To become relevant today people want to become a part of a brand. They want to be able to:
- Hear a story;
- Share the story;
- Re-tell it others, their way; &
- Be proud to wear the label.
Those who generally identify as a Republican or Democrat, are no longer proud to wear their label and many are walking way.
In today's world, political parties no longer stand for just one issue and lately, one person no longer stands as the leader of their own party. At the same time voters want and should expect more from our candidates. As a voter, I want to vote for someone whom I can trust to hear my position and represent the state and/or nation in each of our collective interests, rather than through a partisan lesson.
Today, brands inspire us more than our elected leaders or today's candidate. Dove, Under Armour, Nike and Adidas inspire me through the messages they convey -- In their ads and in their videos I find on YouTube.
Nike, for example, went to Cleveland, and not only approached LeBron James to represent their brand, the recruited an entire city - Together. In another ad campaign, they told me "take it to the next level."
Like Nike, Adidas took their message to the masses and told me that "I create my future." In a more recent ad, Adidas told me that,
"Nobody owns today. Today is the day. Today the score board reads 0. Today is your day to do something and be remembered or do nothing and be forgotten. Today can be anything all you have to do is take it. Take Today."
Campaigns should inspire voters to vote and to be part of their movement. They need to become more like Nike and Adidas and Gatorade to inspire us all to do something, to be a part of something and be proud to be an American!
