Introduction
The Words to Win By Podcast, formerly called Brave New Words, takes listeners on a journey around the globe with renowned communications researcher and campaign advisor Anat Shenker-Osorio as she unpacks real-world narrative shifts that led to real-world victories.
To read transcripts follow the weblinks.
Listen to Podcast
Episodes
Season 3: Words to Win By
Can You See Me Now: Legal Status for Ireland’s Undocumented Immigrants – Ireland
In 2022, Ireland granted legal status to undocumented immigrants who had been in the country for at least four years. This landmark achievement was ten years, fearless undocumented leadership and constant campaigning in the making.
Protecting Our Freedoms: Defeating MAGA Republicans in the 2022 Midterms – United States
In 2022, Americans defied polling, pundits and precedent to stave off the predicted Republican “Red Wave” takeover of Congress and battleground state governments. Despite economic challenges, low presidential approval ratings, and the perennial superior enthusiasm of out-party partisans, Democrats were able to hold the Senate, minimize House losses, and flip or retain key battleground state legislatures and governorships.
Costa Rica Libre de Perforación: Maintaining a Ban on Fossil Fuel Exploration – Costa Rica
Costa Rica is an international icon in all things environmental, and mitigating climate change is no exception. Since the early 2000s, the country has remained free of fossil fuel exploration and extraction through executive decree. But when Rodrigo Chaves Robles assumed the presidency in 2022, he put this policy into peril.
Speak Yourself: Mobilizing Youth to Win Brazil’s 2022 Election – Brazil
In 2022, Brazilians faced a match-up between far-right incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro, aka ‘Trump of the Tropics,’ and progressive Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Despite polling portending a Lula first round sweep, the election went to a run-off and Lula triumphed by a fraction of a percent. That hard fought victory was thanks in no small part to youth voters and the campaign that increased their participation by 47%.
Don’t Buy It: The Trouble with Talking Nonsense about the Economy – United States
The economy is what voters consistently rank as their top issue. And despite the fact the Democratic administrations routinely deliver far better economic outcomes, voters credit Republicans with better handling of the economy over Democrats.
From the Fight for $15 to Hot Labor Summer: Working Class Wins to Win Over the Working Class – United States
As Democrats struggle to connect to the working class, working people are connecting to each other, winning better wages and working conditions. In 2012, the Fight for $15 and a Union launched, catalyzing a mass movement of low wage working people that helped raise wages across the country and plant the seed for today’s resurgence of the power of working people in union.
Season 2: Words to Win By
Buena Política: José Horacio Rodríguez for Congress
In 2020, a steadfast crew of veteran organizers and activists propelled José Horacio Rodríguez from obscurity to win a seat in Congress with the most votes of any candidate from his constituency in the central districts of the Dominican Republic. Battling entrenched parties in a corrupt system of pay-to-play politics, José Horacio’s campaign unleashed the power of the positive under the banner ‘Buena Política,’ Good Politics.
Count Every Vote: Protecting the Election Results
While lawyers battled frivolous suits, advocates recruited poll workers, and organizers thwarted efforts to toss out ballots, a far less visible effort was also underway. Armed with nightly empirical testing, messaging experts and artists provided narrative guidance and visual content to support countless leaders across states to ensure the will of the people did, indeed, prevail.
Equal Rights Under Law: Operation Libero Defeating the Far Right
In 2016, fresh off dual victories in a referendum criminalizing immigrants and a parliamentary election that brought them nearly 30% of seats, the far-right Swiss People’s Party seemed destined to pass a second enforcement initiative to strip Swiss residents with foreign passports of any due process rights. With opposition parties and major human rights groups leery of taking on a campaign they considered a lost cause, the newly formed Operation Libero jumped in and with virtually no resources, thwarted the right-wing framing of the initiative to defeat the referendum by 18 points.
All in Wisconsin: Winning the 2020 Election
In 2020, all eyes were on Wisconsin, a state that paved Trump’s way to the White House when he won there in 2016 by just .77% of the vote. This time around, organizers and strategists both from within the Democratic Party and the grassroots, bested the right-wing playbook with persuasive and mobilizing messages that ensured Biden his victory with an even closer margin of .63%.
