Branding
creates a response from targeted voters
based on impressions and positive reinforcement. It uses
identifying symbols and words to distinguish a candidate
from the opposition.
1.
BRAND EARLY and DEEP: Some candidates, in an effort
to save money during unopposed Primary Elections, do not
start building their image till after the Primary. While
these wannabes are saving money, they are losing critical
votes. If the opposition has several candidates
vying for one slot, they have been branding
themselves months before
the pennypincher
steps in.
2.
THE CANDIDATE WHO STEPS IN LATE FINDS NO
ONE KNOWS HIS/HER NAME while
November opponent is well on the way to a win through the branding
done during the primary competition.
3.
ART OF THE SIMPLE MESSAGE: Create and communicate
one branding message as an umbrella for all issues. Candidates
sometimes make the mistake of trying to be all things in
different ways. This complicates your image and at least
one of your messages is guaranteed to alienate votes. Simple
messages that can encompass an entire campaign.
4.
KNOW YOUR CONSTITUENCY: You take your best shot
but ultimately voters determine what your branding means.
Your branding can go negative naturally or.the opposition
will take your brand and twists it in an unfavorable way.
Barry Goldwater's '64 bid for the presidency was
a prime example of this.
5.
POSITIVENESS: Establish your branding on
an uplifting message such as the good of your constituency,
state or country— a
vision for something better, a positive overall message.
6.
JARGON: If your positioning statements and campaign
speeches use acronyms or slang, many won't understand. A
good test of effectiveness is to run things by people over
60 and people under 25.
7.
CONSISTENCY: in everything that comes out of Campaign
Headquarters, every speech, every debate, every appearance,
every piece of campaign literature. Make sure every
single member of your campaign understands your branding.
from campaign directors and to phone bank to and door-to-door
volunteers. They are the ones who go face-to-face with voters.
8.
CONNECTEDNESS: Great
campaigning achieves a high level of human connectivity.
This is when voters can speak of you as
an
individual,
not as part of a party or an election. "He thinks like me." '"She
holds ideals similar to my own." "His
are the kind of ethics I have."
