The (Best) Worse Negative Political Campaigns

Today as I watched television, I endured a large amount of negative political advertising. Most of the negativity was aimed at political opponents and/or issues that I will be voting for on November 4th (will that day please come already). One thing struck me as odd, why do politicians continue to utilize negative campaigning? This type of campaigning, has been proven very effective especially when the attacker is weaker (or has less to offer) than the victim.

This got me to thinking, what are the worst negative political campaigns of all-time?

The Daisy Ad

The has to be one of the most chilling negative campaigns (considering the times) ever. Lyndon Johnson was able to pander fear in order to defeat Barry Goldwater in 1964

This has to be the most effective ad ever. With the rise of the Soviet Union at the time, this was a realistic fear which scared people into voting.

John McCain’s Black baby

Shortly after John McCain beat George Bush in the 2000 Republican primary in New Hampshire, a whisper campaign was started in South Carolina. The campaign was spread via a phony poll that asked Republican voters “Whether or not they would vote for McCain if he fathered a illegitmate Black child.” The simple accusation was enough to turn the tide and power a Bush win in South Carolina, and eventually, the Republican nomination.

McCain’s whisper campaign against Barack Obama most likely got it roots from this event. The Bush administration honed in on McCain’s dark-skinned adopted child to plant the seed of doubt in voters minds. One of many instances were race has been used to discredit someone.

The Willie Horton ad

George Bush Sr invoked this commercial to defeat Michael Dukakis in the 1988 presidential election.  It helped power Dukakis defeat as many envisioned him as soft on crime.

This was an effective use of many Americans worse nightmare, the Black felon. Like the daisy ad, this preys on Americans inner most fear, that of insecurity. Associating this fear with a candidate helped dismantle the credibility that Dukakis had built. Would this ad had been effective if the individual was another race? It played on stereotypes, and people instantly made the connection.

Swift Boat

After 2004′s presidential election, negative attacks earned a new name “Swift Boating”. Kerry’s military service was attacked and he was accused of being unpatriotic. Many people believe this is what powered Bush Jr into his second term.

Overall, the campaign was effective because it discredited Kerry’s ability to handle the war in Iraq, at least to the common man. He was seen as a traitor, and some one that the American people could not trust.

Hopefully, in the next two weeks neither presidential canadidate will resort to negative campaign to bolster their chances of winning. What about taking a page from product/service advertising? I truly believe that people want messages of hope, not fear. The daisy ad, in my opinion was the (best) worse political ad because it connected with people’s innermost fears, harm upon our children. Now take the poll and tell me what you think!

2 Ways to Build A Brand As Strong As Nike

While watching football this past Sunday, I stumbled across Nike’s newest commercial Leave Nothing sandwiched between political ads. In my mind, it reinforced the company’s brand so well. After viewing the commercial I instantly wanted to achieve, on the football field.

What makes the Nike brand so great? Well quite frankly because most people “get it”. The brand has closely aligned itself with superior athletes. Unlike its chief competitor, Reebok, Nike continues to focus on excellence in athletics, and they continue to do it well. When building your own brand, there are three things that Nike does well, which could extend to any brand builder.

1. Focus on #1 – No one can be an expert at everything, so why try? The strongest brands consistently focus on their strengths for success. A good brand captures you mind in just a few words. If I asked you about “athletic excellence” you would probably think Nike. When you think about “family friendly entertainment” Disney is probably in your mind. Whether shaping the brand of your business, or your personal brand, focus will provide a clear path to success.
2. Build believers – What young person is not inspired by the stories that Nike has created? Tiger Woods and Lebron James are the latest athletes that have created a following thanks to Nike. These athletes have overcome odds to become successful. They have achieved excellence, and Nike has been there the whole time. Why would anyone be interested in a brand they can’t believe in? This is where most major brands miss the point. There is no compelling story to build the brand. This, in my opinion, is what the major cell phone brands lack, there are very few believers.

Although any great brand will require strategic planning and thought, emulating Nike could pay great dividends in building your brand. Leave Nothing!

Rewind Wednesday: The Worst Company in America

In light of the tumultuous state of our economy, one of my recent posts about The Worst Company in America, once again comes to light. With the demise (and subsequent rise) of AIG, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae many people are left blaming the companies for the country’s economic woes. I am sure that many will view these as “bad” companies just because they failed and are earning tax payer dollars. A few months ago, consumers were asked to pick the Worst Company in America.

