Delivering key messages: the Da Vinci Code
As the Da Vinci Code makes the transition from most hyped book to most hyped film, it’s intriguing to see that the text’s central message – which as cast and crew point out is fiction – has the power to change minds. Two-thirds of British readers accept what’s called the central claim; that Jesus fathered a child. And yet it isn’t a central claim, but a central plot device. (Okay author Dan Brown likes to make out he’s based his work on what others claim to be history, but that’s a not exactly rigorous claim.)
That the Da Vinci Code’s key messages are so easily absorbed and accepted by the audience shows the power of story. We tend to believe what we’re told because questioning – how can that be true? – requires thought, scepticism and concentration. Stories, not presentations dominated by bullet points are how we learn. It’s the reason the bible is written this way. Which is good news for public relations practice as weaving key messages into news stories is our bread and butter. It also shows why human interest angles are so important; they illustrate how the key issues affect the ordinary.
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