We often talk about the importance of creating eye-catching messages.
One message we saw this week succeeded in grabbing attention.
But this is mainly because it led to confusion, ridicule, negative headlines and tricky questions in media interviews.
The message in question came from Sajid Javid, who compared the NHS to the defunct video rental shop Blockbuster.
At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (7/6), the Health Secretary described the health service as a “Blockbuster healthcare system in the age of Netflix”, as the Government attempts to move on from the ‘partygate’ fallout.
He also promised the “biggest shake-up in health and social care leadership in a generation”.
A snappy soundbite, perhaps. But all a bit vague.
Mr Javid subsequently elaborated on the comment in yesterday’s media rounds.
Here’s what he said in an interview with BBC Breakfast:
“What I mean by that particular comment is it needs to modernise.
“We need to make sure that we keep modernising, that we have an NHS that is looking out towards 2048, not one that was designed for 1948.
“And the Blockbuster analogy is that, for those that remember Blockbuster, is that it failed to modernise, it failed to adapt to changing trends in markets, and therefore it wasn’t able to serve its customers and did not survive.
“No one wants to see that kind of thing happen to something as important as the NHS.”
Health Secretary Sajid Javid claims the NHS 'is like Blockbuster in the age of Netflix'
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) June 8, 2022
On #BBCBreakfast Mr Javid is asked whether that means patients will start paying a subscription for the servicehttps://t.co/EBSbZMW6Om pic.twitter.com/SBL6PccM52
Still somewhat lacking in substance, but it seems the comparison is supposed to highlight the need for the NHS to modernise, embrace the latest technology and make better use of data.
Yet, when you need to explain what your message or analogy means, it is not working.
As well as being vague, there are other questions about the Netflix/Blockbuster comparison.
And top of the list was whether it was wise to compare the health service to the streaming giant.
This allowed speculation and scare stories to grow – just what the Government needed as it attempted to “draw a line” under recent mistakes.
Was it planning on turning the NHS into a monthly subscription service?
That was the obvious question asked by several journalists, putting Mr Javid on the backfoot.
And his denials led to some uncomfortable headlines:
Netflix NHS does not mean people will pay subscription, Sajid Javid says The National
‘Netflix NHS’ vision does not mean we will pay a subscription – Javid Evening Standard
Javid says NHS 'Netflix' shake up will not turn it into subscription service LBC
Amid increasing NHS privatisation fears, the comparison to an American-owned company could seem dangerous.
But it is also questionable whether this is the right time to highlight the streaming service as the image of success.
The Netflix model is facing its own struggles. Its prices have increased twice in 18 months. Subscriber numbers are falling, and it is cracking down on password sharing.
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And then, of course, there is the Blockbuster reference. The company closed its doors in the UK back in 2013. And its demise is often cited as an example of failing to innovate.
The comparison led to a poor Government spokesperson being asked whether the health secretary saw the “NHS as a business disaster that could go bust.” Ouch.
The Government rarely strays too far from drama. And this messaging mess is just the latest instalment in a lengthy series.
But it could have so easily been avoided with proper message development and testing.
On our message development and testing courses, our current working journalist tutors help organisations develop what they want to say and then test it before it goes out to a larger audience, seeing how it stands up to scrutiny.
They will look at its clarity, whether it inspires, sparks curiosity and is emotionally engaging. And they consider the negatives.
And it is hard to imagine that proper scrutiny of this message would not have identified the conflict between comparing the NHS to a collapsed business and a monthly subscription service.
Not that the Government will accept it got its message wrong.
During an interview with LBC where Mr Javid again faced questions about people having to pay to use Netflix and it being American owned, he was asked by presenter Nick Ferrari whether “with hindsight” he thought it was a bad example.
“No, I don’t,” he replied. “I think people accept that modernisation… organisations whether they're private organisations or public organisations, if they don't see trends and changes around them and don't modernise and adapt, then they won't survive.
"And I think we all want our NHS to be as strong as possible. We want it to be there, free at the point of use, paid out of general taxation, and we want it to offer us modern services."
'You say you want the NHS to be more like Netflix, that's wholly American-owned and you have to pay a premium to enjoy its programmes!'
— LBC (@LBC) June 8, 2022
Nick Ferrari pokes holes in Sajid Javid likening the NHS to 'Blockbuster in the age of Netflix'.@NickFerrariLBC pic.twitter.com/xXPFPnEnq0
Would it have been that bad to say, “it is probably not the best comparison I could have made, but the point I was trying to make is…”?
I guess it was.
How the NHS Netflix-style transformation will be funded when the Government has already said there is no new money for it, is a question that still needs answering.
Presumably, someone is already working on a message to respond to that. One that stands up to scrutiny – I’ll get the popcorn ready.
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