Saturday, December 13, 2008

They Win by Marketing. We Win By Smarter Marketing

Creative Wisdom wrote an article entitled Obama and the Power of Branding - The Big O in which she outlined her fascination with the marketing of O. Unfortunately, she has a point. His marketing team didn't run him for president. They sold him as a brand. We must in turn brand our own movement. But not the way it has been branded in the past. For too long we have let our brand be sullied by the MSM and pathetic examples of "Conservatives."
If McCain is our best, we will never get back the White House, much less Congress. Our campaign must have a thorough scrubbing and a fresh coat of paint. It needs younger and more adept speakers who can push our message with passion and vitality. We need a true believer who can withstand the scrutiny and hatred from the MSM.
While Tweeting, jimmiekersh was discussing a "Conservative Manifesto." I agree. But as a simple document, it will have the effect of any other document. Read once, put down, forgotten. With his desire to viral it on the web, it is possible that we could keep it alive for as long as someone is willing to keep pushing it.
This is where Marketing comes in. We must "Brand" ourselves. I have been in the Ad/Print industry for 14 years. There is no substitute for a logo, a slogan, and a quality product. And sometimes the product doesn't have to be quality. It just has to be believable and something everyone wants (ie. Hope & Change). The way we win is bring out the quality product. Rush says that Conservative values win hands down every time they're tried. I hate to say it but I think that's only partially true. Look at Blue States and tell me that they work every time. I have to believe that someone in those states is running as a true Conservative. Why don't they win?
Marketing.
With the proper marketing tools you could get a homeless guy to buy a garage door opener. He doesn't need it. But the guy who sold it to him made him think he wanted it. I'm not saying we push people to want what they don't need. I'm saying that with the right salesman, people will often change their minds about preconceived notions or even heartfelt beliefs. We aren't selling a bill of goods. We are selling freedom and individual liberty. Why haven't we been able to sell it for the past sixteen years? Oh wait, I know, our "salesman" doesn't always believe in the product.
And the ads (MSM) put out never display our product in a desireable light.
With the number of outlets outside the MSM, we could push this manifesto (I hate using this word, too many negative connotations for me) on all fronts. Video (YouTube, etc.)
Print (WSJ, Wash Times- as long as they're solvent)
Radio (We own it!)
Internet (Twitter, all other community sites, and blanket emails)
All we need is the right message and the right person to deliver it.
Who is that person?

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