The role of play in strategic communication

Abstract

This article focuses on the issue of how players in strategic communication situations deal with apparently hopeless situations. The theory is that players in such situations sometimes engage in strategic communication play. Essentially, what strategic communication plays do, is help to continue communication. This article develops a theoretical concept of strategic communication. It is shown that strategic communication plays are found both in direct interpersonal communication and in communication via the mass media. Pursuant to the communication sociological approach, the theoretical basis is a differentiated and paradoxical definition of play, following Bateson, embedded in Goffman’s frame analysis. On this basis, two functions of strategic communication play are identified. These are as follows: on the one hand, expanding the sphere of possibilities and, on the other, by means of self-reference, the likelihood of increasing attributions of likability and trustworthiness.

The Politician as a Player: Political Strategic Communication as a Play

“…In this article, a special form of political strategic communication is conceived as a play. It is based on the theory of strategic communication as a play (Hoffjann, 2018), which was developed on the basis of considerations put forward by Goffman (1974) and Bateson (1956, 2000). As an example: In a conversation with a journalist, a press officer attempts to invalidate rumours of corruption in the company.…”

“…Lastly, there is a third option: the journalist may in the course of the discussion increasingly call into question his ability to actually differentiate lies from the truth. If the journalist and the press officer both ultimately proceed from the assumption that indicators of trustworthiness can be instrumentalised, this situation may be transformed so that an entirely new character emerges: the strategic communication situation between journalist and press officer becomes strategic communication play (Hoffjann, 2018). They thus insidiously switch from a binding interview to a more non-binding play.…”

“…It is shown that the acceptance of lies and bullshit is the result of political self-staging. Following the literature review on post-truth societies, the theory of strategic communication plays (Hoffjann, 2018) is presented and further developed into staging and truth plays in politics. The thesis: Political strategic communication is increasingly – but not always – being played and perceived as a play in which the entertainment character is more important than the binding nature of the staging and the statements.…”