Branded Conservatives Ken Cosgrove 1

Party Brands Product Approach: 2 Party Public (Market) ? Policy No clear connection between what a party does or thinks in terms of policy and what the public needs or wants

Party Brands Sales Approach: 3 Party Public Policy: One Way The Party attempts to “sell” or convince the public that it should want (and thus support) a party’s policies, without consulting the public.

Party Brands Market Approach: 4 Party Public Policy: Two Way A party has the potential to provide the public what it needs, because it has consulted the public about what it wants. Implications: Market Approach empowers a party to respond to the public at the level of wants rather than needs.

Party Brands Market Approach: 5 Party Public Targeting Segments Framing

Party Brands Market Approach: 6 Party Public Policy and Promises Segments Concerns, Values, Aspirations, Needs Political Branding Developing an idea, message, image, party narrative based on keen understanding of what certain market segments wants, and then building loyalty with that segment Framing What do people think, value, desire?

Party Brands Market Approach: 7 Party Public Policy and Promises Segments Positioning If policy/brand fails it can be repositioned, or modified to reconnect or reaffirm concerns of the targeted segments.

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party: Health Care 8 Republican Party Public Health Care: Repeal Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Political Branding Developing an idea, message, image, party narrative based on keen understanding of what certain market segments wants, and then building loyalty with that segment Differentiation: Not the DemoCRAT…Party; does not response to DemoCRAT voters (in the first instance)

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party Brand: Public View 9 Republican Party Public Health Care: Repeal Segments Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Party Branding How the public views or experiences the party. Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party Brand: Party View 10 Republican Party Public Segments Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Party Branding The party brand story becomes the means through the party communicates, interactions and responses to its targeted segments. Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party Brand 11 Republican Party Public Segments Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Institutionalization? A party brand story or narrative only works if in fact the party has a story, that is, it has agreed/decided as an institution to cohere around a particular political story. Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party Brand 12 Republican Party Public Segments Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Republican Institutionalization: The Republican Party has a brand story or narrative: Small Government Lower Taxes Family Values Strong Defense Date? Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Family Values, St Def

Party Brands Market Approach: Obama Brand Obama Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Obama Brand: Obama had a brand story or narrative in 2008: Hope Change you Can believe in Change, Hope, Audacity, Post-Part/ lnclusion

Party Brands Market Approach: Democratic Party? 14 Democratic Party Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Dem. Party Brand: The Democratic Party has talked about developing a brand: Ethical Politics (Rep Culture of Corruption) ??????????????

Party Brands Market Approach: Democratic Party = Obama Brand: 2010 Elections 15 Democratic Party Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Dem. Party Brand: The Democratic Party did try to adopt the Obama brand in 2010 (Economic Policy) Recovery Act 95% Tax Cuts Obama Middle-Class Tax Relief Rec Act, 95% Tax Cut, Obama, Middle-Cl Relief

Party Brands Market Approach: Democratic Party = Obama Brand? 16 Democratic Party Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Institutionalization? For the brand concept to work, it has be embraced (institutionalized) by the party. Question: Did the Dem. Party institutionalize the Obama brand? Rec Act, 95% Tax Cut, Obama, Middle-Cl Relief

Party Brands Market Approach: Democratic Party = Obama Brand: US Senate Democratic Party Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Institutionalization? Leadership (White House, DCCC, DSCC): Yes. Rec Act, 95% Tax Cut, Obama, Middle-Cl Relief

Party Brands Market Approach: Democratic Party = Obama Brand: US Senate Democratic Party Public Segments Responsible govt, community values… Institutionalization? The 19 Democratic candidates running to retain party seats in the US Senate: NO! Rec Act, 95% Tax Cut, Obama, Middle-Cl Relief

Party Brands Market Approach: Republican Party Brand: US Senate Republican Party Public Segments Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Personal Choice Republican Institutionalization: The Republican leadership (RNC, NRSC, NRCC) and 18 candidates running to retain party seats in US Senate: YES Small Govt, Lower Taxes, Family Values, St Def

Figure 1. Candidate Messaging by Issue: US Senate Election, 2010 Percent 47% 22% 52% 16% 94% 76% 88%

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 21

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. 22

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 23

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 24

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 25

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? 26