Project Logic Ga

When did branding become so important in politics?  A brand, as defined by the American Marketing Association, is a name, term, sign, symbol or design or combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of others sellers. It is about getting your prospects to see you as the only one that provides a solution to their problems.

We know branding from Coke and Tide but now Sarah Palin and Rev. Al Sharpton have joined Puff Daddy, Deion Sanders and Martha Stewart as brands with multi-dimensional money-making divisions. 

I personally think some candidates seek office with post-election/service branding opportunities in mind.  The funny thing is that master branders Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich are close to the White House than they planned and could be there  if their branding operations gave way to actual campaign operations.

I should take a stab at writing a rebranding statements for Cain, Gingrich and my guy Obama:

Herman Cain: “Okay..okay..I was initially running to push the conservative message and “stay paid” in the process.  Who knew that the presidential field would be this weak and that I would be the front runner. If I knew this would happen, I would have written an Obama style book that put any juicy stuff out there from jump street.  Well, it’s rough at the top but I will survive with my new-found support from those in the Black community who I have avoided to date but who are in my corner because they hate seeing one of their own recreationally ripped apart by the media.  I went to Morehouse College and yes I should have seen this drama coming.”

Newt Gingrich: “I really am as smart as Obama but sometimes smart guys get caught up in the game.  The dumb, mean act was design to get Tea Party support but I miss calculated.  I don’t have Romney’s hair but the brain under the hair I have is huge and could be reprogram to create sound governmental policy. I am hella presidential.”

Barrack Obama: “If you check the video history, I never said it would be easy or that I could do it alone. That was you’ll….not me.  Since the far Right insists on talking about matters that shouldn’t be part of governmental policy, I am going to “flip the script” and do the same.  In my second term, I will devote my time and energy to pointing out the limited role of government and what the average person can do with hard work and determination to have a Huxtable or Obama like family.  That won’t be easy either.”

It’s time for these candidates to be less Madison Avenue branding and get down to some Main Street/Country Road real talk branding.  As a matter of fact, they should forgo branding and simply be themselves.