From Erving Goffman (Frame Analysis, 1974), carried into political language by George Lakoff (Moral Politics, 1996; Don't Think of an Elephant!, 2004).
Identifies the frame a message calls up (the actors, the problem, and what would count as a fix) so it can be exposed, used, or replaced.
When to reach for it
When two sides agree on the facts and still disagree on what they mean, or when drafting a crisis statement, change announcement, or positioning claim.
How it runs
- State what the communication is trying to achieve.
- Mark the words the audience reacts to.
- For each, name the actors, roles, and implied resolution it carries.
- Identify the frame the audience is in now.
- Work within that frame, or replace it with new vocabulary.
- Test the wording with outsiders before delivery.
Where it sits in SOLVE eX
Go to the source
- Frame Analysis: An Essay on the Organization of Experience, 1974
- Moral Politics, 1996
- Don't Think of an Elephant!, 2004