: 14%
Male:
6%
Fem: 5%
Male:
7%
Fem: 3%
Male:
3%
Fem: 3%
Trust: The Clothes Matter: Gender Split
Which of the
following words defines
the kind of retirement
most Americans want?
1.
Americans want a _______ retirement.
Flexible
Enjoyable
Secure
Worry-Free
Happy
5%
35%
56%
37%
19%
Secure
A Secure Retirement
What do you
want most
from your employer?
2.
What do you want most from your employer?
Be rewarded
for hard work
Be paid
based on
performance
Be able to
build your
own future
Determine
your own
level of
success
Be able to
get out what
you put in
For them to
invest in their
employees
35% 26%
6%
11%
10% 5%
What People Want Most
MORE TIMEMORE MONEY
MORE CHOICES
FEWER HASSLES
NO WORRIES
Better WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Better LIFESTYLE
Communicating:
Corporate Leadership
“Business Leaders” Not “CEOs”
If all you knew is that one organization was made up of
business leaders and the other organization was made up of
CEOs, which organization would you have more TRUST in?
86%Business Leaders
CEOs14%
Total:
Small Businesses Are Leading The Way in Job Creation
Who contributes the MOST to creating stable, good paying jobs in America?
TotalBig
BusinessSmall
Business
66% 57% 71% Small business owners
52% 50% 48% Entrepreneurs
28% 30% 27% CEOs of large corporations
21% 20% 25% Investors
13% 16% 11% Governors
10% 15% 6% The President
10% 12% 12% Members of Congress
To many people believe
American corporations
Do More Harm Than Good.
Your Challenge: IntentIt’s too much about you and not about them
42% believe you harm the American economy.
47% think you harm the American worker.
52% believe CEOs benefits most from corporate success.
56% think your first priority is profits for your company.
29% believe your 1st priority is to make money for yourself.
Americans have negative perceptions about CEOs
of large corporations. Your language must correct
these misconceptions.
They expect you to be “Employee-friendly, Profitable, Sustainable”
What’s most important for a company to be?
37%
34%
31%
29%
27%
26%
23%
22%
22%
21%
13%
11%
6%
Employee-friendly
Profitable
Sustainable
Socially responsible
Fair
Principled
Forward-thinking
Well-paying
Customer-friendly
Innovative
Respectful
Visionary
Compassionate
People Over Profits.What’s MOST important for companies to create and provide for their employees? Total
Big Business
Small Business
47% 54% 51% Financial security42% 36% 51% Opportunity
25% 26% 25% A better future
23% 29% 21% Careers
21% 17% 15% Jobs
18% 19% 21% Financial independence
17% 10% 12% Peace of mind
7% 9% 5% Prosperity
Being A Good Corporate Citizen Is NOT
About Philanthropy or The Environment
It’s About HOW You Run Your Business,
Not What Causes Your Business Supports.
“A Good
Corporate
Citizen”
What is the MOST important thing a large
American business can do to prove they are a good corporate citizen?
Besides Worker Pay, Being A Good Corporate Citizen =
Creating American Jobs
Total 2500+
46% 41% Pay their workers a decent living wage
38% 46% Prioritizing creating jobs in America
29% 33% Invest in the communities where they are based
28% 20% Make the safest possible products for consumers
21% 29% Use environmentally sustainable business practices
19% 22% Make profit so they can continue to create jobs
10% 2%Ensure women and minorities are well represented in their leadership
6% 3% Donate time to philanthropic causes
3% 3% Donate money to philanthropic causes
Help American Workers
By Creating Long-Term JobsWhat would MOST make you think that CEOs were helping American workers?Total
Bigger Business
Smaller Business
63% 62% 62% Creating stable, long-term jobs38% 37% 33% Creating more jobs
31% 30% 39% Paying higher wages
19% 25% 12% Encouraging work-life balance
16% 16% 21%Advocating for more efficient, effective, accountable government policies
13% 11% 6% Teaching employees new skills
11% 11% 18% Creating meaningful work
8% 8% 9% Helping more with retirement
21 Business Words for the 21st Century
Imagine Peace of mind
Financial freedom Real results / Real Solutions
A healthy economy A real problem-solver
The simple truth I get it
Our mission/commitment Believe in better
Setting priorities You decide/deserve
Real/Genuine/Authentic Accountability
No excuses You’re in control
The cost of everyday life We have to earn your loyalty
A lifetime of.. Measurable success
Exceptional, Extraordinary, Excellence
14 Phrases for 20151 You work hard for your money. We’ll work hard to protect it.
2 A more efficient, more effective approach
3 Business practices that are transparent, accountable and open
4 Making sure you’re protected and prepared
5 Creating solutions, delivering results
6 Respecting & rewarding hard work
7/8 Genuine quality/Exceeding expectations
9 Keeping you connected
10 The X you want … the Y you deserve
11 No fine print/no surprises
12 If you remember only one thing, remember this…
13 Meaningful and measurable
14 Holding ourselves individually and personally accountable and responsible
They Expect You To LeadOther than integrity,
which attribute is most important in a CEO?
51%
40%
32%
30%
28%
25%
21%
21%
14%
11%
11%
11%
4%
A leader
Accountable
Big-picture thinker
Hard-working
Results-oriented
Principled
Innovative
Reliable
Well organized
Passionate
Entrepreneurial
Compassionate
Battle-tested
Words To Use Words To Lose
Forward-thinkingTotal: 64%
Ground-breakingTotal: 12%
InnovativeTotal: 45%
InventiveTotal:13%
VisionaryTotal: 38%
State-of-the-artTotal: 16%
CreativeTotal: 30%
PioneeringTotal: 16%
InspiredTotal: 26%
What’s most important for a company to be?
Innovation = Seeing New Approaches & New Ideas
Which actions tell you that a company truly is innovative? Total
42% Being willing to try new ideas and new approaches
38% Delivering a better quality product at a lower price
29% Finding ways to make business more efficient
27% Inventing breakthrough technologies
26% Setting trends that other businesses follow
16% Changing the way consumers interact
13% Simplifying everyday life
6% Disrupting the status quo
4% Automating tedious tasks
Say This Instead of ThisOur commitment to our
employees, our customers
and the communities we
serve is to make this world a
cleaner, safer, healthier place
to live. Everything we do,
everything we make, every
customer we serve ... is done
in consideration of this
commitment.
Business is inherently good
because it creates value. It is
ethical because it is based
on voluntary exchange. It is
noble because it can
elevate our existence. And it
is heroic because it lifts
people out of poverty and
creates prosperity.
“Our Commitment” (don’t tell people you’re good … show them)
Total: 49%
2500+: 46%
Total: 12%
2500+: 8%
Call it
“US Trade With Other Countries”
Which do you have a more positive opinion of?
Total GOP Swing DEM
55% 60% 48% 59% American trade 25% 19% 33% 22% Global Trade
20% 20% 19% 20% International Trade
“International Trade” Is Passive
USE ACTIVE TERMS INSTEADWhich do you have a more positive opinion of?
Selling American
products and services
across the globe
International trade
Total
80%Total
20%
it’s not what you say
it’s what people hear