1. Branded Conservatives Ken Cosgrove 1

2. Branded Conservatives Post 1964 Rep Party: Unexpected Recovery and Strength Key to Republican Success: Use of a Brand Strategy. Use-value of a brand: Cuts through clutter of a crowded marketplace 2

3. Branded Conservatives Conservative brand: Built a brand that is: 1. Consistent in terms of content 2. Brand tells a story: the story helps the audience whether or not it is interested in the product being sold by the brand. 3. Brand story: gives the product an identity that can be quickly comm. 3

4. Branded Conservatives Conservatives have made effective use of the brand by: 1. Explain how their brand promises were kept 2. If a promise was not kept, have repositioned the brand 3. Branded their opponents a. “have done so through use of a few core concepts into which line extensions can be placed.” (2) 4. Built brand over time: have established relationship with spec. audiences 4

5. Branded Conservatives Conservative brand strategy: 1. Sells candidates 2. Branded all aspects of con movement to create lasting rel with spec. aud. (business have done the same thing). Targeting: reaching some audience while driving others away. (Targeting in com culture has already broken society into niches. The trend began in the magazine industry… pol ex: Bush 2004 targeting of hispanics (3)) a. Conservative brand: initially limited audience, the expanded to target audience/segments (growing conservative population) and uses a variety of channels other than mass media 5

6. Branded Conservatives What a brand does: 1. A brand tells the story 2. A brand builds an image in people’s minds about a product or a political party. 3. Makes promises 4. Specifically positioned to appeal to target audiences 5. Is supported by a variety of public relations techniques 6

7. Branded Conservatives Branding Example: George W. Bush What did George Bush stand for? On Abortion? On Same Sex Marriage? On National Defense? On Taxes? How about Al Gore/John Kerry? What did Al Gore/John Kerry stand for? On Abortion? On Same Sex Marriage? On National Defense? On Taxes? 7