Defining the Republican Brand
It is rare to see a brand face a clear positioning decision. In most situations, brands change gradually over time, with the brand leaders working to nudge perceptions one way or the other. A brand might want to seem a bit more inclusive or innovative or young.
The Republican party is in a unique situation; it is facing a clear branding choice. The decision is quite stark: Is the Republican party firmly connected to Donald Trump and his stolen election story? Or does the Republican party stand for its traditional values of self-reliance, small government, and personal freedom?
The Trump Brand
Donald Trump is a master at building brands. His ability to command attention and get people talking, and his willingness to embrace controversial positions, make him unrivaled in politics as a marketing force.
After he was defeated by Joe Biden, Trump made the debatable decision to embrace the story of voter fraud and a stolen election. The story is absurd, of course. The theory is that Biden's victory was corrupt, but the Republican party’s strong performance in the House and Senate was legitimate. How is that even remotely possible?
Nonetheless, Trump has embraced the tale. The election was stolen. He promoted the view with his supporters, provoked unrest and encouraged protests that led to riots at the Capital.
The Republican Decision
Republican leaders now have a choice. Embrace the stolen election fiction or try to build a brand that is distinct from Donald Trump?
Here are the options for Republican party leaders:
Option 1: “Yes, the election was stolen. Donald Trump was a great president unfairly denied another term. We will be very lucky indeed if we can convince him to run again.”
Option 2: “Trump was a fine president and that was an unfortunate situation in the fall. As a party, we are focused on creating a brand that will connect with the country, embracing our traditional respect for hard-work, families, lower taxes and small government.”
The Outlook
It seems pretty clear that the Trump wing has the momentum. Candidates that support the Trump story are doing well. There is a move to punish Liz Cheney for her decision to move away from Trump. Few Republicans have questioned Trump’s stolen election narrative.
It is less clear why the Republicans think this is a winning formula. Trump lost in November, and then Republicans lost the Georgia Senate run-off election, giving Democrats full control of Washington. According to a recent Gallop poll, the number of people who claim to be a Republican is way down. This all would seem like a firm rejection of Trump.
This branding move by the Republican party seems like good news for the Democrats. The more that the Republicans align with an absurd narrative and polarizing leader, the more the Democrats can aggressively push forward with their agenda.
Of course, in the long run the Democrats might appreciate having a credible Republican party; it would be a check on the more progressive wing. At the moment, the Republicans are going the other direction.
Leader for Nutrition and Product Science, Technology, Innovation and Industry Growth Platforms at DMI
3 年Tim, I went to fundraisers for both sides last year in Illinois with friends who are leaders in both parties. The Republican side were all in ties, formal and I was one of the youngest. The Democratic side were more casual, energetic theme and organized “on message”. I told the head of the Illinois Republican Party that he needs to fire his marketing team immediately and bring some “brand positioning” fundamentals or the party will slide further in the state. Focus was raising cash and no future vision.
Cleveland Cinema Czar at Prelude2Cinema Inc. Emmy winning writer and talented actor, director and producer. Open to working with Humans and AI
3 年Very interesting to look at politics as a brand. Yet, it is. While interesting, Tim Calkins fails to mention that the reason the GOP goes with option #1 is because of the money they can raise from supporters of #45. As we all know, whenever money is involved, logic and morals seems to be secondary. This is why Prelude2Cinema Inc. stays out of politics. Other businesses can choose to be involved and we only deal with politics in the manner that any business must deal with government, but we will not endorse or condemn anyone. We just sometimes state the "facts" about decisions the government does that affects entertainment. We do deal in fictional politics, but sometimes "Life is stranger than Fiction." Again, appreciate the analysis, but the omission of the money brought in by the former occupant of the White House is a key element in the branding decision of the GOP.
Consulting and V.o.C. research in b2b markets leading to insight and actionable strategies and tactics. Providing marketing research for b2b. This makes market research actionable and enables better business decisions
3 年If you had a product this bad, you would start over or try to rebrand.
Fractional CMO and Partner | Servant Leader | B2B Marketing | Business Strategy | Industrial Services | Manufacturing | Commercial & Civil Construction | Board of Directors
3 年Thanks Tim, a succinct way of framing the Republicans choice. I think what we see is a very loosely organized party grappling with a new reality in terms of voter value creep, demographic changes in the electorate and the logical conclusion of the populist convulsion that started with the Tea Party and developed into the Trump presidency. Since the party is not hierarchical enough to slug it out internally and then align all candidates, I think Republicans will split into a populist hard-right outfit under Trump and a traditionalist group under a moderate third party candidate. Ironically, both your Options will then find a home...