Essay One

Downer, L. (2015) Political branding strategies: Campaigning and governing in Australian politics. Australia: Palgrave.'More and more in Western democracies, branding is used by political practitioners as a strategy for campaigning and governing. Brands are crafted for parties, politicians and policies. Put simply, political branding sees parties and politicians borrowing concepts and techniques from the world of commerce.'

In this essay I will be arguing Downer is naive in saying the political sphere ‘borrows concepts and techniques from the world of commerce’ (Downer, L. 2015) as it is evident that the world of commerce also borrows techniques from the world of politics. Branding is needed throughout the world of politics, as it is in the world of commerce, to gain notoriety; ultimately to achieve votes in politics and sales in commerce. Without a brand, and the positive features it entails, politicians would not be recognisable. A brand allows modern democratic policies to compete through visual language, brand awareness is stowed upon politicians linked to their views and opinions.

Firstly, political scholars, ‘Define parties as communicative institutions’ (Hallin and Macini, 2004, p.8). This statement explores the idea of politics changing into a game of image-making, consolidating the need for a brand. A prime example of a politician using a brand to create an emotional connection with voters, is Obama. In 2008 Obama launched his ‘Hope’ campaign, using pre-existing imagery from artist Shepard Fairey, this campaign has been described as iconic- this is something that is globally recognisable. It creates a persona around Obama that he would bring hope to the nation. By adopting pre-existing visuals that have a prior agenda to represent Obama in a particular light to communicate promises to his audience, he is engaging with the change in politics towards the ‘game of image-making’. Obama visually associated the people's needs with his campaign. Once a person has an emotional connection to a product they're more likely to endorse that product, in hope of attaining the experience that it has promised; rooted in adverts from the early 20^th Century such as by Cadillac, that featured visuals suggesting if you bought a particular luxury car the country estate also presented in said visuals would duly come along - following the purchase. Furthermore, in the world of commerce during the 1980s, there was an advertising trend known as "you are the product", evidence of such can be found when talking about Michelob beer: "The beer personifies the night and the ads suggest that the viewer can attain the nocturnal experience not just by consuming the Michelob but by becoming Michelob” (Lavin, 2001, p.79). This exemplifies how a consumer will delve into the world of the product, and through emotional attachment, believes they are part of the product. A technique which is perfect for politicians, if a consumer believes they are immersing themselves into the advertised policies the consumer therefore believes now part of the 'change' and 'hope' ideal for their country. Thus showing how politics borrows techniques from the world of commerce.

Downer states "political branding sees parties and politicians borrowing concepts and techniques from the world of commerce" (Downer, L. 2015). I feel this statement has its flaws; although it presents some truths I do not believe that concepts and techniques are simply borrowed. Evidence shows that both the world of commerce and political branding reflect each other and rely on each other heavily, therefore present similar techniques. During the late 80s ‘Good Housekeeping’ deemed a term used in corporate identity as "New Traditionalism", shortly after the inauguration of President Bush. During Bush's campaign he was deemed "nothing but a suit" by Bob Dole, although this comment was meant to be derogatory it created an aura around the Bush family and their 1950s style visual representation to the nation. Said identity was created through traditionalist photos of the Bush family presenting the iconic 'American nuclear family'. "Bush's projected brand identity was of a caring commander-in-chief, hopeful, and in touch ordinary family man he was strong in defence of family, freedom and his country." (Scammell, 2015, P.15) This new traditionalist movement is reflected in the world of commerce. Brands which had been around since the 1950s, Kool-Aid and Cornflakes, began to revitalize their brand image, looking back onto their roots. 'The advertising campaigns it spawned became pervasive, promoting a backward -looking consumer utopia, return to the conventions of the nuclear family’ (Larvin, 2001, p.90). When brands saw the success that new traditionalism provided for the Bush family they believed that the same techniques would inject the same notoriety needed at the time for their brands; thus commerce is seen to be taking techniques from the political sphere.

These techniques are still evident within current politics, during the run-up to the EU-referendum in June 2016, 'Vote Leave' relied on slogans such as "Speak for England". This slogan plays a historical cliché by Tory MP Leo Amery in 1939, the Daily Mail's front page headline that day quoted him "Who will speak for England?". Showing how political policies are still relying on traditionalist views to gain the attention they need. There has been a recent rejuvenation of consumerist giants such as Kodak and Co-op, reverting to their pre-EU integration identity. This may be to reflect the success of an ideal of a traditionalist Britain presented by the ‘Leave Campaign’, as both companies prior re-brand admitted to a decline in sales and a brief period of turmoil, again showing a reflection in techniques from the world of politics.

Edward Bernays, was the father of PR. His background in propaganda and his knowledge of his uncle’s, Sigmund Freud, theory on human nature allowed him to create a new technique of advertising. During the 1920s smoking for women in America was frowned upon by society, Bernays was employed to change this opinion. During the Easter parade in 1929 Bernays staged a public stunt, he paid actresses to dress as debutants, as they were looked upon as influential members of society. These women were instructed, in unison, to take out cigarette and light it whilst passing significant point in the parade. Therefore, opinions of cigarettes from that moment for women became a sign of emancipation, titled 'torches of freedom'. This need for PR is needed within politics: "The management process by which an organisation or individual actor political purposes, through purposeful communication and action, seeks to influence and establish, build, and maintain beneficial relationships and reputations with its key publics to help support its mission and achieve its goals" (Strömbäck and Kiousis, 2011, p:8). The similarities of needs described here, are close to commercial needs. A brand must maintain a beneficial relationship with its customers to be successful, this is what Berynas did for the smoking companies. Bernays was employed during Coolidge's presidential term to change the way in which people viewed Coolidge. It was organised for stars of the time to come visit the White House in a press covered visit, the celebrities that were invited exemplified ‘warmth, extroversion and bohemian camaraderie’. "He was practically inarticulate, and no movement of any kind agitated his deadpan face" stated Berynas (Lakhani, 2008, p.31), therefore a photo op was organised. Once this photo was released to the public to demonstrate a "warm and sympathetic" personality from Coolidge, the publics opinion changed to believe so. This example proves the need for ideas from the world of commerce in order for political success.

To conclude I hope to have proven similar techniques are significant in both the political and commercial sphere: ‘The brand concept brings together functionality and meaning; it incorporates the economic and the aesthetic, the substance of reputation and the details of style’ (Scammell, 2015, p.11). Downer’s quote isn’t wholly correct as proven by my discussion of new traditionalism which sees the world of commerce influenced by popular political figures’ personas in the media. Various examples, such as the use of emotional attachment through desire (Hope campaign), depicts borrowed technique within the world of politics from commercial selling techniques. The fact that Bernays was able to apply himself successfully to both industries showcases that similar techniques from the world of commerce and politics are applied to be successful in both industries.

Bibliography

Downer, L. (2015) Political Branding strategies: Campaigning and governing in Australian politics: 2015. United Kingdom: Palgrave Pivot.

Hallin, D.C. and Mancini, P. (2004) Comparing media systems: Three models of media and politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Lakhani, D. (2008) Subliminal persuasion: Influence & marketing secrets they don’t want you to know. John Wiley.

Lavin, M. (2001) Clean new world: Culture, politics, and graphic design. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

Scammell, M. (2015) Journal of Political Marketing. (14 Vols). Informa UK.

Strömbäck, J. (2011) Political public relations: Principles and applications. Edited by Jesper / Stromback and Spiro Kiousis. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.