Sell The Brownie with Anat Shenker-Osorio

"Sell the brownie, not the recipe... So instead of taking your public policy out in public and thinking that that is a message, which it is not, you talk about the outcome of your policy."

Anat Shenker-Osorio is a political strategist, messaging consultant, and communications researcher renowned for helping progressive campaigns win by using more effective language.

She is the founder of ASO Communications, a firm that specializes in crafting compelling narratives for progressive causes. Anat is also an author, podcast host, and one of the most respected messaging experts on the left.

Recently, she released a concise yet impactful glossary titled Fascism and the English Language—a guide on how we should (and shouldn’t) discuss the authoritarian threats facing our country.

I invited her on the podcast to delve into that piece and to help all of us become better, more strategic, and more disciplined communicators.

Throughout our conversation, we explored the what, how, and why of Free America.

We discussed values, villains, and vision. We examined the importance of focusing on shared values and avoiding "zombie writing."

Anat renamed the so-called "Big, Beautiful Bill" the "MAGA Murder Budget."

We emphasized the strategy of highlighting outcomes (the brownie!) rather than processes (the recipe).

Additionally, we reviewed messaging from elected officials, identifying posts that missed the mark and discussing how they could be rewritten to be more effective.

You can listen to the episode where you stream podcasts, or watch it in full on YouTube.

Find links, full transcript and more at HelloMergeTag.com.