The Gift of the One-liner

If brevity is the secret to effective communication, the one-liner is its atomic-power equivalent.

The best communicators are the ones who are the least verbose and are thrifty with the use of words. But those who can condense volumes into a one-liner are truly gifted. The really interesting aspect of one-liners is that they can be found just about everywhere and exist without domain boundaries. One-liners are associated not only with wit, puns and comedy but also with elevator pitches, branding and mission statements. And, they can also be very profound.

Let’s take a look at one-liners across the spectrum.

The Movies

The film industry, across the world, is a great exponent of one-liners. Screenplay writers use these artfully to amplify effect and allow viewers to pause and reflect.

Hollywood

In The Godfather, Don Corleone (played by Marlon Brando) tells his godson, Johnny Fontane (played by Al Martino) that “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse” in response to the latter beseeching help for getting casted in a movie role. The one-liner has a formidable punch and says it all.

Illustration 1. Some of the best known one-liners from Hollywood

Bollywood

The Bollywood movie Deewar, best known for its treasure trove of one-liners was released at a time when India’s civil liberties were suspended (a.k.a. The Emergency). Here, citing his struggles which led him to become wealthy, although through lethal means, Amitabh Bachan invokes his good-cop brother to get rich by taunting him and saying, “I have property, a bungalow, bank balance and a car, what do you have?” To which Shashi Kapoor silences him and humbly replies, “I have a mother.”

Illustration 2. Some of the best known one-liners from Bollywood

Corporate Mission Statements

Businesses have used the one liner for branding, conveying mission statements as well as elevator pitches. Whether it’s conveying a unique selling proposition, or what the business stands for, a one-liner can leave a powerful impression.

Illustration 3: Corporate brand statements, tag lines and mission statements

Vision Statements

Most organisations that are purpose driven need to communicate their vision to their stakeholders and to the larger community. Vision statements that are crisp and concise lead to better engagement.

Illustration 4: Compelling vision statements of social purpose organisations

Political Slogans

Sloganeering is the forte of consummate politicians but equally of some civil society movements. Slogans have been coined by politicians to survive in stormy weather and by civil society movements to speak truth to power.

Illustration 5: Political slogans across the spectrum

Puns, Repartees and Jokes

The real essence of one-liners lie in their ability to humour people whether it is on TV talk shows or stand-up comedy or in writing.

Illustration 6: Brevity as the soul of wit

One-liners stand out from everything else. Even in the age of digital life, where sound bites proliferate, creating the perfect one-liner is an art and remains a difficult proposition. When spoken, the one-liner requires wit and spontaneity but when conceived pre-meditatively, it requires remarkable observation, an ability to cut to the chase and an extraordinary way with words.

If it weren’t for one-liners we would have words coming out of our ears. What do you think?

Feature image by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Shakti Saran is a systems thinker, writer, consultant, and the Founder of Shaktify, an initiative to power social and environmental change