A New Patriotism: The Genius of President Biden’s Visual Communications Strategy

There is a lot we can learn from President Biden’s visual communications strategy.

By now, like it or not, we are all pretty used to the Trump brand, which was built around the cult of personality that Trump himself was able to cultivate over decades of media attention. As fits a would-be autocrat, Trump’s brand is Trump, and his name is at the center, drawing the iconography of the American flag and colors to himself.

But Biden does the opposite.

Part 1: Restoring Faith in Institutions

Biden’s campaign emphasized institutions over any individual, least of all himself. From the Flag to the Eagle, they focused on the institutions that can help us out of crisis: federal and state governments working together, the Federal government working with WHO and the CDC, the mechanisms and of the State restored back to their rightful place.

The campaign’s chosen iconography as well as the seriousness of the font he uses between the decimal and the mercury signals both nostalgia and forward-thinking. And it’s not MAGA nostalgia, which is an appeal to a mythological imperial path of “Greatness,” but a remembered reliance and faith in institutions, something a majority of American voters still want to believe in.

Part 2: Processes over Personality

The de-emphasis on personality also communicates a return to competent management of processes. It’s also a conscious callback to Obama’s “yes we can'' which also expressed the American dream as one that is both possible and collaborative. 

Biden’s persona is less charismatic than either Trump or President Obama, but his campaign turns into a strength. The message is: Biden isn’t a star because his vision of America isn’t star-driven. His name takes a visual back seat to his promise. 

Part 3: Emphasizing Empathy

Trump was about creating a larger-than-life symbol of power, but the Biden campaign did the opposite, presenting images of the loving father, the conscientious mask-wearer, the compassionate lifelong public servant. Just think of the impact of Tuesday’s candle-lighting ceremony in recognition of the nation’s coronavirus victims, a public display of empathy that had a nation weeping. 

The campaign has also leveraged his first name. Everyone’s a Joe. Well-mannered, polite, a good Joe. Even his gaffes are subsumed into reassuring normalcy. Guys named Joe make mistakes, and that’s OK. 

Part 4: Patriotism as Inclusivity

Just as Obama, which the Biden campaign has been careful to echo both visually and rhetorically, emphasized an inclusive America, Biden has made sure that the optics of his administration represent an idea of diversity and inclusion. From choosing a young black woman for the inauguration to the partnership with Kamala Harris as his running mate, to the emphasis on diversity of hires, the visual signaling of the campaign is based on an idea of America as accepting and inclusive. This movement from “I” to “We” is everywhere, from 

And then of course there is Harris herself -- her prominence in photos also communicates a different America, from the Converse sneakers, the Howard drumline, the interviews with the happy second gentleman. The campaign has leveraged the optics of Kamala’s presence -- black, female, in a mixed marriage -- to add a forward-looking edge to what could otherwise be seen as just a remix of the messaging that helped Barack Obama win two elections. And the optics of men happily willing to play second fiddle to a powerful woman resonates powerfully with female voters. 

One last note: This is the first time in history that a presidential campaign has been led by an all-female team. They designed a winning campaign built around the message of Inclusivity, Empathy, Humility, and Functioning Institutions. It’s something else to consider as we move forward, as individuals and as a nation.