Messaging Toolkit

Exercises & Frameworks

Messaging forms the basis of verbal
communication. 1. Exercises
Before messaging can begin, brand
• 2 by 2 Driver
strategy – namely positioning and • Product Ladder
personality should already be approved • Billboard
so we know what position we are trying to
occupy and in what tone/ voice.
1. Frameworks
This document assumes an approved
brand strategy and lays out workshop • Pillars
exercises and frameworks to help • Belief Shift
COLLECT, PRIORITIZE & LAYOUT core • Story
messages of the brand.
EXERCISES
2 by 2 Driver
Description:
Four quadrants along Low Relevance High Relevance
RELEVANCE (amongst
customers) &
DIFFERENTIATION (from
competition) to help collect
and prioritize messages KOOL AID DRIVER
High
How to use:
Ask participants to use put a
Differentiation The messages you think are special, The messages you want to
but your customers don’t care about communicate repeatedly
message on each sticky
and decide which quadrant
it belongs to.

As the chart is being

populated, you start to
group similar messages DISCARD TABLE STAKES
together. Low
Once all the messages are
Differentiation The messages you don’t need to The messages you need to mention,
spend any resources communicating but later in the funnel
up, pressure test whether
they do in fact belong to that
quadrant.

You want to end up with 3-5

driver messages.
 EXAMPLE

2 by 2 Driver
Description:
Four quadrants along Low Relevance High Relevance
RELEVANCE (amongst
customers) & Memory shape alloy
DIFFERENTIATION (from developed by NASA
competition) to help collect Straighten your teeth
and prioritize messages KOOL AID DRIVER in half the time
High
How to use:
Ask participants to use put a
Differentiation The messages you think are special, The messages you want to
but your customers don’t care about communicate repeatedly
message on each sticky
and decide which quadrant
it belongs to.

As the chart is being

populated, you start to Teeth straightening
group similar messages with ZERO side effects
DISCARD TABLE STAKES
together. Low
Once all the messages are
Differentiation The messages you don’t need to The messages you need to mention,
spend any resources communicating but later in the funnel
up, pressure test whether
they do in fact belong to that
quadrant. Made in a local
facility
You want to end up with 3-5
driver messages.
Product Ladder
Description:
Develop messages at all Self-expressive
levels. From features and Benefits
attributes to functional,
emotional and self-
expressive benefits.

How to use: Emotional Benefits

Start at the bottom of the
ladder, then develop
messages at each rung of
the ladder.
Functional Benefits
1. Features/ Attributes
2. Functional Benefits
3. Emotional Benefits
4. Self-expressive
Benefits
Features/ Attributes
HINT: As you go up the
ladder, there will be less
messages, ultimately
arriving at perhaps ONE
message that’s about the
self-expressive benefit START
 EXAMPLE

Product Ladder
I am a person who push
Description: through discomfort I smile when I’m
Develop messages at all when I use XYZ teeth Self-expressive struggling at mile 20
levels. From features and aligner Benefits
attributes to functional,
emotional and self-
expressive benefits.
I feel energized when I Straighten your teeth
How to use: use XYZ teeth aligner Emotional Benefits and dance all night
Start at the bottom of the
ladder, then develop
messages at each rung of
the ladder. My teeth can be Straighten your teeth
straightened in half in half the time of
Functional Benefits
1. Features/ Attributes the time traditional trays
2. Functional Benefits
3. Emotional Benefits
4. Self-expressive XYZ teeth aligner uses XYZ teeth aligner uses
Benefits a memory shape a memory shape
material developed by Features/ Attributes material developed by
HINT: As you go up the NASA NASA
ladder, there will be less
messages, ultimately
arriving at perhaps ONE
message that’s about the
self-expressive benefit START
Billboard
Description:
Use the idea of a billboard
to create messages

How to use:
Image you have a billboard ATTENTION GRABBING
at the best spot in town,
where your target audience
will see it.
HEADLINE
, but
What is the HEADLINE that
will capture attention? CURIOSITY AND ACTION DRIVING
BODY COPY
What is the BODY COPY
that will drive curiosity and
,
action?
bu
t
Split into teams to create a
billboard.

Regroup to discuss, mash

up, vote to align on the most
compelling copy.
 EXAMPLE

Billboard
Description:
Use the idea of a billboard
to create messages

How to use:
Image you have a billboard ATTENTION GRABBING
at the best spot in town,
where your target audience
will see it.
HEADLINE THIS RACE WON’T
, but GET YOU A TICKET
What is the HEADLINE that
will capture attention? CURIOSITY AND ACTION DRIVING
BODY COPY
What is the BODY COPY
that will drive curiosity and STRAIGHTER TEETH
,
action?
bu THIS SUMMER IN
t
Split into teams to create a HALF THE TIME
billboard.

