The 2024 election didn’t just shake up politics, it redefined how we think about communication. Everyone in communications is buzzing about what this means (some are panicking more than others). The reality is few have cracked the code on how to adapt in a world that’s moving faster than ever.
The shift isn’t subtle. It’s not just about new platforms; it’s about new rules and new expectations. Audiences want content that feels immediate, personal, and designed for their feed. Organizations that don’t adjust will struggle to break through, while those that embrace the moment can create lasting impact.
This is where strategy matters. Where you say something is as important as what you say. Messaging that resonates with one audience might fall flat with another. Navigating this is the challenge, but it is also the opportunity.
The ecosystem that used to be dominated by TV anchors and newspapers now feels like an all-you-can-eat buffet of platforms, voices, and formats. The “new media” is everything from TikTok to podcasts to Instagram reels. It’s fast. It’s chaotic. It’s tailored to short attention spans.
Conservative and right-wing media personalities are leading this charge, building a younger, digital-first audience. It’s like 1990’s AM talk radio found steroids, an iPhone, and a 24/7 megaphone. Their reach is massive, their narratives are relentless, and their influence is reshaping the way millions consume information. Meanwhile, traditional outlets are fighting to keep up as YouTube and Rumble take over.
The days of crafting one press release or pitching one story are gone. Today, you need to meet your audience where they are, in the formats they trust. And those formats aren’t just changing, they’re multiplying.
What’s clear is this: if you’re not rethinking your strategy, you’re already behind.
Ideology in Messaging
It’s tempting to think the country is more divided than ever (and honestly, it probably is). But here’s the twist: despite the shouting matches, people actually agree on a lot of the big stuff. Health, safety, education, economic stability—these are universal concerns. Where things unravel is how people want those concerns addressed and, more importantly, how they want them framed.
Take climate change as an example. For left-leaning audiences, the messaging often centers on global responsibility. You’ve seen the bumper stickers. “Save the planet”, “Protect future generations.” It’s about collective action for collective good.
For right-leaning audiences, those messages fall flat. Successful conservative messaging reframes the issue in terms of energy independence, American innovation, and economic growth. A call to “protect America’s natural heritage” resonates more than a plea to “save the planet.”
The same principle applies to healthcare. A progressive audience might respond to messages about universal access and affordability, while a conservative audience often connects with framing around patient choice, cutting bureaucracy, and preserving freedoms. It’s not that they don’t care about the issue—they just need to hear about it through the lens of their own values.
Messaging isn’t one-size-fits-all. What inspires someone on the left rarely has the same effect on someone on the right. It’s not because they don’t care about the same issues—it’s because their values, priorities, and worldviews shape the way they process those issues. That’s why using left-wing language for a right-wing audience (or vice versa) doesn’t just miss the mark—it alienates the very people you’re trying to reach.
The key is understanding where your audience stands, what they care about, and what kind of language resonates with them.
Don Draper, the enigmatic advertising executive from Mad Men, once put it perfectly: “People want to be told what to do so badly that they’ll listen to anyone.”
The trick is making sure they’re listening to you.
Challenges in the New Media Era
Organizations of all shapes and sizes are feeling the squeeze. Advocacy groups, public health organizations, international trade coalitions, even manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies, are all navigating uncharted waters. The media landscape isn’t just changing, it’s demanding a complete rethink of how they communicate, who they target, and what they say.
For some, it’s about survival. Advocacy groups that have relied on traditional channels are scrambling to keep up with platforms like TikTok and Rumble. For others, it’s about redefining their message in a way that breaks through ideological noise. A pharmaceutical company, for example, isn’t just selling medicine anymore, it’s rebuilding trust in a world where misinformation spreads faster than facts.
What makes this era even more complex is how emotional resonance drives engagement. Right-wing messaging thrives by simplifying nuanced issues into emotionally charged narratives that speak directly to fears, pride, and a sense of belonging. This formula isn’t exclusive to one ideology, it’s human nature. Messages that tap into basic needs, like safety and identity, stick. Those that don’t? They fade into the noise.
And then there’s the Trump administration. Whether your organization aligns with its policies or not, this political environment adds another layer of complexity. Groups that once felt neutral are finding themselves in the spotlight, and those already in the fray are wondering how to adapt without losing their footing.
If that sounds overwhelming, it is. But the worst thing any organization can do right now is nothing.
The Path Forward
In this environment, strategy isn’t optional, it’s survival. The organizations that will thrive are the ones that know their audience, speak their language, and meet them on the platforms they trust. You can’t throw spaghetti at the wall and expect to strike gold (I’m mixing metaphors here, but you get the point). It’s about crafting a clear, targeted, modern approach that cuts through the noise.
- Start with your audience. Who are they? What do they care about? What values drive their decisions? Forget trying to appeal to everyone—that’s a recipe for bland, forgettable messaging. Instead, focus on resonance. Build out psychographics. Get into the mind of your audience. A right-wing populist and a left-leaning wellness advocate may share concerns about healthcare, but how they want those concerns addressed couldn’t be more different.
- Resonate. The key to resonance lies in understanding human needs. Think Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. At the foundation, people seek safety and security—physical, financial, and emotional. Climbing higher, they crave belonging and identity, finding meaning in connections to their community or values. At the peak is self-actualization, where purpose and ambition come into play. Messaging that speaks to these needs isn’t just heard, it’s felt. It becomes personal. It works on a completely different level. Think about your own messages. Do they resonate like that? Do people feel things when they hear it? Can people even understand them or are they filled with jargon? Who are you talking to, your audience or your staff?
- Timing. Once you can answer these questions, the next step is mastering your timing. As I said before, it’s not just what you say but when and where you say it. A press release at noon on a Tuesday worked in 2015, but today it’s about landing a perfectly timed Instagram reel or podcast feature.
- Messenger. The messenger matters just as much as the message. Trusted voices, whether it’s an influencer, a cultural icon, or even a viral sensation of dubious qualifications, can carry your story further than any traditional media story behind a paywall ever would.
In a landscape this fractured, the only way to truly connect is by speaking directly to the right people at the right time with the right message.
The media and messaging landscape is fast-paced, unpredictable, and constantly changing. That makes our already thankless jobs as communicators that much more difficult.
But I’m an optimist (Note: this does not apply to my sports allegiances). I am a firm believer in the idea that with change comes opportunity. The organizations that will thrive in this new era are those willing to dig deep to understand their audiences and embrace sometimes uncomfortable strategies that speak directly to the people they need to reach.
We’re all unlearning and relearning all the time. Change and evolution should be expected, if not always welcome. But one thing is universal: Keep it simple. Concise, clear, and comprehensible will always work, no matter the changing landscape.
Or, as our friend Don Draper put it: “Make it simple, but significant.”