Political speechwriting is the art of storytelling infused with purpose. It’s an exercise of political theatre that should simultaneously entertain, inform and inspire.
Over 2,000 years ago the Greek philosopher Aristotle defined the virtues of the “middle state between”. And like most other elements of life, the achievement of speechwriting excellence is largely a matter of balance. You want just enough substance to make your case without descending into tedium, and just enough humour keep your audience engaged without descending into a comedy routine.
At Alesia we call this the ‘Goldilocks Principle of Speechwriting’ (not too hard, not too soft, but just right) that we’ve perfected over many years crafting words for delivery by Cabinet ministers and senior business leaders. We’re expert researchers and have a refined ear for political ‘tone’ that ensures those words are tailored to match both speaker and audience.
The mark of any great speech is a unique cadence and rhythm that infuses the delivered words with an almost poetic quality. We’re also firm believers in the value of the sound bite, that single pithy phrase into which the essence of the speech is distilled. Think of JFK’s “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”; or Churchill’s “Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say: ‘This was their finest hour ‘”. Journalists are particularly fond of our sound bites because they convey the purest essence of the primary message in concise and easily quotable form.
At the end of the day it all comes down to good writing. And writing is something at which we excel. From casual speaker’s notes to formal orations, Alesia’s work is graceful in tone and clear in meaning without lapsing into pretentiousness. Our work presents incisive and persuasive arguments that respect political sensitivities and are a challenge to rebut. And as a result, over the years our wordsmithing has become well respected within parliamentary circles for its rhetorical power and its eloquence.
At Alesia we approach the art of speechwriting from a client-centred perspective that seeks faithfully to express the voice and views of the person standing at the podium. The speechwriter must be respectful of the ideas and idiosyncrasies of both client and audience. Care must always be taken to remain within the comfort zone of speaker and listeners alike. Ego has no place in the speechwriter’s work. A political wordsmith must be comfortable with anonymity, labouring behind the scenes to promote the public profile of the client.
We invite you to give a call to see how Alesia’s wordsmithing and communications skills can be deployed to help you out-fight, outwit and out-campaign your opposition.