Visual Language and Framing Chris Rose
Power of visuals After ‘being there’, the most powerful communication Unconsciously processed, then: “I saw it - I made up my own mind” Recall and use images more easily than words or numbers – construct meaning Increasingly visual communications channels
PLEASE KNOCK Achievement – red = danger/dominance, avoidRomance – red = available, attract
Visual language is independent of words, not a visualisation of words
?
Be visual - do things create events be proactive
We remember events
Not ‘the issues’... Why were they fighting ?
REACH example
What’s it really about ?
The plan - events Recipe events Expectations - norms Policy, regulation
Events Recipe
What WWF did (visual) events + story
Signs and evidences of the problem - frame the problem and requirements of the solution campaignstrategy.org
Communicable - as a story & visually
Succesful image generation > icon – campaign failed
Be visual - do things create events be proactive
Be visual - and be real
Visual yes but a claim, a stunt and a process not the problem.
An action - stops the problem (not just a protest) - visual and real
Visual echo
ran
Too obvious and frame conflict ?
What if we don’t plan visual events that are doing ?
We could just dress up reports with ‘PR’ launches
You know what message you are sending - but what is received ?
Is this strangely familiar ?
Framing- unconscious categories campaignstrategy.org “First we see – then we understand” Walter Lippman What is understood
a frame can pre-determine what is good/bad how things are decided roles relationships context relevant reasons and more besides
How it works input YES Does it fit the frame ? NO interpret through frame Discard input, retain frame
The Post Office lacks money It’s a businessIt’s a public service It needs more moneyLet it fail Frame logic AFrame logic B input
The Post Office lacks money It’s a businessIt’s a public service It needs more moneyLet it fail Easy Media Dialectic Easy Debate apply frames
ExpectationReality War on Drugs mis-match
Elephant problem ‘framing’ see “First we see, then we understand”
Objective = motivate them about giraffes - they don’t know much about giraffes - they do know about elephants
Event > an opportunity ? It may seem relevant to your issue but what frame is in operation ? Automobile accident - transport policy ? Common Fisheries Policy talks – marine conservation ? Markets crash – sustainable development ? Katrina – climate change ? –was the hurricane a good opportunity to talk about climate change?
campaignstrategy.org
Icon campaignstrategy.org
Disaster - rescue frames (emergency) campaignstrategy.org
Explanations campaignstrategy.org
Financial system frame campaignstrategy.org
Not these system frames campaignstrategy.org
Not direction choices campaignstrategy.org
Climate Change
“It’s a question of international cooperation” Q: Who does such things ? A: Conclusion (for 59%) “not to do with me” values “or my actions”
“words” ideas FACTS decisions Conscious reflection What is assumed
“words ” ideas FACTS decisions Conscious reflection story > narrative The Media “words ” ideas FACTS “words ” ideas FACTS Unconscious reflexive thought – ‘emotion’ experiences needsvalues ???? framing Filters (touch, smell, hear) What actually happens
“words ” ideas FACTS decisions Conscious reflection story > narrative The Media “words ” ideas FACTS “words ” ideas FACTS experiences needsvalues ???? framing filters behaviours ‘opinions’ What actually happens Unconscious reflexive thought – ‘emotion’