Multi Cultural Strategy Sheet
Avoiding Narrow Think
PART OF A STRATEGY SHEET SERIES FROM DSGMEDIA
WHEN CONSIDERING if a communications idea is good or bad, people
think of themselves as the target audience, and that’s a big mistake. In
fact, in most states and political jurisdictions, there are several voting
audiences. And, the people running the campaign are not normal. Why?
They think about politics more than 24 hours a day! Most “real people”
think about politics just a few minutes each day, if at all.
So, let’s say the campaign team is thinking about a major policy
announcement, and one person says, “Hey, let’s annex the city of
Oompaloompaville!”
Then, someone says, “Oompaloompaville? Why would we do that? It’s
full of Oompalavooians!” And no one challenges him, or points out that
he may be expressing a personal bias, as opposed to a professional,
fact-based opinion. This way of thinking is called Narrow Think, and it’s
dangerous.
When strategy, message, and tactics are created, campaigns must
engage in an unnatural act: They must stop using Narrow Think (thinking
as themselves) and start using Multi-Cultural Think: Thinking like an
audience that looks like the political jurisdiction the candidate or
cause wants to connect with (i.e., your target audience).
Personal Check
WRONG
Narrow
Think
RIGHT
Multi-Cultural
Think
Only when a campaign truly respects and understands the audience
is it possible to come up with winning strategies, tactics, and
language which will effectively communicate with that audience.
When a campaign bases its communications
efforts on in-house assumptions,
unresearched opinions, and subtly biased
attitudes, failure is inevitable*. Although this
seems like common sense, Multi-Cultural
Think it is often overlooked. We believe that it
should be an integral part of your campaign,
*Do you (or does your
from beginning to end.
campaign) secretly wear
this button? If so, take it
Winning campaigns reflect the
off, right now.
constituents they aspire to represent. They
adopt Multi-Cultural Think by building a campaign team that mirrors
the district. In the example above, there would be Oompalavooians
in the room, with experience and expertise in communicating
effectively with other Oompaloompavians for this discussion, as well
as all other potential constituencies in the District who would be
affected by an annex.
Narrow Think vs. Multi-Cultural Think
Let’s annex
Oompaloompaville!
Idea
Let’s annex
Oompaloompaville!
Idea
I don’t like
Oompaloompaville,
so we shouldn’t
annex it.
Reaction
(Narrow Think)
Will it resonate
with the target
audience?
Reaction
(Multi-Narrow Think)
Oompaloompaville
Hey, what
about us??
Target
Audience
Oompaloompaville
Hey, it
might!
Target
Audience
TIP
When stuck in Narrow Think mode, listen to and respect the ideas and opinions of those around you who more closely match your target
audience. Sure, various segments of the electorate may be at odds, but that’s real life — and if you can work out differences within the confines
of a conference room, chances are you can present a solution that gets you closer to 50% plus 1 of the vote. Remember this fact: The more
unlike your target audience you are, the harder it will be for you to adopt Multi-Cultural Think, and the more critical the need to have
the input of those who more closely think like your target audience.
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