Experts agree that Obama´s election victory is largely due to a unique and innovative election campaign which managed to convince voters. The huge efforts to raise funds to cover the costs and the extensive and comprehensive use of social media are considered the main innovations Obama introduced into his campaign. (Qualman, 2009, p. 64; Waters & Lester, 2010, p. 241; Harfoush, 2009, pp. VIII) They agree on the fact, that “Obama” can be considered a powerful brand: “Brand Obama is a real marketing phe-nomenon. He´s not only making politics cool, he´s outpacing Google and iPhone, the icon brands of this century”, states David Jones, CEO of one of the world´s biggest advertising agencies. (Euro RSCG Brand Momentum Study, 2008)
The target of this paper is to analyze from a marketing point of view the mechanisms which helped Barack Obama turn the game around – against initial odds. For this purpose, we will first of all deal with the theoretical bases of brand management. We will examine in detail the characteristic features of a brand in order to answer the question as to what extent the comparison of President Obama to a brand is justified. The subse-quent analysis of the functions of a brand has the purpose to explain in what way brands are capable of increasing a product's (or person’s) perceived value to the customer (or voter).
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Barack Obama: From underdog to President
1.2 Target and purpose
2 Brand Management
2.1 Brand definition
2.2 Brand functions
3 Politicians as brands
4 The brand “Obama”
4.1 Tangible elements of the brand “Obama”
4.1.1 Name
4.1.2 Claim
4.1.3 Logo
4.1.4 The packaging
4.2 Intangible elements of the brand “Obama”
4.2.1 The American Dream
4.2.2 Change
4.3 The role of social media in branding
5 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this paper is to analyze the mechanisms of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign from a marketing perspective to understand how he successfully established himself as a powerful, globally recognized brand. The research aims to determine the extent to which branding techniques were strategically applied to political communication, effectively turning initial electoral disadvantages into a victory.
- Theoretical foundations of brand management and its applicability to political figures.
- Examination of tangible brand assets including name, logo, slogan, and visual identity.
- Analysis of intangible brand components such as the "American Dream" and the promise of "change."
- The strategic role of social and digital media in driving modern political branding.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1.3 Logo
The recognition and perception of a brand is highly influenced by its visual presentation. (Busch & Kastner & Vaih-Baur, 2009, p. 36) A brand’s visual identity is the overall look of its communications. Effective visual brand identity is achieved by the consistent use of particular visual elements to create distinction, such as specific fonts, colors, and graphic elements. At the core of every brand identity is a brand mark, or logo.
The logo plays an important role in the process of branding: It concentrates the available information on the brand in only one symbol. Accordingly, a good logo is the highly elaborated product of designers and marketers.
The brand Obama is represented with a round logo in the colors blue, red and white (see figure 1).
Its circular shape is supposed to form an “O”, the first letter of Barack Obama´s last name. The colors were of course chosen deliberately (Harfoush, 2009, p. 68): The white outer ring and the blue semicircle together with the red stripes evoke the colors and, to a certain extent, the shapes of the American flag. This association sends a strong message to voters in the United States for - as in most countries, but especially in the US - the flag is the outstanding symbol of the nation's strength and unity. It is loaded with a wealth of positive emotions, especially patriotism. Every American knows that the country’s national anthem is a hymn to the American flag, “The Star Spangled Banner”, celebrating American resistance and heroism.
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of Barack Obama's transition from an underdog candidate to the U.S. President and outlines the goals of the paper.
2 Brand Management: The chapter explores the theoretical concepts of branding, defining brands as combinations of tangible and intangible elements that serve functions like risk reduction.
3 Politicians as brands: This section discusses the extension of brand management principles to political figures, noting the increased complexity of managing a dynamic political brand.
4 The brand “Obama”: This chapter performs a detailed analysis of the tangible and intangible assets, as well as the digital communication strategies that established Obama as a political brand.
5 Conclusion: The author evaluates the long-term sustainability of the Obama brand, drawing parallels to the Gartner Hype Cycle to explain potential post-election disillusionment.
Keywords
Barack Obama, Political Branding, Brand Management, Election Campaign, Social Media, Marketing Strategy, Tangible Brand Elements, Intangible Brand Elements, Yes We Can, Political Communication, Brand Identity, American Dream, Change, Risk Reduction, Hype Cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
The thesis examines the 2008 presidential campaign of Barack Obama through the lens of brand management, treating the politician as a marketable product.
What are the primary themes of the research?
Key themes include the transfer of marketing strategies to political contexts, the importance of visual and emotional branding, and the shift toward digital and social media as communication channels.
What is the central research question?
The paper investigates to what extent the comparison of President Obama to a brand is justified and how specific branding techniques contributed to his electoral success.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The work utilizes a qualitative analysis based on marketing theory and existing literature to compare political communication with industrial brand management.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body breaks down the brand "Obama" into tangible elements like name and logo, intangible elements like the "American Dream" narrative, and the strategic utilization of social media.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Significant keywords include Political Branding, Brand Management, Obama Campaign, and Social Media Marketing.
How does the author analyze the Obama logo?
The author dissects the logo's circular shape and its red, white, and blue colors, arguing that it was designed to evoke the American flag and patriotism, while also alluding to a "rising sun" motif.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the "brand" status of Obama?
The author concludes that while Obama demonstrated strong branding characteristics during the campaign, the long-term success of the brand depends on maintaining voter loyalty, comparing the post-election atmosphere to the "Trough of Disillusionment" in the Gartner Hype Cycle.
- Citar trabajo
- Lucie Scholz (Autor), 2011, Branding in Politics, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/187821
