May 08, 2015
Earlier this year, I commented on how I would advise the team responsible for branding Hillary Clinton’s political campaign. Well, last month Fast Company commissioned UK-based branding agency Moving Brands to rebrand Hillary after her 2016 bid announcement caused commotion in the design community. The hypothetical rebrand developed creative executions to bring it to life—and yielded a very similar conclusion to mine.
I recommended applying a framework of the role, personality and behaviors that should be emphasized to create a unified presentation of Hillary’s beliefs. I said she should adopt the role of the “sage” and demonstrate personality traits of self-awareness, discernment and discipline to set herself apart from her contenders. Turns out, I was in good company.
The Fast Company article similarly suggests that Hillary demonstrate her role as the wise leader by showing that “there is a better way,” implying that she can help guide America there. Also, the main thrust of the campaign execution comes in the form of a tagline, “make it real.” This speaks to the personality traits I had suggested—discernment (being able to judge what people truly need) and discipline (making it happen). From a verbal style and tonality standpoint, using an imperative verb tense creates a command sentence structure, and the tonality of the language issues a confident challenge…as if encouraging readers to join a movement and take responsibility in being a part of the solution.
What we can learn from the results of these efforts is that Hillary needs to convey authenticity, judgment, discipline, and assume the role of “wise leader.” There are different ways it can come to life creatively, but nailing her fundamental brand position is key.
Dustin is a purpose-driven strategy and marketing leader with extensive experience building high-performance teams, driving growth, and creating brand value. In his role at CBX, He is dedicated to helping clients maximize the cultural and commercial impact of their brands.
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