Achieve Great Things

Season 1, Episode 18: Veronica Selzler, Hattaway Communications by Hattaway Communications

Ever since September 11, many Sikh Americans have been falsely associated with terrorism. And in 2017, fear-based messages seem to be gaining traction more easily than ever. The presence of fear in our politics has very real consequences — but it’s also an opportunity for education, and for more Americans to become part of the solution. In Episode 17, Mark Reading-Smith, Senior Director of Communications & Media at the Sikh Coalition, joins the podcast to discuss the difficulty of combatting messages based in fear. A durable, foundational message is key; without it, voters won’t pay attention to policy details or expertise. And communicators can’t afford to “over-intellectualize their responses.”

In Episode 16 of Achieve Great Things, Sara-Jayne Terp talks money in politics, disinformation, and why local engagement is key to progress. Data scientist Sara-Jayne Terp says that polarization, money in politics, and widespread disinformation have made elections in the United States resemble “money-driven dictatorial campaigns” abroad. Meanwhile, advances in data science and advertising increasingly let powerful actors to “buy people’s belief sets.” How can we respond? By taking chances, focusing on local engagement level, and remembering to trust people when they say what they need.

In 2017, political narratives have taken hold that aren’t based in reality. Can great fiction like Wonder Woman, Star Trek and Harry Potter show us how to change them? Jo Miles and Amanda Kloer, the founders of FutureShift, believe that they can. Science fiction writers like Octavia Butler are masters at imagining alternate worlds. Similarly, changemakers in the real world need coherent vision to inspire people—and narratives that connects with them in a powerful, deep way. Jo and Amanda join the podcast to discuss the connection between speculative fiction and social change, and explain why “you can’t be what you can’t imagine.”

This week on Achieve Great Things, RJ and Kate sit down with Emily Norman, Vice President of Analytics at the Global Strategy Group, to get some answers. She discusses “switch voters” who vote differently than they respond to polls, and the need to continually challenge best practices after both successes and failures. She also cautions against taking losses personally and lashing out at the voters you’re trying to help.

On this week’s episode, RJ sits down with Lanae Erickson Hatalsky, Vice President of Social Policy and Politics at Third Way, a Washington, D.C. think tank. She talks about how the conversation in Washington doesn’t mirror people’s concerns for their everyday lives, and why Democrats can’t afford to talk to Trump voters like they’re Steve Bannon. People can receive very different messages from the same information—and younger, less polarized leadership could be key to reaching across traditional divides.

This week, RJ sits down with Claire Humphreys, Kristen Ablamsky and Rachel Renock, the founders of Starthatching—a marketplace that connects freelancers to nonprofits that need their expertise. These three women, who share a background in advertising, discuss how insights from advertising can help nonprofits boil down complicated issues into ideas people can relate to—and how their new venture can help organizations with limited resources turn those insights into action.

This week we continue our conversation with Brad Jenkins, executive producer at Funny or Die DC. In part 2 of the interview, we discuss what makes comedy effective at breaking through ideological echo chambers and how digital storytelling can help Democrats leverage grassroots energy into electoral success. In a disruptive political atmosphere, communications professionals can’t afford to tinker around the margins.

This week we sit down with Brad Jenkins, Obama White House alum and current executive producer of Funny or Die DC. Our self-described “least reputable podcast guest" discusses how President Obama’s appearance on “Between Two Ferns” changed the game for Healthcare.gov, and how Democrats need to make serious investments in digital content creation. If they don’t, they’ll fail to build support for good policy—and continue to waste money on communications that don’t resonate with younger voters.

This week, RJ sits down with three of his colleagues at Hattaway Communications—Kate Pazoles, Steve Pierce, and Eric Zimmerman—to discuss opportunities and challenges for progressive communicators in the Trump era. They touch on the dangers of constantly responding to President Trump’s bizarre comments, the importance of keeping your communications powder dry for when it really matters, and the unique opportunity for progressives to mobilize a massive, energized constituency.

This week we speak with Sean Gibbons, CEO of the The Communications Network, an organization that connects leaders seeking to elevate and advance communications for good. As 2017 comes into focus, foundations and nonprofits are trying to find their way in a crowded communications landscape. We discuss the relationship between good communications and good strategy, ways to create a communicating organization, and the importance of research and data that gets beyond demographics. We look forward to any feedback. You can hit us up anytime at podcast@hattaway.com. You can check for updates on our podcast on our website, hattaway.com.

To get back on track, progressives must resist the urge to put all Trump supporters into one homogeneous group. This week, we talk with Joel Payne, a Vice President at Qorvis MSL Group, a strategic communications firm. Joel served as the Director of African American Paid Media for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign. We talk about lessons from the campaign, the demographic shift in the US, and how we can harness the current enthusiasm of progressives to make a difference in the world. We look forward to any feedback. You can hit us up anytime at podcast@hattaway.com. You can check for updates on our podcast at www.hattaway.com/podcasts.

To craft compelling messages, Democrats have to first take a step back and listen. In Episode 6, we speak with Anna Greenberg, Partner at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, an opinion research and strategic consulting firm. We discuss the limitations of relying on public polling, the downside of using overheated rhetoric, and how the 2016 presidential election has brought women’s issues to the forefront of policy and activism.

In Episode 5, we speak with Michael Breen, President & CEO of the Truman Center and Truman National Security Project, about effective communications in national security. We discuss why progressives have to start taking security issues seriously (in their communications), build credibility by acknowledging people’s emotions, and “earn the right to be aspirational.”

In the new political landscape, communicators shouldn’t be afraid of showing their passion. In episode 4, we speak with Susan Markham, a veteran advocate for gender equity and current partner at Smash Strategies. How can communicators talk about policy details and nuances in ways that are both thoughtful and relatable? And how can advocates reach people where they already are to build support for a cause?

In episode 3, we talk with Patrick Hickey of West Virginia University. He is a professor of political science and studies the presidency. Of course, he has a lot of thoughts already on the election of Donald Trump. We also talk about the role of technology in communications, and opportunities to more effectively engage people in the political process.

In episode 2, we interview Jim Williams of Public Policy Polling. We talk about fake news, the Trump phenomenon, the role of humor in politics, and how we can focus on clear and simple messages to communicate more effectively. We also talk about engaging with people on the ground and the effectiveness of that approach for getting voters to support a candidate.

Thanks for tuning in to Achieve Great Things. This project from Hattaway Communications aims to give communicators insights and ideas you can use right away. We want to help create more impact through communications, on all the issues we work on. We kick off the podcast with a conversation with Doug Hattaway, President of Hattaway Communications. We talk about the big idea of “narrative change,” and some lessons learned from the marriage equality movement.