>It’s likely that who you will vote for is a function of how you respond to an avalanche of messages. Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both pushed their brands towards opposite extremes, driving support across a highly polarized public.
Consider the value of facts; it has never been easier to get information. Digital technology and the Internet make answers so accessible that they’ve become a commodity. Since facts require so little effort to procure, we’ve placed a lot less value on them. Value has always been equated with laborious effort and the instant availability of “truth” continues to cheapen its importance.
What this presidential election has shown is qualifications, experience and records are not nearly as effective as moments and messages that inspire memorable feelings. Democracy relies on a savvy electorate who weigh the issues, then cast their vote. But in the age of new media, propaganda has run wild. A large percentage of voters are now basing their decision on how they feel.
It’s all a simple matter of branding. Trump knows it. Biden knows it. The difference between them is their brand positioning. Depending on your feelings, it’s possible to make a case for supporting either one. Is it “winner take all” or “one for all” that attracts you? There’s little need for lengthy factual discourse in establishing that as a fundamental message. Campaigns that rely on intuitively understandable, simple concepts work surprisingly well.
There are two bold concepts that political campaigns share with branding initiatives:
Effective branding is your business campaign— design messages to inspire emotion and loyalty between you and everyone you contact: customers, employees and even competitors. In other words, be real and you will capture the votes you want to win in the election for business.