Even their logo was pretty bad

There many companies that deserve the dubious award for being the worst company in America, but in the end Countrywide Home Loans was awarded cursed as the worst company in the America. While consumers have voted this company as the worst company, is it just a branding problem?

It is amazing to witness how companies, which deliver great products and/or services, will be viewed in such a different light based on their branding efforts. How can Wal-Mart be one of the most successful companies in American history, but one of the most hated by consumers? Maybe Patrick Hanlon was right in Primal Branding (great book, book review coming soon), great brands simply need “non-believers” to reinforce the relevance of the belief system. I guess it is impossible for a brand to be universally loved (how many Apple haters are out there?).

When thinking about my own personal brand, the single most important part of branding building is disaster recovery, and this is where I think Countrywide Home Loans went wrong.

For more information about the Worst Company in America competition visit the people at The Consumerist. Enjoy this blast for the not so distant past!

Branding Disaster – The Worst Company in America

July 17, 2008

Have you ever dealt with a firm that you believed to be the worst company in America? In branding circles, we often cite companies that are branded well; Google, Disney, Harley-Davidson, and Nike are a few companies that may come to mind when you think of a good brand (company). What companies come to mind when you think of the worst company in America? Well, there is no need to fret as the people at The Consumerist have provided tournament to decide which company is the worst in America.

Who is the worst company in America?

The worst companies were initially picked by the websites readers and each week the worst company advances. Similar to the NCAA’s March Madness, it started off with 64 companies (why didn’t they have the play-in?) that were assigned ranks by the number of votes they received. After many months of companies “battling” it out, four companies have risen (or fell) to the final four; Walmart, Comcast, Countrywide, and Diebold. It will be interesting to see which company will earn the title of the “Worst Company in America” (and the infamous golden “dog pile” award). One thing is for certain, each company has suffered massive branding disasters. As time progresses, it will be interesting to see which of these companies will continue to survive. Walmart has already begun the process of shedding its image with rebranding, what about the other companies?

What is the worst company in the world to you?

The Army Brand, Is It Finally Cool?

Sometime ago, I offered some suggestions on building the Army brand. Needless to say, Army’s CMO, Edward Walters has not taken my advice, the Army would do very well to team up with Spike TV for a basic training reality show (you heard it hear first, call me Mr. Walters)! He has, however, established a few new wrinkles in the way the Army brand is perceived.

Anyone my age, or older can remember the old recruiting offices that were found in strip malls. There was a some uniformed sergeant telling you how wonderful the military is. When I entered this office, they told me I would build schools and save the world. At the age of 17, I believed it (and for the most part I still do) and decided to join. The new Army has taken a different approach, it has built a recruiting center in the an actual retail mall!

The old enviroment is gone, now there are civilians and Army personal with khakis and polos telling possible recruits about the military. Gone are the old VHS with outdated video which have been replaced with high-tech, LCD screens with action packed video. Interactive displays offer many different angles of being in the former Army of One (now Army Strong).

According to Edward Walters, this site is not a recruiting center, but an area for people to learn more about the Army. With about $12 million of tax payer money the Army plans to shift more money to experimental marketing, and less on sponsorships. Think about it, the Army is building excitement like The NFL Experience, ESPN Zone, or Guitar Hero. Building potential brand evangelists could pay great dividends in the long run, but will the Army be able to pull it off? The experience does not stop at the store in Philadelphia, but you can also experience being a solider at Six Flags or even on your XBOX. The NFL faced a very similar challenge as it tried to build its product, and building the experience has been the key to it’s overwhelming  success.

The experience isn’t the only thing that the Army is going after. In a new deal with Sears, Roebuck and Co, the Army will begin offering officially licensed Army clothing. While the first brand will be the First Infantry Division (3rd ID should have that spot), it appears to be another great idea. While I am not sure that Sears is the best place to offer this type of clothing (what about Wal-Mart or Target) it is a great move.

Overall, the Army is making great strides to improve its image. While the jury is still out, I believe that building the Army brand with experience will go a long way in not only recruiting new soliders, but building the perception of our troops, and their mission. I will continue to wait on the call about that reality show, it will make great TV!

Captain Morgan is Running for President

By now, most of American knows that Barack Obama, John McCain, and a slew of others are running for the presidency of the United States. Did you know, however, that Captain Morgan is running for President? Yes, this is Captain Morgan’s second time running for president (his first wasn’t that successful). According to Susan Gunelius’ blog, Brand Curve – Captain Morgan launched a new social media marketing campaign on August 22nd. The campaign includes content with social media heavyweights YouTube and Facebook. According to the Captain’s Facebook page, his interests include Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. What type of music does he like? LOUD. What is his solution for the economy? Two day workweeks (hmmm, that just might work). In a nutshell, Captain Morgan is doing his all to strengthen his brand image.

