By Katerina Yennari, Senior Communications Consultant

In recent years, with the explosion of social media, AI, and sensational marketing tricks, a critical question has become even more pertinent: Could an excellent communication strategy effectively disguise a lack of substance, a faulty product, or even create a false perception of value and trustworthiness?  

Substance refers to the meaningful, valuable content that lies beneath a message. Style is how the message is delivered. Both are equally important, but their balance determines the effectiveness of communication. Emotional appeal can captivate audiences, build strong connections, and drive engagement. By appealing to excitement, fear, joy, compassion, or nostalgia, brands, politicians, and organizations can create connotations that resonate with their target audience.

Sensation and politics 

In politics, using emotional communication to create the perception of value or mask underlying issues is also a widespread strategy. During the Brexit referendum in the UK, the pro-Brexit campaign used emotionally charged rhetoric around national sovereignty and control, which resonated with many voters. The Leave campaign's slogan, "Take Back Control," capitalized on fears and frustrations about EU regulations and immigration, creating a strong emotional appeal even though the specific economic implications of Brexit were less clear and debated. 

Various parties across the continent used emotionally charged messages to rally support in the European elections last June. The rise of populist and nationalist parties, employing rhetoric that appeals to national pride and fears of losing cultural identity, effectively mobilised voters, even when these policy proposals lacked depth or feasibility.  

During the recent French elections, Marine Le Pen's National Rally strong performance, capitalizing on anti-immigration sentiments and economic dissatisfaction, threatened to even reshape the French political landscape by challenging the dominance of traditional parties and potentially altering the country's policies on immigration and European Union membership. Another notable case from Cyprus involves a TikTok star who gained fame through his videos, leveraging his social media presence to enter the political arena. His content, often touching upon the sense of disappointment of voters as well as their lack of specific EU-related knowledge, appealed to his audience, demonstrating how modern digital platforms can amplify emotional communication in politics. 

The implications of this trend extend beyond politics, permeating various fields of professional communication. In an era where social media and instant news cycles amplify the most sensational content, communicators across industries struggle with maintaining integrity and depth in their messages. This re-ignited debate underscores the critical need for a recalibrated approach that values engaging yet informative content, ensuring that the essence of the message is not lost in the pursuit of momentary attention.

Ads gone wrong 

While emotional communication can enhance brand loyalty and perception in the short term, businesses and political campaigns must back up these feelings with genuine value and substance to ensure long-term trust and credibility. For example, Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign effectively uses emotional storytelling to inspire and motivate. It is also supported by high-quality products and a commitment to social issues, reinforcing the brand's authenticity and reliability.

Ads gone wrong often result from a failure to strike this balance between sensation, logic, and substance. When brands misjudge the cultural climate or fail to consider the broader societal implications of their messaging, the repercussions can be severe. Among such examples is the Gillette “We Believe: The Best Men Can Be” campaign, which aimed to address toxic masculinity but received mixed to negative reactions, while H&M faced criticism for its 2018 ad featuring a black child wearing a hoodie with the slogan “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle.” The ad was widely condemned as racially insensitive and tone-deaf, leading to public outrage and prompting the company to apologize and remove the advertisement from all channels.

Zara, too, encountered backlash for its ad campaign in 2014 that included a striped pyjama top with a yellow star, which many people likened to the uniforms worn by Jewish prisoners in concentration camps during the Holocaust. The insensitive design led to a backlash, forcing Zara to pull the product and apologize. In 2023, Zara once again faced relentless criticism and had to withdraw an advertising campaign for its perceived resemblance to scenes of death and destruction in Gaza. 

Companies and campaigns must ensure that their messages resonate emotionally and align with their core values and actions, as well as the environment and society in which they operate. Emotional appeal without substance can quickly lead to public backlash and a loss of trust. 

The Power of Storytelling, visual appeal, and vivid language

We all use storytelling in different aspects of our work, as this transforms dry information into captivating narratives. Using vivid imagery, relatable characters, and emotional motivations, we can capture the audience's imagination. 

In the visual media-dominated era, the aesthetic presentation of a message can significantly impact its reception. Eye-catching designs, striking imagery, and engaging videos can attract and retain the audience's attention. However, without substantive content, these visuals risk being perceived as superficial.

The use of persuasive and evocative language can enhance a message's appeal. Communicators can influence perceptions and drive engagement by employing rhetorical techniques and emotionally charged words. Yet, the sustainability of this approach is questionable if the underlying message lacks depth.

Substance at the core of communication strategies 

While emotional communication can enhance brand loyalty and perception in the short term, businesses and political campaigns must back up these feelings with genuine value and substance to ensure long-term trust and credibility. Strong communication strategies that provoke emotion can temporarily mask a lack of substance, lasting trust and credibility ultimately depend on delivering genuine value and meeting the expectations set by these communications. 

Communication professionals specialize in crafting and delivering messages that resonate with target audiences. Their expertise lies in understanding the nuances of language, tone, and medium to optimize the impact of their communication. They employ various strategies to create compelling narratives, including storytelling, branding, and public relations.

However, the effectiveness of these strategies is often questioned when the underlying message lacks substantive content. Can skilled communicators still engage and persuade audiences without meaningful information to convey?

Back to basics: Aristotle’s communication fundamentals 

Effective communication requires a balance of credibility, emotional connection, and logical reasoning, a lesson we can learn from Aristotle. In the 4th century BC, the Greek philosopher outlined key elements of persuasive messaging in “On Rhetoric,” which remain relevant today. He introduced three persuasive appeals: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. Ethos focuses on the credibility and moral character of the speaker or message, emphasizing the importance of establishing an organization or a person’s credibility to speak on an issue. Pathos involves appealing to emotions, using stories or images to elicit emotional responses such as anger, sadness, or the desire to act. Logos is based on logical argument, ensuring a message is clear, factual, and makes sense to the target audience. 

Messages with substantive content offer real value to the audience, whether through information, insights, or inspiration. This value fosters loyalty and encourages continued engagement. While sensation and style can capture attention in the short term, substance is necessary for sustaining audience interest over time. Meaningful content informs, educates, and builds trust with the audience. Substance is crucial for establishing credibility and fostering long-term relationships, based on trust.

Strategies for balancing sensation and substance

The right balance between sensation, style, and substance is key to effective communication. Combining engaging narratives with facts ensures that stories are captivating and credible. This approach leverages storytelling's emotional appeal while grounding it in substantive content. 

Basic elements of bulletproof steps to a credible and long-lasting communication strategy include: 

• Know your organisation and what you can deliver. This essentially means understanding your organization’s strengths and limitations. Most importantly, be clear about what you can realistically achieve and communicate this effectively.
• Deliver your message honestly and consistently. This is the only way to build trust and audience commitment to your brand. 
• Focus on values to build integrity. Prioritize honesty, authenticity, and transparency.
• Know your audience. Knowing what they care about, what they like, and how they get informed is crucial in tailoring your messages to resonate with their interests and concerns. 
• Understand the main issue and provide substantial solutions. Credible solutions backed by science and evidence will build brand credibility and consistency. 

The debate between sensation and style versus substance is a dynamic and ongoing discourse in professional communication. While sensation and style can capture attention and engage audiences, substantive content remains essential for credibility, value, sustained engagement, and long-term commitment. Genuine and meaningful content remains the foundation of lasting and effective messaging. In a world where audiences are more discerning than ever, substance and authenticity are key to building trust and achieving long-term success.