Unrelatable comms are counterproductive
It is often because of clumsy communications that people and companies give the impression they’re out of touch. In today’s mass media environment of instant exposure, trying too hard to appear something you’re not is counterproductive; there’s a better way to show you’re not detached.
Listen.
In the run-up to the Tory leadership contest to choose Britain’s future prime minister last summer, wealthy contender Rishi Sunak - former Chancellor of the Exchequer - mentioned in an interview that he liked the breakfast wraps at McDonald’s. As many sarcastic responses quickly pointed out, this product had been discontinued over two and a half years before. Sunak’s campaign was trying to show him in a more personable light, a guy who does regular stuff on weekends, like fill up gas and grab a burger on the way. The thing is, he’s not a regular guy in that respect, and he couldn’t and wouldn’t have gotten those wraps. So why pretend and trigger people’s ire as they focus even more on this perceived detachment?
A smarter communications approach would have been honesty, with him stressing other aspects of life for a busy father that could have rung a bell for most people - something along the lines of “my job hasn’t allowed me to spend much time with my children, but I do take them on lovely small outings and I think we got the breakfast wrap once.” Or, Sunak could have said something like “we try to avoid fast food on a regular basis, but when you have kids it’s inevitable, and I enjoyed the occasional breakfast wrap at McDonald’s with them.” That would have been relatable to many, and would not have looked like he was just pandering to certain voters.
Some people are truly oblivious to sensitive issues around them; with or without polished communications, they will demonstrate a degree of detachment from real life concerns most others have. We are used to seeing certain politicians, business people, or extremely rich individuals described that way, more often that not with reason.
Most other people are not that out of touch, but have been on the receiving end of torrents of criticism on social media for something they said - or even for something they didn’t say when it was expected of them. Often, this perceived detachment results from clumsy comments or a lack of an awaited reaction. Appearing out of touch, detached, ends up touching a nerve and having the opposite effect.
No matter how senior or important you may be, or how detached you are perceived to be, don’t try to prove something that simply isn’t there. There is always another angle you can take to show connectivity to various issues - if not the cost of living, then social justice, women’s rights, global challenges such as climate or security, and other issues that you know your audience cares about. While you must accept that you cannot be everything to everyone, it is possible - and advisable - to be sincere, and to find the right narrative to convince your audience of your worth and relatability.
Choose your words wisely, connect on a real level with your audience, and get to the point.
September 2022
