In the war of words, who’s winning?
In our industry and on the political scene, there is a fierce conflict being waged for the moral high ground and our English language is the weapon of choice and the media is the arena.
Take, for instance, the $700 billion law that was just passed to aid the credit markets. Once the public heard it known as the “bailout” bill instead of a economic “rescue” plan, one knew immediately that the present administration lost any political advantage it could have had.
Public relations is basically perception and the reverse is true as well. One has to present and to sell a concept to John Q Public (or Joe Sixpack, as we were known by, in last week’s debate) and make it either palatable or benign.
In the AG industry, steering is the “hot” topic among us. The act of having what appears to be a neutral insurance contact direct installation work back to itself or a subsidiary by either passive or interventionist means is a very passionate and economically important subject to us. As most of you are aware, at the last Independent Glass Association (IGA) conference, that heinous practice became known as “deceptive referrals”.
That good neighborly industry with the friendly hands is a master of selling images. From geckos to Neanderthals, insurance companies do their very best to make themselves appear friendly and generous. At the recent legislative hearings that have featured anti-steering measures, you could almost hear American flags being unfurled and smell the apple pie simmering as the insurance lobbyists argued that “freedom of choice” was being violated if passage of these measures ever took place. This audacious approach (along with presumably substantial campaign contributions) helped defeat or amend substantially these bills, which disarmed or watered them down. Sitting behind these lobbyists at those hearings were representatives of these offending third-party administrators (TPAs) nodding their heads in agreement and in unison. All that was missing was hearing the word “Amen” or one would have thought it mistaken the group for a Sunday revivalist choir.
Another word that has become a popular buzzword among the AG industry is ”generic.” Generic is a term for mouldings and even glass that has become code for something else that no one ever knew the brand name of in the first place, much less its function. In many cases, it’s just cheaply made and serves the visual purpose of the original part. Having the same structural components and even integrity is a whole different matter.
Let’s use the word “integrity” to segue back into our current national political campaigns and their public relations. It has become more of how one says something than actually what one says. We are being sold a product through a stream of images and talking points. That started back in the 1950s when TV came of age with pointed visualization. Madison Avenue became quite adept in learning how to shape buying habits through the application of psychological ploys. Within that same decade, those “Mad Men” became media consultants for political campaigns and almost everything we see and hear in those campaigns is constructed to appeal in some sort of voting bloc.
Too often the American public is reduced to being defined and delineated into specific and special groups. Before the selection of vice presidential nominees was usually based on gaining geographical balance within the Electoral College. Now it seems the nominees become the attempt to balance particular philosophies in order to gain influence within target groups. You betcha! Joe Sixpack!!
For the lack of a better term, it has seemed that both major parties engage in the “politics of polarization.” Name- calling, lies and half-truths have been a way of American politics since our inception. Abraham Lincoln was regularly referred to as a baboon throughout the election and presidential term in newspapers and speeches.
The challenge then becomes for the voter to pierce through the fog of misinformation and perception and attempt to make reasonable choices. But keep in mind that there are too many politicians and their handlers that bet on the fact that the collective memory of the American voter rarely exceeds two weeks.
One of the few truisms that exists in communication and thereby public relations is that words are weapons of offense and defense. One can easily ramp up (or down) the emotion or respect of a person place or thing with the use of certain words or terms. Many of you out there are now known as techs, short for technician when we were all known as installers a decade ago. Some of you are also referred by the dreaded term “associate.” In reality, what that just means is you are doing the dirty work while others wear suits and collect stock options. In many cases your employers neither know you nor want to associate with you afterhours.
So as you sit down and try to make good choices this election time, I wish you good luck. America has never needed good leadership as it does today and for the future. Diogenes of Sinope was an ancient Greek philosopher who was known to carry an oil lantern in search of an honest man. If he were alive today and a witness to our political process, I do believe he would be sorely challenged in that task and be forced into insolvency in trying to purchase the necessary fuel to keep his lamp lit during his quest.
