Messages tell more than just the message.
In marketing we are always creating messages. These messages embed meaning behind them always, wether intentional or not.
When someone puts up a post with a quote on it. You can often gain insight from what is said. You can also gain some insight about the person that is posting it. Because the fact that they are posting it means that it bears some kind of significance to them. For example, when someone posts a quote that reads:
“You need the darkness to see the stars.”
You can assume that the person behind the post has experienced some darkness. In order to appreciate the value of those words, they themselves must have somehow engaged in the topic being expressed.
I remember one morning a long time ago, walking into an Einstein Brothers Bagel store with my dad. At this time they were known for delicious breakfast bagel sandwiches. This day they had signs up everywhere that read
“Come for lunch!”
I was so surprised by the reaction that one sign provided for two different minds. Immediately I thought, “hey I never thought of coming for lunch”. My dad had a different thought completely. He told me, “wow, their numbers must be very low that they have to explicitly promote the lunch hours. That tells you a lot about how people think about this place.” He was right.
Ever since, I have looked at attempts at communications in a different manner. Maybe it’s being astute, or deliberate, or considerate of different factors. Statements can communicate more than simply what they state at face value. When you ask your self why is this statement being put out at all, you can discover so many truths behind the statement itself.
Sorry to get political on you, but here’s another example:
Why does Donald Trump put out so many messages defending himself and attacking others from a distance?
It reminds me of a documentary I once saw. It shows a group of gorillas and highlights their struggles to position themselves as high as possible on the social ladder. The stronger males are usually quiet. They understand they have the strength and are targets to be challenged by those that want to climb the ranks. In the documentary there was a clever little gorilla. He was nowhere near the strength he needed to be. He found some tin cans. He learned that banging on them and throwing them around made really loud noises. So one day, he stormed into the middle of the group, banging on his tin can and scared away even the biggest and the strongest alpha male gorilla. What an amazing feat. He was king for a day! But in very short time, the other gorillas got curious, and eventually they too got their hands on the tin can. As soon as they realized that this loud banging did not empower them in any way, or that there was no magic behind this contraption, they looked at the supposed king and sized him up in a new light. A day later he was beaten to death by the entire crew of gorillas for being an imposter.
Is Donald Trump rattling his tin cans at us?
It is possible to cultivate the ability to process the information that is being presented to you in ways that provide a deeper and richer understanding of the world around you. With a little bit of inquisitive and introspective effort, you can unlock the meanings behind the messages.