Are you reinforcing your opposition's arguments?
Do you ever find yourself bringing up your opposition's frame before she or he does? By raising the precise frames we intend to counter, even to refute them, we are creating hurdles we now must jump...
View ArticleHow sexist language is undermining efforts to improve public health
Critics of public health measures often use the phrase "nanny state" to evoke fears about the U.S. government exerting too much control over people's lives. But what's really behind the words? And what...
View ArticleWhat's really behind the soda industry's 'choice' rhetoric
Following New York City's public hearing on Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal to cap soda sizes at 16 ounces, critics pushed back, saying the proposal "restricts choice." The trouble is, those critics...
View ArticleShooting ourselves in the foot: How the way we talk about food issues puts...
Language matters. It affects not only how people view an issue but also how they act on it. When it comes to discussing food policy, a couple of language pitfalls may be thwarting advocates' efforts at...
View ArticleThe high cost of prison phone calls: Advocates show who really pays
In the midst of the holiday season, advocates are putting a focus on families front and center in their push to reform an unfair and incredibly expensive prison phone call system. Read more >Laura...
View ArticleFrom me to us: Taking racism from the individual to the structural
Using language that moves racism from a personal issue to a structural one is key to showing how policy changes can benefit entire populations. But what does this mean for those who have experienced...
View ArticleFood industry messaging pulled from Big Tobacco playbook
A new study from BMSG explores the tobacco industry's use of personal choice messaging to shift blame for its products' health harms onto consumers. Now Big Food is taking a page from tobacco's...
View Article3 phrases public health advocates should use with caution -- or not at all
The words we use to describe public health issues can open people up to new ideas or reinforce old ways of thinking, undermining advocates' efforts to make the case for policies that support health....
View ArticleTalking about junk food marketing to kids: Is the health argument enough?
In Mexico, health advocates frame junk food marketing to kids as a human rights violation. Should U.S. advocates do the same? Read more >Fernando Quinteroread more
View ArticleHow personal responsibility framing undermines efforts to improve public health
The "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" myth is pervasive in our culture and in the media. Here's how advocates can reframe the conversation to better support health. Read more >Fernando...
View ArticleLessons in public health messaging: Q&A with Fernando Quintero
How public health messages are framed affects how the public and policymakers understand issues and what to do about them. PreventObesity.net's Inside Track talks with BMSG's Fernando Quintero about...
View ArticleHow food and beverage companies are shaping public conversation on obesity
With nutrition-related diseases regularly making headlines, food and beverage companies are eager to portray themselves as part of the solution. In this Q&A, BMSG's Laura Nixon discusses new...
View ArticleMedia advocacy in the age of Trump
As he races for the Republican nomination, how is Donald Trump shaping public discourse and what does this mean for advocates' messaging efforts? Read more >Fernando Quintero Author 1: Fernando...
View ArticleThree compelling ways to visualize how much sugar is in soda
As soda taxes — and opposition to them — continue to attract media attention, the challenge for advocates is to stay in control of the conversation. These creative visuals can help. Read more...
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