I received a lovely missive from the King of Language and Message, Mr. Frank Luntz:

I’m Back!

After five weeks without a home or a name, I have finally settled on both.

I think it’s fully appropriate that a pollster actually conduct a poll to determine what to call his company. Thanks to the input of some of the most influential people in politics, business and American culture, I have settled on “The Word Doctors” as the entity for the work I do going forward. (Sounds a little like a primetime soap opera, I know.)

[ . . . ]

Life in Santa Monica is slower and more relaxed – and I am eager to maintain that life-affirming pace going forward. What research projects I do accept will be in conjunction with my old firm – LMSR.

But if you’re looking for strategic guidance or long-term planning, or you want someone to deliver a State-of-America speech to your company or organization, I hope you’ll allow The Word Doctors to find the right words for you.

All the best,

Frank Luntz

(See the above email in its entirety online)

I just received this announcement from Nancy Martira over at Ketchum, following-up on my blog post with the big announcement that Frank Luntz is leaving Luntz, Maslansky Strategic Research:

As you reported on your blog, the close of the 2008 Election Season also brings to a close Frank Luntz’s time as CEO at Luntz Maslansky, a non-partisan, market research and communications consulting firm.  As reported in Ad Age on Friday afternoon, Lutz Maslansky Strategic Research (LMSR) is pleased to announce that President Michael Maslansky will be taking over the role of CEO effective January 1, 2009.  The Luntz, Maslansky Method of Language Strategy, used recently by news organizations such as CNN and FOX News to track voter reaction to the presidential debates, is used to understand how target audiences “hear” messages and how to craft the precise language that resonates most powerfully with those audiences. 

Founder and outgoing CEO Frank Luntz will relinquish day-to-day responsibilities and assume the role of chairman emeritus.  Prior to his five years of service as the President of LMSR, Michael Maslansky was president of MarketResearch.com, a leading market intelligence company where he remains on the Board.  “Michael is the ideal person to take the firm to the next level,” said Luntz.  “At no time in recent history has the importance of clear, credible and persuasive communications been greater than it is today, with corporate American facing unprecedented financial challenges and a new era in Washington.”