Captain Morgan’s parent company, Diageo, is the official wine and spirits company of the Republican National Convention and the preferred wine and spirits company of the Democratic National Convention according to Ad Age. The marketing campaign includes a costumed Captain Morgan who is making appearances at bars near both convention sites.

Overall, I think the campaign is fun and fresh. It definitely speaks volumes about the Captain Morgan brand. Here is what I think about the marketing campaign:

Value Proposition – Let’s see, Captain Morgan’s is fun. That is the only value proposition that I gather from this marketing campaign, and to be honest I guess that is what they are trying to project. It would be interesting to see Captain Morgan debating versus the other less fun spirits. It would coincide with real Presidential debate, and if position correctly, could be great for late night TV. Who can argue with two day work weeks?

Differentiation - With the reemergence of pirates in popular culture, a pirate, in and of itself is not hardly different. Captain Morgan, however, is very interesting. Bringing the Captain to life will help potential consumers connect fun and crazy with it’s brand. How about some “negative” ads about Captain Morgan? What if Captain Morgan had a scandal? These are a few ways that the brand managers could build on Captain Morgan’s differentiation. If does in fact speard well, it will go a long way to building the brand and awareness about the product.

Marketability – Most people in the target market might consider this cool, but why should they care? To extend this campaign the brand should try promotions to really drive home the point of the Captain Morgan brand. Why not have a contest or promotion via YouTube for Captain Morgan to pick a running mate? Not only would people like to be on YouTube, but they would quickly forward their video to family and friends as well.

Overall, I believe that the person (or people) that came up with this campaign have a really good idea. Although the campaign has not been a viral marketing star (only 300 supporters on Facebook, 6,500 views on YouTube) it has the ground work to really pick up, if they tweak it just a little bit. It is an interesting strategy to build brand awareness, especially for a product that has strong following. Check out Captain Morgan on YouTube:

Rewind Wednesday: A Halo and Your Personal Brand

Have you ever wondered why a certain person has been promoted over you? In most cases, you might be harder working, better educated, or even more well rounded. Still, you lost out on the big promotion. Chances are you were a victim of a cognitive bias known as the “halo effect“. Most people view other people/objects as generally good, or generally bad. For example, consider the follow test conducted at The California Institute of Technology as reported by Randolph Schmid of The Associated Press:

They asked 20 people to sample wine while undergoing functional MRIs of their brain activity. The subjects were told they were tasting five different cabernet sauvignons sold at different prices.

However, there were actually only three wines sampled, two being offered twice, marked with different prices.

A $90 wine was provided marked with its real price and again marked $10, while another was presented at its real price of $5 and also marked $45.

The testers’ brains showed more pleasure at the higher price than the lower one, even for the same wine

What does this mean for your brand? It means that perception is everything! Most people make the connection of high price, with fine wine and we readily accept it. Think about it, are Tiffany’s diamonds any better than those purchased from other stores? Does a Lexus do a better job than a Ford getting you from point A to point B? Is the guy in the Brooks Brother suit better equipped to lead your department than the man with the t-shirt suit (they are pretty cool)? To be honest, no one can answer these questions with 100% certainty, but because of the halo effect we normally consider one good trait, and make the assumption that something (or someone) is generally good.

When thinking about your brand, the halo effect can really help you by leaps and bounds. Focus on the best traits of your brand and build them relentlessly and people will begin to generally think of you or your product as good. Marketers have done this for years with great success (why do you think celebrity endorsements are so popular?). I encourage you to use this to your advantage in building your brand…
Now let’s rewind to the post that got me interested in this halo effect in the first place.

A Halo and Your Personal Brand

November 15, 2007

Have you ever thought about the bad decisions that you have made in your life? Why is it that people who are considered “smart” do such stupid things? Even the most educated people often fall victim to stupid or irrational actions.

In a recent post on PsyBlog titled “Why We Do Dumb or Irrational Things” 10 of the most influential psychological studies are presented. The author provides insight on psychological phenomenons like cognitive dissonance, false consensus bias, social identity theory, and bystander apathy. Each of these studies tell us a lot about our brain, and what forms our decisions. One study, however, remains important in developing your personal brand, the halo effect.

