This is the third in a three-part series in which I look at lessons we can learn from how Barack Obama and his staff are branding America during his tenure in the White House. If you haven’t already, check out part 1 (brand story), and part 2 (brand communication).
The Obama Administration’s Brand Execution
In part 2 of this series I discussed how the Obama Administration is able to effectively communicate their brand in all areas because the brand is an extension of Barack Obama himself. What allows the Obama Administration to deliver on the promise of that brand is that its supporters feel like they have ownership of the brand. Giving others a sense of ownership allows a brand to build itself and to spread virally. (Note: I’m not saying you should give away control of a brand, just allow others to feel like they’re a part of it.) Look at how Barack Obama’s campaign leveraged “Hope” and “Yes we can” into a grassroots effort and online social networking phenomenon. Without the help of hundreds of thousands of volunteers, Obama’s campaign would not have been successful; and without a message that allowed them to feel a sense of ownership, he would not have had those volunteers.
Some of the most successful brands in history have called on its supporters to help them execute their brand. Nike said, “Just do it.” Apple said, “Think different.” Obama (the candidate) said, “Yes we can.” Each of these brands was built by creating a movement based on its supporters. No company, organization, or politician has ever succeeded without the help of the masses. That’s not democracy, that’s dollars and cents. By turning each of your customers, clients, or supporters into a walking commercial for your cause, you can create a movement with a thirst for your flavor of Kool-Aid.
President Obama is hoping that his Administration can give Americans the same sense of ownership his campaign supporters enjoyed as he carries out his plans in the White House. As Obama learned on the campaign trail, it is much easier to accomplish your goals when you have millions of supporters advocating your message.
To build that sense of ownership among Americans, the Obama Administration is turning to many of the same devices that were successful during his campaign. In an effort to appear transparent and forthright, they launched a new WhiteHouse.gov, complete with a blog, weekly Presidential video addresses, cell phone updates, and more. The Administration is not leveraging social networks the way Obama’s campaign did, but this will probably change if one of their causes runs into opposition in the House or Senate. Most importantly, much like John F. Kennedy asked Americans what they could do for their country, President Obama is asking Americans to do what they can to help restore America’s stature in the world. To put it another way, he is giving Americans ownership of America, so that if the Obama Administration fails, we have all failed.
Building a strong brand requires loyal supporters that are invested in an organization’s success. What have you done to foster a sense of ownership in your brand? What are you doing to create a movement around your company or idea? How are you leveraging your customer base and turning them into walking commercials?
Small business owners know that word-of-mouth marketing leads to more business. By giving your customers ownership of your brand, you are almost guaranteeing they’ll talk you up!
This concludes the Branding Lessons from the Obama Administration series. I really enjoyed writing it, and I look forward to more case studies like this. Please comment below if you have any suggestions that could make future articles like this better.
Also in this series:
Branding lessons from the Obama Administration Part 1 – The Story
Branding lessons from the Obama Administration Part 2 – Brand Communication
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