By Marty Carpenter
A few years ago, I did a weekly video series called On Message—short videos breaking down messaging in politics and public affairs.
Some of you followed along. Some of you even told me you looked forward to it every week (which was both flattering and slightly alarming).
Either way, I’m bringing it back in 2026—because the need for clear, proactive communication is bigger than ever.
Why bring it back now?
Two big reasons.
First, more leaders are waking up to the fact that storytelling isn’t fluff—it’s strategy.
The organizations that earn trust and build influence won’t be the loudest. They’ll be the clearest.
Second, the modern media landscape has changed. For decades, the primary communications playbook was built around earned media: pitch a story to a reporter, hope it lands, and then hope the audience you care about sees it.
That’s no longer the world we’re living in.
Today, leaders can communicate directly with the audiences that matter most: customers, employees, members, policymakers, and the public. That’s an opportunity… but it also creates a new challenge:
If you’re not telling your story clearly and consistently, someone else will do it for you.
And you won’t like the version they choose.
The “proactive” gap I see everywhere
I’ve worked with political leaders, trade associations, businesses, and government agencies for most of my career. And I’ve seen a consistent pattern:
Most communications teams do a great job managing internal needs and the crisis of the day.
But proactive storytelling—the kind that builds trust before you need it—often gets crowded out.
Not because teams aren’t good at it.
Because they don’t have the time, capacity, or bandwidth to do it consistently.
That’s where I’ve spent a lot of my career—helping leaders stay on message by turning strategy into storytelling and proactive communications that build trust long before a crisis hits.
So what is On Message now?
The 2026 version of On Message will be similar to the original, but with a sharper focus.
Each episode will be short—generally one to two minutes—and built around a simple question:
Who is on message… and who isn’t? And what can we learn from it?
You’ll see a mix of:
- messaging breakdowns tied to current events
- practical lessons on staying on message
- examples of proactive storytelling done well
- and occasional conversations with leaders about the stories they’re telling—and the stories they need to tell next
The common thread is simple:
Messaging and storytelling at the intersection of business, public policy, and politics.
That’s where most of our clients live, and it’s where communication matters most.
The format (so you know what to expect)
Every episode will follow the same structure:
“You’re either on message or you’re losing. This week, [X] is [on/off] message — and here’s why.”
Then I’ll break down the lesson in a way that’s practical and transferable—whether you’re running a campaign, leading a trade association, managing an agency, or building a business in a regulated environment.
And I’ll end with a question—not as a sales pitch, but as an invitation to think about how the lesson shows up in your world.
Why I’m doing this
I’m doing this because I believe one of the most valuable things leaders can do right now is communicate clearly, consistently, and proactively.
The audience is tired of noise.
They’re hungry for clarity.
And the leaders who can tell their story with discipline—especially in high-stakes environments—will earn more trust, build more influence, and avoid unnecessary crises.
That’s what On Message is about.
What’s next
This blog is the reset. The episodes start now.
If you’re leading an organization, building something meaningful, or working in the public arena—I hope it’s useful.
On Message is back. Let’s get to it.
