As Obama prepares for his inauguration as the nation’s 44th president in January, there is some talk among Ad executives about how the swearing-in of Obama could change advertising to and about African Americans. When you think of Barack Obama - the word that rolls off of everyone's tongue is historic. And I agree with it, it was a historic election. To have a black family in the white house is a momentous achievement because 40 years ago it would have been considered unthinkable.
So somethings happened to the country in 40 years, the extensive and long-winded movements of the last 4 decades enabled a candidate of mixed heritage to win the presidency. You can be sure that marketers who specialize in multi-cultural campaigns are being asked about the next wave in marketing approaches geared towards people of color.
“Obama for President” billboard
Xbox 360 racing game Burnout Paradise
To my knowledge, this Obama ad is far and away the most prominent use of a major online game to promote a presidential candidate’s campaign. After years of bleak advertising campaigns that haven't done much in the way of capturing the imagination beyond the usual template of euro-centric imagery, some in Hollywood say Obama will inspire an era of optimism. Presidents like JFK swayed pop culture with his youthful optimism, and it is my feeling that this trend will grow even more exponentially under an Obama administration.
I'm calling it "Obama Branding" (anything that is racially inclusive is "Obama Branding" - branding with race without being racially focused) and Obama himself simply did what all marketing should do: communicate with critical mass, and plan that your target consumer segments will embrace the inclusive message. Obama faced brand challenges and continued to build effectual engagement. He has never branded the construct of race-based marketing. Correspondingly, that is the one thing the advertising world can learn. Moreover, "Obama Branding" projects a spiritual theme, family values, and global peace. The guess is, if Team McCain had woven those themes into their brand, they could also have had greater - positive - public opinion, and donations. Critical mass America invested in the Obama Brand by voting for him. The advertising sector has a lot to learn about both local consumer outreach, and global brand messaging.
Diddy seems to have jumped on the bandwagon
"CIROC OBAMA"
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Written by: Malik Soliman
Marketing Director
www.iamindemand.com
Email: Malik.Soliman@Iamindemand.com
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