Learning from the Election Results
We are just a little more than a week past the election, but it seems like the distant past. Before the excitement fades away, it is worth reflecting on some things marketers can learn about branding and strategy from what happened. Don’t Assume Others Are Like You It is very tempting to assume that everyone […]
The Election Branding Battle
Elections are brand battles. At Kellogg, we define brands to be the associations linked to a name, mark or symbol associated with a product or service. When people see a name or symbol, what do they think? This is the brand. A political race is all about branding. People aren’t buying a product they can […]
Three Branding Observations on the Debate
It is the week after the debate. People are still digesting exactly what happened and the implications. Here are three observations on the campaign. Biden Shouldn’t Run For Joe Biden, the debate was a branding disaster. Heading into the event, his brand was tarnished by perceptions of age and cognitive decline. The debate reinforced these perceptions; […]
Defining the Republican Brand
It is rare to see a brand face a clear positioning decision. In most situations, brands change gradually over time, with the brand leaders working to nudge perceptions one way or the other. A brand might want to seem a bit more inclusive or innovative or young. The Republican party is in a unique situation; […]
The Problems with Student Debt Forgiveness
One of the most intriguing ideas floating around Washington these days is student debt forgiveness. Some politicians are arguing that the U.S. should forgive $50,000 of student debt per person. Other people think it would be better to forgive all the debt. It might be possible for Joe Biden to make such a move because […]
Joe Biden Embraces the Power of Marketing
Joe Biden last night delivered a sober, thoughtful address looking back on a difficult year and promising hope for the future. The speech was remarkable for its tone. There was no boasting, no declarations of victory, no personal attacks on his opponents. It was simply a credible review of where we are now in the […]
Three Learnings from Election 2020
Donald Trump seems reluctant to believe it, but we are now well past the election. It is a good time to consider what we learned. I think three things stand out. The Democrats Need Better Marketing If you’ve been following this blog, you know that I’ve been unimpressed with the marketing efforts coming from Joe […]
Political Ad Review: The Final Spots
We are heading to the finish – people are voting, Trump and Biden are crossing the country to rally support, and the final ads of the season are coming out. Today I want to look at two of these spots, ads that could not be more different in tone and style and effectiveness. Trump’s Law […]
Political Ad Review: Biden and Dogs – The Election’s Defining Ad
Every once in a while you come across a piece of advertising that somehow perfectly fits the moment. These usually aren’t the most rational ads, or the most entertaining. For George Bush, it was Ashley’s Story, a simple yet remarkable spot that somehow made sense of an entire election. Why vote for George Bush? Because […]
Political Ad Review: Ford’s Built for America
It is a chaotic time in the presidential race, so in this ad review I will shift my focus from the candidates to Ford’s new patriotic spot, Built for America. You can watch it here. A Lot to Like There is a lot to like in this new spot and campaign. It is beautiful. It […]
Ad Review: Biden Ups His Game
Joe Biden is out with a new spot, and if it is any indication, he might make this a competitive election after all. The Biden Struggle Those of you that have been following these political ad reviews know that I think Joe Biden has been struggling to find a strategic focus. He has run ads […]
Ad Review: Trump Embraces the Police
There is nothing like a crisp strategy. I love seeing great marketing, and effective campaigns are grounded in strategic thinking. Donald Trump has a tight strategy heading into the election, and he is executing on it in a new ad out this week. Like the last Trump spot I reviewed, this one works pretty well. […]