The Republican brand seems to be quite succesful. The Democratic Party brand seems less successful in recent years and I have been wondering why.
The objectives that a good brand will achieve include:
- Deliver the message clearly
- Confirms your credibility
- Connects your target prospects emotionally
- Motivates the buyer
- Concrete User Loyalty
http://marketing.about.com/cs/brandmktg/a/whatisbranding.htm
Are these objectives being met through the brand of the Democratic Party?
Deliver the message clearly. I keep thinking of flip flop. Flip flop. God, the Republicans are good. What a simple message. The American public bought into this message hook,line, and sinker. What did the Democratic Party have for a message that was clearly communicated? I don't know. I guess to be clear it has to be short and simply. We have to dumb down the message for the public. Working hard. President Bush stated that he was working hard. "We are working hard in Iraq." To me, this does not make any sense. Working hard. But for some reason it resonates with people. People can relate to the concept of working hard. They know what it means to work hard.
Confirms your credibility. If this objective was being met by our branding, we would be winning more elections. Apparently, people do not see the Democratic Party as being very credible in comparison to the Republican Party.
Connects with your target prospects emotionally. This is where the Republicans have won in spades. The abortion issue. The marriage amendments that are popping up in states everywhere. Focusing on fear. I don't even think that a lot of the money-grubbing Republicans even care about these issues much but they know it is a secret to winning elections. Target emotions. Wow. It is working for them!!
Motivates the buyer. The Republican brand is motivating the grass roots effort. No question about it. The evangelicals were out in their churches spreading the word of God as well as the Republican message. They were highly motivated to buy into the Republican bullshit.
Concrete user loyalty. This is where I am hoping the Republicans have not won. I am hoping that we can turn the tide against the Repulican brand and get people to see the Democratic Brand in a better light. I am hoping the voting public in fickle.
I definitely think that the Democratic Brand is not meeting the needed objectives. What about the Democratic Brand is working? What can we do to make it better?