"You turn and you are not fair". It is the polder version of "framing" with which Balkende cornered Wouter Bos during a 2006 election debate. A trick Wilders repeated recently to put away Timmermans as a politician who has "lost all sight of reality. And Trump also tries to blacken his opponent by constantly calling him "Crooked Joe. In these times of polarization, it is interesting to examine this rhetorical phenomenon. What is framing? And more importantly, how can you employ it yourself.

How does framing work?
Framing is about image formation. By using words, you try to give an emotional charge to a subject and thus imprint a positive or negative feeling on people. In doing so, you appeal to your target group's deeper beliefs or experiences, without them realizing it. In his book "Thinking, Fast and Slow," Daniel Kahneman classified two systems of thought that our brain possesses. System 1 is intuitive, guided by experience and emotions. It uses connections between previously seen words, images, actions and emotions to form a conclusion and make quick decisions. This comes naturally and is at the wheel 95% of the time. But thus often cuts corners. In addition, we have System 2, which is rational, based on facts and logic. For this, the brain has to work hard. To save energy, System 1 is used only 5% of the time.

Politicians and companies have often tried to reach us with their in-depth justifications from System 2, but it does not penetrate. Better works to appeal to people by turning on System 1. And framing can very well help with that.

What does a successful frame need to meet?

• A frame "sticks" and is evocative. The association is not simply negated.
• A frame works between the lines. The subconscious value system, cultural baggage and/or experiences are addressed.
• A frame creates coherence and meaning. It provides a narrative that evokes emotions.
  

The framing do-it-yourself kit
So a very effective tool, history has repeatedly proven. But how
do you come up with a good frame? Communications teams from political parties and companies sit
evenings together to come up with effective frames and watch with envy as others succeed
in doing so. I myself remember it all too well when I was still writing speeches in politics.
Here are a few tips from practice:

Note: Do not go along with someone else's frame, as, for example, Richard Nixon did during his Watergate defense when he said, "I am not a crook." As a result, the words "crook" and "Nixon" were forever linked. It would have been better, then, if he had attacked his opponent with a villain or hero frame of his own. An often raised objection is that in framing, nuance is lost. So as a well-intentioned, decent party, should you deploy it? Yes you should: because whoever frames first wins. Nuance is important during the weighing process, but will hopefully lead to a clear conclusion, which you should then communicate as effectively as possible. And if you don't, someone else will beat you to it.