Whether or not you know it, the non-verbal cues of politicians plays a large role in shaping your perception of them. I'm not just talking about the obvious instances: Richard Nixon sweating during the first nationally televised debate, Howard Dean's unforgettable fist pumps in 2004, or even some of the funny faces cooked up by W. It's the little things that politicians do, whether it's to make a point, defend themselves, or show emotion during a speech.
This article in ADWEEK (sorry, subscription needed) has strategists, pollsters and consultants weigh in on the importance of non-verbal cues in politicians' communications. I love this YouTube clip of Hillary impersonator Rosemary Watson preparing for an upcoming speech that the article starts off with.
You can't absorb someone's policy position in two seconds, but you can get your instinctual reaction to them. And you can get that on a non-conscious, nonverbal basis. - Dan Hill, President of Sensory Logic
Now I know it's a bit late in this election to form first impressions, but I found this article to be very interesting. The idea that your gut feeling about a politician, or anyone for that matter, can be based on something that you may not even be aware you're paying attention to? I guess there are some qualities in a candidate that just can't be measured by polling, policies or voting records. Let's not let those things fall by the wayside, however. That's how you end up with a President that people voted for because he was someone they'd like to get a beer with.
0 comments:
Post a Comment