The halo effect exists when individuals make broad judgments (or assumptions) about a product or thing based on a particular trait. For example, consider Paris Hilton. Most people will say that Paris is attractive, therefore, according to the halo effect, we are conditioned to believe that others traits are positive as well. Politicians and celebrities use the halo effect particularly well. Most people who are voting for Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, or any other candidate know very little about what these individuals will do in office. They use the “halo effect” in order to make themselves more electable. Think about the smiles, and positivity that oozes from these politicians, it provides a reason for the general public to “support” their cause.

When considering your own personal brand, the halo effect, can go a long way to build how you are perceived. To some people, this effect comes naturally. People who are really attractive experience success because attractive people are viewed as better. This is precisely the reason you rarely finding unattractive people promoting products. Attractiveness is not the only attribute that can give your brand a boost. Other attributes like wealth, knowledge, or physical strength could have the same effect. The challenge is to create a halo effect for your brand.

Create value for your target market and promote yourself with your very own halo effect. Chances are you will be more successful at achieving your objective than you could imagine.

Branding Disaster – The Worst Company in America

Have you ever dealt with a firm that you believed to be the worst company in America? In branding circles, we often cite companies that are branded well; Google, Disney, Harley-Davidson, and Nike are a few companies that may come to mind when you think of a good brand (company). What companies come to mind when you think of the worst company in America? Well, there is no need to fret as the people at The Consumerist have provided tournament to decide which company is the worst in America.

Who is the worst company in America?

The worst companies were initially picked by the websites readers and each week the worst company advances. Similar to the NCAA’s March Madness, it started off with 64 companies (why didn’t they have the play-in?) that were assigned ranks by the number of votes they received. After many months of companies “battling” it out, four companies have risen (or fell) to the final four; Walmart, Comcast, Countrywide, and Diebold. It will be interesting to see which company will earn the title of the “Worst Company in America” (and the infamous golden “dog pile” award). One thing is for certain, each company has suffered massive branding disasters. As time progresses, it will be interesting to see which of these companies will continue to survive. Walmart has already begun the process of shedding its image with rebranding, what about the other companies?

What is the worst company in the world to you?

Wal-Mart is Changing It’s Logo, So What!?

The people at Wal-Mart (now Walmart) can either be considered as geniuses or plum crazy. Depending on your perspective, the new logo for Walmart could signal a more focused brand image for the huge retailer. According to the Wall Street Journal, Walmart is rebranding itself as a wide spread strategy to shed it’s old image.

The logo has gone through numerous changes since it’s humble beginnings. Check out the history as found on Brand New.

Most people might see this change as overkill, but in my opinion it makes a lot of sense for the retail giant to continue it’s dominance for two reasons strategic leadership and differentiation.

Strategic Leadership

One of Walmart’s major competitors, Target, has done a very good job branding the company as of late. The famous bull-eye and bold red color have done wonders to separate the Target brand from other major retailers. The redesign of stores offers discount prices in a more “upscale” store setting. This has been a weakness for Walmart for a while. Many people do enjoy Walmart’s low prices, but what else does Walmart actually offer customers? Poor customer service, low quality products, and HUGE stores. The logo change could be the beginning of a more focused Walmart. While the store will probably offer the same superstores, the new Walmart logo could be applied more widely. I can see it already, the Walmart “sunbrust” on newly brand smaller supermarkets or pet stores. Creating a master brand could make it easier for Walmart to strategically put it’s stamp on other business ventures.

Differentiation

The new logo is different and the color are much more vibrant. Have you ever seen blue and thought Walmart? With the new color scheme and symbol, over time you just connect similar imagery to Walmart. Once again, this is something that Target has done very well with it’s red visuals and bulls-eye. Arguably, the new design is something that is a little different from what you will see from other companies. I was in a Walmart store tonight, and I am already starting to see the Walmart “sunburst” throughout the store.

Overall, the logo change is probably a little bit late considering Target’s re-branding efforts. Walmart, however, will soon be able to use it’s “sunburst” for strategic leadership and differentiation. With the wealth of resources that Walmart has at it’s disposal, it will be a matter of time before people begin to recognize the “sunburst” with Walmart the new and improved branding effort. While the jury is still out on the “sunburst” as the symbol, its a welcome start to secure dominance in the ever changing market place.

Does the Army Have A Good Brand?

