In a commercial environment, the brand is a product or a service which the company is selling. We use marketing as a tool to create a brand. Marketing and branding is interrelated, integrated strategically and tactically that it is hard to say one comes before or is more important than the other.
We can also apply marketing and branding in a political environment. Before that, let’s me briefly define what is political branding and marketing? Political branding is an art of becoming knowable, likable and trustable. Political marketing is used in getting someone who has a need to know, like and trust you.
We can also apply marketing and branding in a political environment. Before that, let’s me briefly define what is political branding and marketing? Political branding is an art of becoming knowable, likable and trustable. Political marketing is used in getting someone who has a need to know, like and trust you.
With this definition in mind, marketing then becomes the act of taking the elements of that personality and exposing them to the ideal community at the ideal time in the ideal setting. Political brand elements like a party name, logo, theme, motto, mission and vision, images, colours, words, look and feel, dress, attitude, and networks are vital for the success of the brand.
BN, a coalition of multi racial brands like UMNO for Malays, MCA for Chinese, MIC for Indians, PPP and GERAKAN for multi-ethnics races is unique and the only one in the world. All established brands whether in a commerical or political environment need to be re-engineered, refreshed and reloaded to beat other newer brand like Pakatan Rakyat (PR) made up of PKR-DAP-PAS. Therefore, it is utmost important BN need to do a re-branding exercise to stay ahead and relevant.
Political re-branding of BN is the combative strategy that should be implemented speedily towards reviving the reputation, image, perceived value, and brand awareness of BN. BN component parties need to quickly work out a crystal clear political branding and positioning strategies for the 13th general election.
Similar to the challenge that companies have in branding their products and services in the commercial marketplace, Governments and political parties all rely on similar theories and strategic tools to carve out successful niches for their leaders. Political parties are like corporate brands that offer an umbrella of predictability of performance just as a corporate endorsement does for a new product that enters the market. Candidates become the political brands of a political party. Branding is all about appealing to peoples’ dreams. Politics is all about selling hope to a people. It has become very difficult for politicians to communicate to their respective target audiences without a clearly defined brand image. We live in an era where politicians manufacture their images through clever branding strategies. These images are sometimes altered overnight because of unexpected events and uncontrollable forces that may take place around the world. Theories and models that explain how products and services are branded are inadequate when one attempts to make the leap to the political marketplace.
A Politician who understands branding and marketing and the relationship between the two will find that attracting and retaining community is not really hard.
A simplified example on how to REBRAND
Do share your thoughts with me on the rebranding of BN and PPP. Thank you.
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