Regroup to discuss, mash

up, vote to align on the most
GO TO
compelling copy. WWW.XYZ.COM
FRAMEWORKS
Pillars
Description:
Different message pillars
that all help to get the Brand essence
essence of the brand across
to your audiences.

How to use:
Campaign line
The brand essence does
not change over time and is
typically internal facing only. Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3

The campaign line is the

headline that articulates the Key message Key message Key message
essence of the brand while
capturing your attention.

Each pillar is a topic/ theme,

with a corresponding key
message and proof points
as support messages. Proof points Proof points Proof points

HINT: Fill out the pillars, key

messaging, and proof points
BEFORE developing a
campaign to give the
creative team fodder for
their process.
 EXAMPLE

Pillars
Description: The power to be the
Different message pillars best version of you
that all help to get the Brand essence
essence of the brand across
to your audiences. Race to a brighter
How to use:
Campaign line summer
The brand essence does
not change over time and is Fastest mode of Novel
Pillar Visits optional
typically internal facing only. action1 Pillar 1 Pillar 1
technology

The campaign line is the Beach chairs Mar vel got

Straight teeth notmessage
dentist Vibranium, we
headline that articulates the Key message Key Key message
in half the time chairs got Nitanium
essence of the brand while
capturing your attention. Synchronous
Self-moving Nickel-titanium
action
Each pillar is a topic/ theme, design alloy
filaments
with a corresponding key
message and proof points Head-to-head
Virtual check-
as support messages. clinicalpoints
Proof study Proofins
points Patented design
Proof points
data
HINT: Fill out the pillars, key Clinical study
messaging, and proof points Before, after Not braces, not
data shows no
BEFORE developing a photos aligners
difference
campaign to give the
creative team fodder for
their process.
Belief Shift
Description:
Influence the audience with
a series of messages and
content to bring their current
belief to a desired belief
central to your brand. The problem

How to use:
Define and align on what is
the critical belief that needs What if The new way
to change for our target
audience.

A change in this belief will What’s at

drive brand and/ or Connect
stake
marketing performance.

Place messages across the

arc to move the audience
from current to desired CURRENT DESIRED
BELIEF BELIEF
belief.
 EXAMPLE

Belief Shift
Braces work, but
Description: they haven’t gotten
Influence the audience with any better in
a series of messages and decades
content to bring their current
belief to a desired belief
central to your brand. The problem

How to use:
What if you can Not braces, not
Define and align on what is fix it quickly aligners, XYZ is
the critical belief that needs What if The new way
without anyone half the time and
to change for our target
knowing? behind the teeth
audience.

A change in this belief will Crooked teeth Braces is like

makes people What’s at
drive brand and/ or Connect surfing the web
stake
marketing performance. self-conscious with a modem…

Place messages across the

arc to move the audience
from current to desired CURRENT DESIRED
BELIEF BELIEF
belief.
Braces is a rite of Braces is old school,
passage and not the cool type
of old school
Stories
Description:
A simple framework to
develop a story for the
brand – utilizing the core BEGINNING MIDDLE END
stages of the Heros journey
(adapted from “Resonate”
by Nancy Duarte).

How to use:
Like any story, there are The Villain Meet the Mentor New bliss
characters.

Protagonist = target
audience Crossing the
Ordinary world
threshold
Villain = problem (the more
unexpected the better)

Guide = brand
Call to adventure Refusal of the call Call to action

By putting together a story,

you put together messages
that help your audience
understand why you exist,
and how you deliver on your
promise.
 EXAMPLE

Stories
Description:
A simple framework to
develop a story for the
brand – utilizing the core BEGINNING MIDDLE END
stages of the Heros journey
(adapted from “Resonate”
by Nancy Duarte). Meet XYZ, definitive Straight teeth without
like braces but no aligners or braces. Plus it’s
How to use: Trying something behind
Like any story, there are The Villain hassle
Meetand
the in half the
Mentor Newthe teeth so no one
bliss
new can be scary time will even know…
characters.

Protagonist = target
It’s metal mouth
audience Crossing the
braces or a gazillion
Ordinary world
threshold
trays of aligners
Villain = problem (the more
unexpected the better)
What if there was a You can give aligners Answer 5 questions
Guide = brand
new Call
option that is the
to adventure Refusal
a try, it’sofathe
safecall
bet toCall
see to
if you are a fit
action
best of both worlds? right? Actually no… for XYZ
By putting together a story,
you put together messages most people don’t
that help your audience finish their aligners
understand why you exist, program.
and how you deliver on your
promise.
CONGRATULATIONS!

You’ve gone through all six exercises and tools

to up your messaging game.

If you would like to see more content about

brand strategy and branding in the world of
health, you can find me on:

Look for @howiechaniam

Email: Listen to the

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