After watching the US Army’s latest commercial I began to think, “How good is the US Army brand?” This is very hard to put your finger on. For many reasons, the idea of the US Army varies greatly in the minds of people across the world. In a recent debate on BrandChannel most people believe that improving the Army brand is almost impossible. Most people understand Marines as commandos, Navy as seamen, Air Force with pilots, and the Coast Guard protects our Coast, what about the Army? Most people probably think of the Army as the military in the most broad sense. The Army commercial talks about strong vs. Army Strong. This is not a very good brand in my opinion. The key elements of a good brand; value proposition and differentiation are missing. Here are a few tips in making the Army brand better.

Why Army?

The Army strong tagline is nice, I admit it even sounds cool, but does it get anywhere towards what the Army has to offer? The US Army is strong, just like the hundreds of other organizations out there, but strength is not the value of the Army. What does the Army do, that no other organization can? Keep America safe in every realm. Possibly the US Army should consider advertisements that are less “hero” and more realistic and in your face. I know some of the most powerful stuff I have seen have been through email forwards that show the everyday life of troops abroad with a message of peace and freedom. Unfortunately, the Army does not use its advertisements to build its brand.

Okay, we have seen this before

The Army has done very little to differentiate itself from other organizations. There is nothing that separates stands out in one’s mind about the Army. The Navy has boats. The Air Force has planes. The Marines have swords and cool uniforms. What about the Army? There is very little that separates this organization. They must begin to separate themselves. Instead of the cliché brand, what about something a little different. What about more imagery of identifiable Army veterans? How about more movies about Army groups such as the Special Forces or Airborne soldiers? By emphaizing its uniqueness, the Army can help improve its brand.

Solution

If the Pentagon knocked on my door tomorrow to head up a marketing campaign for the military, I would try connect with the people that would be most moved, Generation Y. Unlike the generations of the past, they are not as moved by heroes. To the young heroes are on the movie screen or football field. Army and heroes do not go hand in hand (unfortunately) like it has in times past. Today the Army must focus on tugging on the emotional strings with a more gritty, controversial campaign. It could even go as far to have its soldiers profiled more often in real situations. Consider the popularity of reality TV, why can’t this be duplicated and used by the Army? Reaching out to the youngest generation could start a wave that can reverse most people’s gut feeling about one of the oldest American organizations.

Check out what others have to say about the Army brand on BrandChannel.

Branding – the Power of We

Most great brands are built by people, not multi-million dollar budgets. To develop a true relationship with consumers, brand managers must focus on promoting a gut-feeling that people can truly believe in. Today’s leading brands are accomplishing this, with the power of we.

Think about the importance of branding it this year’s all important presidential race. Senator Barack Obama, was the first candidate to wholeheartedly embrace the power of we in promoting his presidential brand. As a result he has broken all expectations in the amount of money that he has been able to raise for his campaign. Instead of getting large contributions from lobbyists, and other wealthy individuals, he has focused on connecting with the most people possible with small donations.

The same phenomenon is taking place with the recently launched Stand Up 2 Cancer movement (SU2C). People are joined in a social network to raise money to defeat cancer. Everyone person is heard, and every contribution is used. It provides an easy resource to look at others that cancer is affect, and offers a community of people to build the cause. They boldly state that

THIS IS WHERE THE END OF CANCER BEGINS

and the site has taken of very quickly because of the power of we.

What are the implications for building brands in today’s marketplace? Hear a few considerations to begin using the power of we in your brand building efforts.

Everyone is important

Brand-building takes a total effort in order to be successful. Most brands over look this by failing to look beyond their own navels. Instead of relying on traditional tools, why not listen to everyone? Why not try to connect with everyone? Most people have an opinion on just about anything, just ask them! This will not only help build your brand, but also give your consumers more reason to promote your brand because they are involved.

Generation Y is demanding it

As Generation Y continues to become a big part of the marketplace, branding will continue to become more important. Think about the companies that didn’t have a website ten years ago, it probably wasn’t a big deal. Then people began to demand to know more, and today if your company does not have a website, it is nearly non-existent. The same can be said for allowing everyone to build your brand. Does your brand accept feedback/criticism in a very open manner? If not you could be missing a huge opportunity to connect with your consumers.

Make it easy to spread the word

Both Obama and SU2C make it easy to communicate their brands to others. It is easy to share with a friend via email, Facebook, MySpace, or in a variety of other ways. How easy is it for consumers to spread the good news about your brand? In most cases, I bet that it is pretty difficult. Most brands possibly even believe that it is impossible, but I beg to differ. Make it easy for people to talk up your brand.

These are just a few tools that can be used to achieve outstanding success in building and promoting your brand in the 21st century using the power of we.