Finding the simplicity in complexity
March 29th, 2018
What IC pros can learn from comedian extraordinaire, John Oliver, about making the complex simple…
Comedy shows that mock politics and topical issues, are nothing new. But British comedian John Oliver has introduced a fresh angle with his American talk show, Last Week Tonight.
On the surface, a show that features topics like net neutrality, cryptocurrency, and the Argentinian debt crisis, is likely to have you reaching for the remote control. But if you’ve never watched Last Week Tonight, I’d recommend giving it a go, just to see a masterclass in how to engage people with topics that on the surface seem complex and dry.
Not only is it funny, and educational, but the show is exposing real world issues, that certain people would rather the average Josephine on the street remained ignorant to. But taking a topic like net neutrality and making it easy to understand without being patronising, and genuinely interesting is no mean feat.
And it’s been so successful, his show has influenced US legislation and court rulings – it’s even been dubbed ‘the John Oliver effect’.
So, how does he do it, and can we replicate it for internal audiences?
This blog was originally written for Alive With Ideas. Read the full blog on their website.
Categories: Comedy • Internal communication
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