America’s Needle has Permanently Shifted.
We are not the United States of 15 years ago, and never has this been more apparent than in the election of our new president. Barack Hussien Obama represents everything that is different about our new America from the inside out. Younger than most of his predecessors , half black, half white, raised between Hawaii, Kansas and Indonesia - his complete profile could not be more different that those of Presidents past. His election and his cabinet nominees send a clear message for brand managers across the nation. Today’s mainstream market has fundamentally changed. It looks, thinks, and responds in a way that is completely new. This has been extremely hard for most traditional marketers to grapple with; and though it has led to much speculation, few have managed to plan and capitalize on this new American psychology. Those that have such as Obama, Nike, Apple, and others continue to reap enormous benefits.
It’s safe to say that the speed at which technology and media have been evolving have made us a more informed people with easy access to information in our language from around the world. The gadgets and widgets that keep us plugged in have made us avid yet selective (and often critical) consumers of information. It has also made us a more empowered consumer, as platforms such as cnet, amazon, youtube, google groups, social networking sites and others allow us to complement or criticize brands and products as we see fit. With one click we can spread the word good or bad whether companies like it or not.
At the same time, immigration and globalization have changed our inner composition as a country and our exposure to other cultures abroad. With the entry of so many peoples from Latin America and Asia the apple pie of America has slowly evolved into more of an exotic fruit salad; richer in color and taste. As a people, Americans have a more global sense of self; what used to be patriotism to country alone has evolved into a loyalty to planet, and the world as a whole. This is what is causing the great leftward shift that has our conservative republican party flustered. Country First is not as relevant as People and Planet First.
Another important factor that is contributing to this shift is a fundamental change in attitude. The average 20 to 30 something American has a different mindset. It’s a sense of empowered optimism that is not limited to the young. There are plenty of self realized Ex-hippy idealists and Gen X visionaries that share this way of thinking, though their generations on a whole were not shaped by this mindset.
It could also be called a millennial mindset, defined as an empowered sense of self and deep belief that individuals can make a difference and that small groups can cause great impact. This attitude should not be confused with the free people of the 60’s. Millenials are not dreamers. They are goal setting realists, with a practical approach to enacting the changes they would like to see happen.
What does this have to do the way marketers design their communication plans?
For one thing it shifts the nulceus of what defines the general market. This new general market has more of a multicultural, overexposed DNA; It’s more nuanced, exposed to different languages and different cultures in these United States on a regular basis regardless of whether he or she speaks a different language or not. He or she has grown accustomed to finding common ground with different people, as opposed to having that common ground pre-established for him.
And so Joe the plumber, ordinarily a general market symbol of hard work and achievement, becomes a passé metaphor that the average American cannot connect to. He would be what we would call a “marketing miscalculation”.
On the other hand, the Obama campaign is a clear example of a marketing strategy that correctly calculated the composition, the channels, and the pulse of their target audience.
They identified their target market as a diverse general market, media savvy and hungry for “change.” They spent all efforts on messaging strategy and media planning and kept creative straightforward but elegant: A simple logo and a tagline with an eloquent front man with a funny name, that managed to make the Verizon wireless Test-man with his network look lonely. Their audience was engaged enough to develop creative for the campaign, and so Will I Am was inspired to make his celeb packed “Yes You Can” video, and let’s not forget the almost equally popular “Obama Girl.” Shepard Fairey created an iconic poster that lent itself to self-sustaining digital, print and guerrilla marketing efforts. Suffice it to say that no other brand has ever so comprehensively engaged so many people on so many platforms or managed to have so many individually sponsored networks supporting it’s cause.
The lessons from the Obama campaign are clear.
Have a strong core message that resonates, preferably on a deep emotional as well as a practical level. Rethink your usual segmentation modules. Target a diverse market place brought together by a common “culture of interest” and listen to them. This will enable your voice to be more authentic and your products more attuned to consumer needs.
Embrace technology and at the upfront of all of your planning initiatives with the goal of establishing a dialogue with your market on their terms with the goal of developing a long term relationship. Relinquish control and establish a platform for open brand expression and testimonials by your loyal customers and your employees.
The insights you will gain into the popular perception of your brand will enable you to build on your strengths and tighten up your weaknesses.
The momentum you will gain with popular ownership and expression of your brand will be priceless.