Metaphor: The Pinnacle of Communication

Metaphor is the pinnacle of human communication. 

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who uses insider language and industry jargon, talking about things that they know you don’t know about? Usually people who do this are insecure, and they’re trying to seem smart. But if they really were smart, they would be using a metaphor.

Metaphors speak on three levels: technical, artistic, and personal. 

You need to understand something technically well in order to explain it simply. If you don’t understand something very well, industry jargon helps you get by. I could chat about my clients’ engagement rates for their ad spend at a party, but I wouldn’t have an easy time making friends. But by using a metaphor, I could compare engagement rates to a fuel efficient car, and a lot more people would understand. The use of a metaphor demands a technical understanding of a concept in order to compare it to something else.

A good metaphor also engages an artistic side of communication. Virtually every food tastes like chicken, and every business is like a car. A good metaphor draws out something deeper, something closer, something stronger. Just like good art avoids cliches, good metaphors find an artistic comparison that is poignant, unique, and tailor-made.

Finally, metaphors must be spoken on a personal level. I could compare a client relationship to meeting your significant other’s parents (and I have), but if I’m speaking to a 12 year old, they won’t know what that’s like either. Understanding your audience on a personal level leads you to craft metaphors that they will understand. 

So if you’re using insider language to sound smart, I’ve just outed you (at least to the other readers of this blog). Challenge yourself, go deeper, connect with your audience. Use a metaphor.