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Grassroots Messaging Works began as a response to frustration.
For the last few years, leaders of Indivisible groups and other progressive activists regularly met on Zoom, where we eagerly absorbed the latest messaging guidance from communications experts, pollsters, and social scientists.
Yet, we always returned to asking each other the same question: Why aren’t we seeing this amazing data-tested content in our social media feeds, or hearing it from the mouths of our elected officials? Instead, the right-wing dog whistlers and conspiracy theorists pollute the national narrative, overwhelming the undefended, unamplified truth.
Our country’s future as a democracy hangs in the balance.
We can’t let ineffective messaging hold us back any longer.
Democracy needs and deserves strong, consistent, effective communications.
So, we stopped complaining and started organizing. In November 2021, volunteer Indivisible leaders and professional communicators from 11 states and across 5 time zones came together to turn expert guidance into usable content, pairing powerful words with eye-catching images and finding tools to make social-media sharing easy.
We freely offer the fruits of our labor, because everyone can help shape our country into a more perfect union. We exist to prepare and equip Team YOU for the fight of our lifetimes.
Our five-point Grassroots Messaging Works strategy
Clarify America’s high-stakes choice. It's no longer red versus blue. If you’re anti-democracy, for the few, then you’re on Team Coup. If you’re pro-democracy, for the people, you’re part of Team YOU.
Build a fully aligned model messaging campaign informed by cognitive research and polling, driven by advice from PhD psychologists, shaped by progressive priorities, and tested by pros. Campaign theme: REJECT Team Coup. Vote Team YOU. Team YOU Pledge.
Amplify this model campaign via the wide-open 4th Lane of Messaging: The Grassroots Lane (vs. the three traditional lanes used by candidates, national/state parties, and issue-based organizations).
Energize activists and equip them with no-cost effective tools for spreading the word, deploying the two-click SpeechifAI platform to empower new Messaging Huddles organized by region, group, or profession.
Re-mobilize 2020’s 81 million Team YOU voters to eject the authoritarian MAGA faction now: Unseat Team Coup candidates in the 2022 midterms, before they can further dismantle voting rights for 2024.
Our messaging content for activists
Developed more than $250,000 worth of high-end messaging content contributed pro bono by marketers, designers, and filmmakers from five different cities
Produced an inspiring video to help pull weary folks back into activism through their group meetings
(The video demonstrates the 3 V’s of storytelling: State our shared Value, name the Villains blocking this value, pivot to our Vision for the future, followed by concrete steps for ACTION.)Built a coordinated Model Messaging Campaign for social media amplification driving home America’s choice in 2022: REJECT Team Coup. Vote Team YOU.
Created an upbeat Grassroots Messaging Works Website for Taking Back Our National Story, featuring the three-point activist Team YOU Pledge and a comprehensive syllabus for deeper learning in our Learn More section.
Constructed a two-click Toolkit for Social Media Storming on the SpeechifAI platform.
Set up Messaging Huddles with training videos demonstrating how grassroots volunteers can use the 3 V’s of Storytelling for persuasion and Get Out the Vote (pioneered by Ohio Progressive Action Leaders—OPAL)
Share this convenient one-sheet overview to tell your friends and family about Grassroots Messaging Works.
With so much right-wing noise competing for public attention, Grassroots Messaging Works wants to help Team YOU break through. We got a little help from some pretty incredible friends.
Inspired by our pro-democracy message and comprehensive campaign approach, video producers, branding firms, web developers, designers, voiceover artists, composers, sound designers, and marketers offered their considerable talents to our collaborative effort as pro bono contributions.
We’re so grateful to have such amazing talent and a deep bench to help us win this fight!
We the People video
Producers: Patti Crane, Christian Pulfer, Dale Roy Robinson
Voiceover Artist: Erikka J.
Editor and Motion Graphics: Christian Pulfer, Founder Music
Music and SFX: Judson Crane, Founder Music
Writers and Technical Support: Duane Bindschadler, Patti Crane, Peter H., Leslie Mark, James Mengert, Meryl Neiman, Ion Y.
Team Coup/Team YOU branding
Concept: Meryl Neiman, Patti Crane, Leslie Mark, Treebird Branding, Cat Landry Design
Illustrations: Mikhail Gnatuyk
Call to Action video
Producers: Patti Crane, Cat Landry, Dale Roy Robinson
Voiceover Artist: Bill Ratner
Editor and Motion Graphics: David Zorn, Venice Beach Post
Music and SFX: Judson Crane, Founder Music
Illustrations: Mikhail Gnatuyk
Graphic Design: Treebird Branding, Cat Landry Design
Writers: Duane Bindschadler, Patti Crane, Peter H., Leslie Mark, Meryl Neiman, Ion Y.
Special Thanks
Field Team 6, Indivisible, OPAL (Ohio Progressive Action Leaders), Words that W!N, Grassroots Messaging Works volunteers
We are grateful to the many experts, scholars, commentators, and teachers who clarified our thinking. Grassroots Messaging Works wouldn't exist without you.
