A Branding Perspective: Why Corporations Oppose Voter Suppression
The rising tide of corporate resistance to new voting suppression laws is gaining momentum every day. The possible ramifications of this opposition are wide and deep. Conservatives urge business to stay out of politics, even though many enjoy receiving corporate contributions. Their rationale is a baseless argument that such modifications are essential for eliminating voter fraud, which has been totally disproven. On the other hand, many view these new voter restrictions as an alarming threat to our democracy, similar to the January 6...
read moreWhy Americans No Longer Trust Our Institutions
Confidence in American institutions is at historical lows. During the past 25 years, trust in core political, social, and economic institutions has plummeted, coinciding with the rapid growth of the omnipresent internet in our lives. There is a ubiquitous presence of negativity, cynicism and polarization in our society today that fuels this lack of confidence which could have severe consequences in the future. This pessimism is dangerous. However, repositioning the various institutional brands could help create a more...
read moreHow The Election Validated Key Branding Principles
Trump’s election victory was a surprise (and a big disappointment) to many voters. The results were clear and there have been tons of post-election assessments to explain what went wrong for Harris. But the underlying reason surpassing all other “mistakes” involved voter emotions, in particular, their deep feelings of frustration and discontent over the economy, and whether they could afford the same lifestyle again. For the past four years, the average consumer has witnessed big price increases and other financial obstacles, from grocery...
read moreHow Cultural Swings Can Impact Brands
We live in a dynamic society where our cultural values and moods are in a constant state of flux, changing radically every decade or so. A historical perspective of these cultural swings shows the importance of recognizing emerging opportunities (and threats) for positioning a brand, even today as we approach the Presidential election World War I led to the roaring 1920’s with carefree hedonism, followed by the humbling depression in the 1930’s and then World War II. The Eisenhower period in the 1950’s was characterized by an expansion of...
read moreHow Emotions Shape Decision-Making For Brands And Politics
Brand marketing is all about making a promise that will excite an audience and ultimately establish a bond with them. Exactly what and how you communicate such a proposition requires a thorough understanding of your target’s needs, desires and values. Related to this, creativity is essential for finding that passionate “sweet spot” to emotionally connect with him/her. In other words, detached objectivity and a rational persuasion are not enough; emotional feelings are needed to guide reason and cognitive thinking for optimal...
read moreIs Conventional Etiquette Finally Coming Back? Implications For Branding
Our society is becoming more diverse, often contributing to polarization yet also demanding greater inclusion. It is indeed a highly dynamic culture today with evolving standards of etiquette. It has been over a hundred years since Emily Post wrote her iconic book “Etiquette” (1922) which shaped good behavior, civility and manners for decades. Recently however, with the advent of social media and its flood of rude misinformation, which is even more evident during an election year, most people think politeness and manners are in decline:...
read moreHow Voters Perceive The Brand Image Of Biden & Trump
The ultimate goal of branding is to cultivate an emotional connection with the customer, based on shared values (e.g. trust, credibility, etc.) and perceptions (e.g. how one feels about the brand). This is often called the brand essence, personality or image. However, researching a brand image can be challenging as it is difficult for most people to articulate these feelings. Instead recognizable contrasting analogies to well-known brand types are often used in market research to clarify customer perceptions and feelings – e.g. celebrities...
read moreHow Trumpism Is Re-Positioning “Justice”
The unanimous verdict finding Donald Trump guilty of all 34 counts in the NY criminal case opened the floodgates for vitriolic criticism and vengeful retribution by Conservatives against Democrats and Biden. More alarming was their outrage over a core pillar of our democracy, the entire judicial system. Behind this latest controversy was, yet again, politics, including two different strategies for trying to position our judicial system. This endeavor is best understood through a branding lens. Positioning a brand is essential for shaping...
read moreThe Democratic Brand Faces Challenges From the Unhappy Youth
The recent Global Happiness Ranking from Gallup stunned many when it reported that America dropped out of the top 20 for the first time, falling from 15th place to 23rd. While the self-reported happiness fell for every age group, the most precipitous drop was the under 30 group, down to a disastrous 62nd. This disturbing emotional change in the Gen Z segment, which now makes up about a fifth of the U.S. population, presents new challenges for the Democratic Party brand in this election year, especially in light of the spread of misleading...
read moreWhy Harvard’s Brand Reputation Is In Trouble
There is turmoil at Harvard, long considered the pinnacle of academic excellence. A series of mishaps in the past year has galvanized wide spread criticism and has created a disturbing perception of this historic university. While the causes are varied and complex, most relate to a classic strategic mistake: straying away from its core brand value, the ideal of truth, or as emblazoned on Harvard’s seal, “veritas”. Harvard was the first college in America, established in 1636. Its first commencement had nine graduates, and 134 years later,...
read more“I Didn’t Leave – The Re-Branded Republican Party Left Me”
American history has never seen such an abrupt brand transformation of a major political party, the Republican Party. Most of the core principles and values of the Republican brand have been turned upside down by Trump and his MAGA followers in the past eight years. Around the country, long term Republican loyalists are saying…”I didn’t leave the Party; no, the Party left me”. This sentiment is common among the 30% of Republicans who voted for Haley in the primaries. Will these worried tradition minded voters support Trump after all, or...
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