Strategic Communication in Post-Truth Societies: Introducing the Identity–Trust–Emotion (ITE) Framework

In recent years, the promise of fact-based strategic communication has been steadily eroding. Whether in public health campaigns, political debates, or organizational crises, clear and accurate information often fails to persuade. The reason is not the absence of facts, but the collapse of shared realities in what many now call the post-truth era. In polarized societies, people interpret messages through partisan identities, question the motives of institutions, and respond more to emotional cues than to evidence. This article argues that to remain relevant, strategic communication must be reimagined. I introduce the Identity – Trust – Emotion (ITE) Framework, which places three forces at the center of communication: identity filters that shape how messages are received, trust anchors that shape whether messages are accepted as credible, and emotional resonance that drives persuasion. Rather than assuming rational publics, the ITE framework acknowledges fragmented audiences and contested truths. Drawing on examples from both established democracies and fragile states, I illustrate how this approach can guide governments, corporations, and humanitarian organizations in navigating fractured publics. By moving beyond the “fact-first” paradigm, the framework offers both a theoretical shift for communication scholarship and practical tools for communicators working in an age when facts alone are no longer enough.