A MARKETING LESSON from OBAMA

He has drawn crowds crazy, he is the most powerful man on earth yes he is Barack Obama.

 But how was this brand Obama created? Did it evolve with time or was a deliberate effort is a matter of study. Let us take a look at it step by step.

REACH:  

The brand reached in every nook and corner of USA, through every possible medium. The internet was used very smartly to create a hitting impact on the people. The social networking medium was extensively used to create a positive image in the minds of the people of his transparency. Thus Obama the brand was always on the top of the mind of the voter.

CONNECT: Through well drafted speeches delivered equally well and the open policy in the body language of Obama he could build connect with the masses. Not surprisingly the donations were massive in terms of volume and were also at an individual level as low as $5.

Advertising: The advertising always communicated upbeat and inspiring messages like ‘YES WE CAN’ ‘CHANGE’. Thus the focus was always people. Also the overall media spend was close to $ 5 million all was funded by donations from people.

Logo: 

The logo used also was very youthful that captured the feeling of sunrise over a field of red and white stripes. There is also a subtle “O” for Obama that is in play here though the name Obama is not used in the icon. This made it a universal logo/icon that anyone can attach their own meaning to. Again the logo also subtly communicated the message of CHANGE.

Youth Factor: Through his communication methods and overall personality he was an instant hit amongst the young voters who were looking for a change from the big bad world of politics.

Debate:

In any debate or address he never criticised the other candidate. He was always focussed on his core theme of CHANGE, at the same time he was quick to react to any comment made upon him and used sarcasm as a very potent tool. Even the stages created during his addresses to common masses were created in such a way that it seemed he was one with the crowd, thus creating a very friendly environment amongst his Target Group.

Transparency:  This was a very important factor in the success of Obama. His openness to the way consumers today communicate with one another, his recognition of their desire for authentic "products," and his understanding of the need for a new global image were a winning potion.

 Finally to quote Keith Reinhard, chairman emeritus of DDB Worldwide, he had three things that are needed to become a successful brand “ He was NEW, DIFFERENT and an ATTRACTIVE PACKAGE”.

Thus we can say that the brand didn’t evolve but was created and using some of these principles can result into a successful formula for developing brands.

The interesting thing is that nothing in the above is new to marketing but has been used in the right mix to create THE WORLDS MOST POWERFUL BRAND.