Communication Starts With Getting Attention

Sep 13

Fallen and Can't Get Up

Want to communicate with your employees? Get their attention first.

I saw this picture and post on The Cool Hunter under the title Do You Know First Aid? Billy describes the scene:

To raise awareness around World First Aid Day, DDB Canada placed life size realistic decals of a person at the bottom stairwells in Toronto. At first, the decal generates the impression that someone is lying down unconscious and needs help, but as you get closer, you’ll realize it’s just a picture on the floor with a call to action to visit www.redcross.ca for a first aid training course. Let’s hope it doesn’t freak someone out and give them a heart attack first.

People think in pictures in their heads is how Walter Lippman put it. Great HR and organizational communication takes advantage of that idea. How many people will remember this First Aid campaign versus if everyone had just gotten a memo? Beaucoup. Big ideas break through the clutter, make ideas memorable, and drive the behaviors you want. When in doubt, go with visuals.

About the Author

Frank Roche

Frank started IFRACTAL over 7 years ago with Sarah Chambers. Together, they've created HR communications and HR software for some of the world's leading companies. Frank is also studying Flamenco guitar and origami.