Using the Made to Stick Framework for Analyzing Media Appearances of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

Author : Saeed A. Alamoudy

Abstract :This study examines the television interviews of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) under the communication principles stipulated by Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath. The research investigates questions of how MBS successfully speaks to both domestic and international audiences with Vision 2030 reforms and leadership goals. The analysis is based on six key principles: Simplicity, Unexpectedness, Concreteness, Credibility, Emotion and Stories. The principles also explain just why his public pronouncements have been so potent and lasting. This article employs a qualitative content analysis to various public appearances of MBS, including an interview on 60 Minutes and keynote address at Davos in the Desert, FOX news and Discovery. The results show that MBS event structure hinges on simplifying policy, under the form of complexity reduction of particular legislation, taking novel actions to capture attention and telling enthusiastic stories for youth hope and national pride. His speeches are generally replete with statistical evidence of progress in the land, but this data would be sprinkled with personal and national stories to make his vision more tangible. Moreover, the research applies Rhetorical Theory by employing Aristotle's persuasiveness strategies (ethos, pathos, logos) to scrutinize how MBS credibilizes (ethos), appeals to audiences' emotions (pathos), and advances reasonable arguments in his speeches. The Framing Theory is also applied to understand how The MBS reforms and his foreign diplomacy are framed by MBS-led Coalition, constructing popular regional as well as global opinion.

Keywords :MBS, Communication, Vision 2030, Rhetoric

Conference Name :International Conference on Communication Technology and New Media (ICCTNM-24)

Conference Place London, UK

Conference Date 3rd Dec 2024