Is This English? Where Plain Language Meets Branding

Posted by: Natalya Minkovsky, Director of Strategy & User Experience Dec 14, 2010 1 Comments

“Is this English?”

“Not plain English.”

“This just means they got my letter, right?”

“Yep.”

“Then why couldn’t they just say, ‘We got your letter’?”

This conversation took place in my parents’ kitchen after my brother received a letter from a state government agency. True to the stereotype of government communications, it took more than one reading before my family agreed on the notice’s meaning.

In my brother’s case, at least he could easily decipher the formal phrases and passive voice. But since he was already frustrated with the service he’d received from the agency, the convoluted letter only led to more frustration—and degradation of the agency’s brand.

What does branding have to do with sentence structure? Branding is much more than an agency’s logo, color palette, or mission statement. It’s how the public perceives the agency. And the agency’s language—not just WHAT they say, but HOW they say it—is a big part of it. If your audience can’t find what they need, understand what they find, and use what they find to meet their needs, that has a big impact.

Not only does language affect the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission—if I don’t understand how to apply for a loan, how can the agency achieve its goal of lending more money?—but it also affects the agency’s reputation. If I leave an agency’s website in frustration because I didn’t understand the instructions posted there, what will I go on to think, say, or tweet about that agency?

In October, President Obama signed into law the Plain Writing Act of 2010, which requires the federal government to write documents, such as tax returns and federal college aid applications, in simple, easy-to-understand language. My hope is that states will follow with similar laws, helping make our state and local government agencies more transparent and efficient.

The conversation in my parents’ kitchen offered great first-person insight into what happens when citizens get needlessly wordy government communication. Already committed to advancing plain language communications, I am now more dedicated than ever to helping organizations save time, save money, and manage their brands through audience-appropriate content.

What can you do to support plain language communications?

• Get acquainted with (the recently redesigned) plainlanguage.gov

• Join the Plain Language group on GovLoop: http://www.govloop.com/group/plainlanguage

• Follow the Center for Plain Language on Twitter: @plain_language

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Natalya Minkovsky

Director of Strategy & User Experience

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