Important messaging considerations
Guidelines for Effective Communication
The research and testing phases of our work identified seven key guidelines for narrative and messaging. Following these guidelines when developing pro-democracy communications will help create more effective messaging that is:
VALUES-BASED: Center or highlight core values in all communications.
People make decisions about what to believe, and what (if anything) to do, based on the extent to which they connect what they’re hearing (including facts and data) with their deeply held values and perceptions about how the world works. So it’s important that communication be designed to evoke core values that are widely held and authentic in terms of their connection to priority values for governance (e.g., security and representation), the idea and practice of democracy (e.g., freedom and fairness/strength), and those that are important in people’s personal lives (e.g., family/belonging).
Tip: Recommended Pro-Democracy Values to evoke are: freedom; fairness; fearlessness/strength; representation; responsibility; safety/security; honesty; prosperity; and family/belonging.
ASSET-FRAMED: Focus on opportunity and benefits (assets) instead of challenges and shortfalls (deficits)
Deficit framing for broad audiences can reinforce pro-authoritarian narratives about democracy not meeting people’s needs, and can be demoralizing. At the same time, acknowledging the challenges confronting democracies maintains credibility, demonstrates awareness of current realities, and offers solutions that are only possible in democracies. People want and need to understand what democracy means in the context of their lives. For most audiences, communication should focus on filling that gap while also drawing a contrast between democracy and authoritarianism.
Tip: Avoid using deficit-based language, like “Democracy is in decline.” Instead, lead with the strengths of democracies — for example, “The combination of freedom, fairness, and fearlessness is why democracies can best solve our shared challenges and build strong communities and a safer world.”
RELATIONAL, NOT TRANSACTIONAL: Use language that focuses on what matters to people.
Utilize language that is relational (focusing on what matters to people) and avoid language that is transactional (focusing on quantifiable or immediate-term comparisons). For example, the phrase “Democracy delivers” implies outcomes or impacts on people’s lives that might not have been fully manifested, inviting identification of all the ways in which democracies have not yet delivered for the people they serve. As a result, one of the most dominant and salient pro-authoritarian narratives is “Democracy doesn’t deliver.”
Tip: Talk about the ways in which democracies create opportunities to make a difference in people’s lives — for example, “When people are free to live and speak their minds without fear and are treated fairly, they can pursue an education, access health care, and provide for themselves and their families.”
ACCESSIBLE: Use everyday, easy-to-understand language.
Use everyday, easy-to-understand language with tangible references that connect the idea and practice of democracy with what matters to people, instead of relying on jargon or technical terminology that can easily be misunderstood and can be off-putting. Communication should describe what democracies look like in practice and how they help to manifest what people care about in order to bolster support for democracy.
Tip: When possible, avoid using words or expressions that might be unclear or confusing, like “transparent,” “accountability,” or “rule of law.” Instead, use words that are more clear, like “honest and open,” “answers to the people,” or “treats everyone fairly.” See the Accessible Language section below for more examples.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT: Use a cultural context lens when applying narrative and messaging, and in crafting stories.
To be effective in reaching and engaging audiences, narrative and messaging must be tailored to specific communities or populations and grounded in cultural relevance, reflecting both the cultural heritage and the contemporary lived experience of your audiences. Messaging that fails to be grounded in cultural context or disregards current realities will raise concerns about credibility and is bound to be rejected.
Tip: Incorporate localized, culturally rooted metaphors and imagery to connect with audiences and establish relevance. Determining when to use or not use metaphors is also an important part of respecting cultural context. When communicating with culturally and linguistically diverse communities, some metaphors may not have relevance or could feel exclusionary.
ACTION-ORIENTED: In your call to action, provide the specific actions that you would like your audience to take.
Where possible, customize the call to action with your specific ask or opportunity. Without stating the actions you want people to take, your audience can be left feeling motivated, but unsure of what to do next.
Tip: Based on your organization’s or movement’s work, augment the call to action with specific opportunities ranging from signing up for more information, to participating in a town hall or public meeting, to sharing this information with family and friends, to supporting and advocating for specific policies or practices.
DEFINE DEMOCRACY: Make sure that your pro-democracy communications define democracy beyond elections.
The majority of Americans define democracy as elections, which can readily be manipulated by autocratic actors who frame: “I was elected, so everything I do is democratic.” Including several principles of democracy, inclusive of but not limited to elections, helps build support for democratic principles and institutions.
Tip: Most people only consider elections when thinking about the characteristics of a working democracy. When defining the term, include at least two additional elements beyond elections. The other attributes that test highly across the political spectrum include a justice system you can trust, freedom of speech, access to education, etc. And depending on the work of your organization or movement and the specific issue you are working on, you should include principles relevant to your specific cause (e.g., freedom of the press if you are advancing independent journalism, freedom of religion if you are advancing religious liberty, etc.).
Accessible Language
Below are suggestions for language to replace frequently used phrases that are more technical. They are not hard rules, because there are audiences and use cases for which the specific language in the “instead of this” column may be the right framing. For example, when communicating with counterparts in partner governments or democracy professionals, more technical and precise language may be more appropriate. However, when communicating with broad audiences, using more relatable language can increase the relevance, understanding, and impact of your messaging.
| Instead of this … | Consider this … |
| “accountable government,” “accountable governance,” or “accountability” | “government that is responsive to the needs of the people” |
| “government that answers to the people” | |
| “advancing technology for democracy” | “using technology to bring us together and help make democracy work better for everyone” |
| “using technology to make democracy more accessible to us all” | |
| “bolstering democratic reformers” | “supporting people fighting for democracy” |
| “supporting people fighting for your rights” | |
| “co-equal branches of government” | “No one person, party, or part of government has too much power” |
| “separation of powers” | |
| “checks and balances” | |
| “Democracy delivers.” | “Democracies are better able to solve global challenges and improve people’s lives.” |
| “Democracies help build strong communities and a safer world.” | |
| “Democracy is in decline.” | “Democracies are rising to the moment, which is why authoritarians are on the attack.” |
| “Freedom and fearlessness are why democracies are stronger and better able to rise to the moment in finding innovative solutions to the challenges we face.” | |
| “Democracy is messy,” or “Democracy is a work in progress.” | “Democracies aren’t afraid to question themselves and welcome new ideas.” |
| “Democracies are committed to doing the work to improve themselves.” | |
| “due process” | “a justice system that plays by the rules for everyone” |
| “just and fair treatment for everyone regardless of their background” | |
| “fair treatment under the law”treated fairly no matter who you are” | |
| “a government that respects people’s rights” | |
| “economic inequity” | “gap between rich and poor” |
| “economic unfairness” | |
| “unequal access and opportunity” | |
| “equitable” or “equity” | “fair” |
| “for everyone” | |
| “treated fairly no matter who you are” | |
| “fighting corruption” | “fighting for (or creating) honest and open government” |
| “good governance” | “government that works for everyone” |
| “honest and responsive government” | |
| “historically marginalized” or “vulnerable populations” | “people (or communities) that are left out and left behind” |
| “participatory electoral systems” | “free and fair elections” |
| “honest elections” | |
| “elections where every vote counts” | |
| “participatory democracy” or “democracy giving voice to all” | “everyone matters” |
| “making sure everyone is heard” | |
| “every vote counts” | |
| “rule of law” | “everyone treated fairly” |
| “a justice system that treats everyone fairly, no matter who they are” | |
| “justice you can trust” | |
| “no one is above the law” | |
| “supporting free and independent media” | “supporting freedom of the press” |
| “transparent” or “transparency” | “honest and open” |
| “open to everyone” |