Brand Trends - Political Branding

By Chuck Pettis

Summaries of brand trends as reported by
leading publications covering the branding field.

Political Branding - July to November, 2004

It has been fascinating to watch the 2004 U.S. Presidential race. My earlier Political Branding blog described basic branding and positioning strategies being used by both Bush and Kerry:

  1. Push the Reptilian Hot Buttons
  2. Attack or respond to attacks
  3. Keep it simple (KIS)
  4. Frame issues with "idealistic" names and simple messages
  5. Focus on the most important target audiences
  6. Get the right people on the bus
  7. Make every event count

To this list, I add:

  1. Repeat the same message over and over and over.
  2. Focus on shared values.
  3. Focus on emotional issues.
  4. Use the same kinds of market research & branding techniques used by the world's most powerful commercial brands

A quick note regarding the format of this blog. Read the following sections and commentaries as stand-alone stories…some short, some longer.

 

Many thanks to the editors and reporters that wrote all the great stories and articles.

 

I welcome your own comments, insights and wisdom. Email me at cpettis@brand.com
   - Chuck Pettis

 

Political Brand Strategy #2 - Attack or respond to attacks

Republicans Pack Punch. Democrats Take It. (For Now)
The New York Times, September 12, 2004

Republicans are better at attack and reptilian-brand politics than Democrats. Example: VP Dick Cheney suggested that electing Democrats in the November election would "invite a devastating terrorist attack."; Attack politics uses the strategy of pointing out the opposition's worst and weakest traits, while quickly taking advantage of any opportunity for retaliation. Reptiles have an instinct of always going for the weak spot, the "jugular."; In politics, attack politics is entertaining and much more compelling for voters. Progressives need to figure out that the "truth"; and "facts"; are not sufficient and will always be outgunned by fear for survival.

Republican National Convention: Kerry Slammed
The Seattle Times, September 2, 2004

The Republican National Convention was a stage for fear-based, macho, and reptilian-oriented attack politics. A few choice quotes:

  • "Kerry would let Paris decide when American needs defending."; -- Democratic Sen. Zell Miller

  • "George W. Bush will never seek a permission slip to defend the American people."; - VP Dick Cheney

Political Brand Strategy #8 - Repeat the same message over and over

Garfield's AdReview: Kerry serves up cacophony of indecision, missed shots
Advertising Age, September 13, 2004

Kerry's advertising squandered his advantages and focused on the wrong messages. The right messages: Bush is bad for the environment, bad for jobs, tricked us into war, alienated the world against the US, took away basic liberties, etc.

 

What would make you switch?
American Demographics, September, 2004

One in five people who say they will vote for President Bush would change to Kerry if Kerry announced a major initiative in stem cell research to cure Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes and spinal injuries.

 

Is Bush a Ford and Kerry a BMW?
The Wall Street Journal, August 30, 2004

A survey found out what brands voters associate with Bush and Kerry.

 

Bush Kerry
Dunkin' Donuts Starbucks
IBM Apple
McDonald's Subway

 

Bottomline, "old reliable" brand beats out "challenger" brand. "Reliability" is the number-one purchase factor in most BrandSolutions brand research. Not being reliable evokes powerful negative emotions and fears (flipper-flopper?).

 

A Call for Softer, Greener Language
The New York Times, March 2, 2003
Environmental Word Games
The New York Times, March 15, 2003

 

With environmental issues seen as the Republicans and George W. Bush's biggest vulnerability, Republicans engaged strategist, Frank Luntz. Some of Luntz's recommendations:

  • Use "climate change,"; which is seen as a more controllable challenge than "global warming.";
  • Position themselves as "conservatists"; which is seen as reasoned compared to "environmentalist"; extremists.
  • Dress up environmental policy with warm and soft words like "balance,"; "safe and healthy,"; and "common sense.";
  • Recruit scientists sympathetic to their cause.
  • Say, "the evidence is not complete.";
  • Be a champion of national parks.
  • Avoid bad news.

Frontline: The Persuaders, Interview with Frank Luntz

Frank Luntz is a very smart brand strategist and his work should be studied by all brand marketers.

 

Some of Luntz's Key Points.

  • Know what works and what doesn't work.
  • How you feel is much more important than how you think.
  • The same techniques are used for corporations as for politicians.
  • Effective language delivered by passionate people can change the course of history.
  • Find a way to articulate the policies you believe in.
  • Language makes a big difference. Changing "estate tax"; to "death tax"; got the support of 75% of Americans.
  • "It's not what you say; it's what people hear that counts.";
  • "You say it again, and you say it again, and you say it again, and you say it again, and you say it again, and then again and again and again and again, and about the time that you're absolutely sick of saying it its about the time that your target audience heard it for the first time.";
  • "It's all emotion.";
  • "My job is to look for the words that trigger the emotion.";

Republicans are picture-perfect at the art of framing arguments
The Seattle Times, October 14, 2004

The Democrats believe that the truth and rational, fact-oriented arguments win. Not true in politics. Framing techniques include: disciplined repetition ("flip-flopper";), careful use of tested linguistic words and phrases ("Healthy Forests";), linking emotionally charged events together (9/11 attacks and Saddam Hussein, terror and Iraq), consistent use of reptilian- and fear-based messaging (VP Cheney used the words "terror"; and "terrorist"; nine times when answering his first question in the VP debate).

Political Brand Strategy #9 - Focus on shared values

Without a Doubt
The New York Times, October 17, 2004

Bush believes he is on a mission from God. He gets rid of people who confront him with reason and facts or an expectation of open dialogue. A faith-based president, he acts based on a moral position and expects complete faith in his right decision. You are with him or against him. The message: have faith in me and be rewarded. Wrong me or doubt me and there will be retribution. Bush gains support of voters by emotional intangibles like: confidence, certainty, godliness, righteousness, and by identifying and defining evil.

 

The new religious voice of America's public culture
The Seattle Times, November 5, 2004

Moral values, beat out terrorism, the economy, and Iraq as the key wedge issues in the presidential race. Translation, abortion and same-sex marriage, combined with a huge marketing campaign, and frequent "spiritual winks"; motivated the religious right and regular Christian church goers to vote for Bush, tipping the scale.

 

Political Brand Strategy #10 - Focus on emotional issues

Can Fear Win Undecided Voters? Psychologists Say Maybe Not
The New York Times, October 5, 2004

New research has found that fear- and anxiety-based advertising is most effective with informed, "sophisticated"; voters (note Kerry's appeal to higher IQ voters above). During times of prosperity and peace, voters are loyal to their parties. During times of confusion, war and doubt, people start questioning their party and are more open to defecting.

Political Brand Strategy #11 - Use the same kinds of market research & branding techniques used by the world's most powerful commercial brands.

Texas Firms Tied to Rove Rake in the Bucks
The Wall Street Journal, September 10, 2004

Karl Rove's network of long-time direct mail firms is a major advantage for Bush. Direct mail has one big advantage over most other marketing tactics: an emphasis and endless quest for results and response. Used to working together, they can work efficiently and quickly, essential for political communications. The top communications partner is Olsen & Shuvalov.

 

The Ground Game
Newsweek, October 4, 2004

To get voters to the polls, the Republican party operated like a well-oiled corporate sales team with quotas, sales reports to headquarters, and rewards/incentives for results, including better seating at Bush events.

 

Who you gonna call? Tricks of the polling trade
The Seattle Times, October 19, 2004

  • A sample size of 1,000 is sufficient for a national poll (~3% margin of error versus ~2% margin of error for a sample size of 2,000). .

  • Polls are more accurate than people think.

  • Don' poll on Mother's Day, Halloween, weekend nights