From 55 United to Red for Ed: Striking for Public Education
As we witness today’s rightwing attacks on our public schools, we consider what the 2018 educator strikes can teach us about formulating an effective response. This movement to secure better healthcare, classroom funding, and more equitable pay ignited in states you might not expect: West Virginia, Oklahoma and Arizona. And from there, it took off and delivered wins across the nation.
They Planted Fear in Us and We Sprouted Wings: Legalizing Abortion – Argentina
At 4am on December 30th 2020, as crowds gathered in front of Congress awaiting the final vote, Argentina legalized abortion, realizing the hopes and validating the hard work of organizers and lawyers, politicians and medical providers, veteran feminist leaders and newly engaged teenage activists.
Our Work Is Not Done Yet: Flipping the Senate through Georgia Runoffs – United States
In 2020, Georgia selected a Democrat for president for the first time since 1992. But the organizers who made this happen, having registered 800,000 new voters, had an arguably more daunting task ahead: winning two Senate runoff elections two months later. With unwavering commitment to Black, Latino and Asian American communities, organizers deployed best practices in voter mobilization across mediums to win both races and flip the balance of power in Congress.
Passing the Messaging Stick: Changing the Narrative About First Nations – Australia
Starting in 2019, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advocates began an ambitious two year effort to flip the script on sovereignty, self-determination and justice for First Nations. Now, after comprehensive communications training and robust messaging research, campaigners are making new gains on land rights and tackling damage to the climate.
Season 1: Brave New Words
Brave New Words Access to Medicines – United States
Brave New Words takes listeners on a journey around the globe with renowned communications researcher and campaign advisor Anat Shenker-Osorio. This episode of the podcast looks at how the battle over drug prices is heating up to confront corporate greed and pay-to-play politics.
Brave New Words Police Reform – Washington
Brave New Words takes listeners on a journey around the globe with renowned communications researcher and campaign advisor Anat Shenker-Osorio. This episode of the podcast explores how De-Escalate Washington achieved success by speaking openly about race and centering those most affected by police violence.
Brave New Words: Let’s do this – New Zealand
Brave New Words takes listeners on a journey around the globe with renowned communications researcher and campaign advisor Anat Shenker-Osorio. This episode of the podcast goes behind the scenes to understand how Jacinda Ardern led Labour to victory in NZ.
Brave New Words Together for Yes (Support for Abortion in Ireland)
Brave New Words takes listeners on a journey around the globe with renowned communications researcher and campaign advisor Anat Shenker-Osorio. This episode of the podcast explores how the Together For Yes coalition rewrote the playbook on abortion in Ireland.
Brave New Words Greater Than Fear – Minnesota
Brave New Words takes listeners on a journey around the globe with renowned communications researcher and campaign advisor Anat Shenker-Osorio. This episode of the podcast reveals how a coalition of grassroots and labor groups found a narrative that speaks to both race and class concerns.
Brave New Words People Seeking Asylum – Australia
This podcast episode unpacks how human rights advocates applied communications research to swing public opinion and win campaigns in the ongoing battle against offshore detention of refugees.
About Host
Founder and Principal of ASO Communications, Anat Shenker-Osorio examines why certain messages falter where others deliver. She’s led research into how to persuade and mobilize on issues ranging from tackling right-wing race baiting to promoting clean energy and from honoring the rights of immigrants to reforming criminal justice.
Anat’s delivered her findings at venues such as the U.S. Congressional Progressive Caucus, Centre for Australian Progress, Irish Migrant Centre, Open Society Foundations, Ford Foundation, New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, the European Commission and LUSH International. Her writing and research is profiled in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Boston Globe, Salon, The Guardian and Grist, among others. She is the author of Don’t Buy It: The Trouble with Talking Nonsense About the Economy. Learn more: ASOCommunications.com
Explore Further
- Framing Issues for Social Justice Impact: Directory of Messaging Guides
- Frame the Debate: Insights from Don’t Think of an Elephant!
- The Common Cause Handbook: A Guide to Values and Frames
- Narrating Change During ‘Psychic Breaks’
- Encouraging Story SharingTransforming Narrative Waters: Growing the practice of deep narrative change in the UK