The Gotham typeface, the slogans, the juxtaposed O, and the oh so clean website are some of the design elements that came together to create the most successful 2008 presidential campaign. Regardless of how we feel about politics as designers, we need to appreciate the level of complexity the Obama campaign undertook and the way in which it perfectly and meticulously carried out the branding of our current president of the United States of America.
The brand, as most designers should be aware of, is not just a logo found on letterheads and websites. It is the image the public sees and experiences when they encounter the product. It is understood and trusted as if it were an old friend or a beloved family member. This product can be a person or thing. Although in our society, the majority of the time we encounter products intertwined with a person who is oftentimes a celebrity.
There are many elements to a brand. First, there must be Brand Association; this is the feeling one gets when one thinks of a company or product. Such is the case of Volvo which is synonymous with safety. Brand association is commonly and easily destroyed. For example, companies, in an attempt to compete with other companies in the mist of current financial struggles, might begin to sell products or ideas in ways that are difficult for the public to identify with. At this point, the brand starts to deteriorate. The public loses interest. Such is the case with Starbucks. In the mist of financial instability, Starbucks began serving breakfast and lunches. Starbucks’ original brand association rested on the notion that when customers entered a store, they would only smell and think about the freshly brewed coffee they were going to buy. That no longer exists. In the case of the Obama Brand campaign, the brand association was simple and clear; this is a man who cared for the common person and their interest were his. He is a man of the people rallying a coalition for change. These ideas, for many, became synonymous with Obama.
The second element to brand reinforces brand association and that is Brand Name. Brand name is the word or words that a company or product is known by. This is done by word association or sometimes, it is the impression transmitted to the consumer about the product. This impression is sometimes well defined while at other times, it is more subtle. In a time when an entire country’s pulse was speaking louder than words, when the people were thirsty for action and involvement, the Obama brand focused on the word Change, and empowered the people with words like “Yes We Can.”
The third element is Brand Personality. Brand personality, in most cases, is given to a product or company by a representative or spokesperson. Often, someone famous or a current celebrity is used. However, at other times identifiable objects that represent what a company stands for can be used. For example, a rock can be used to represent stability or water can be used to represent tranquility and fluidity. The Obama Brand benefited a lot from its charismatic leader but it also used a series of color combinations that denoted patriotism. This included the use of the clean, elegant and very American font, Gotham. The font itself has an honest tone that’s not imposing, not plain or unsympathetic but rather friendly and confident.
The fourth element is a Logo which can be a company’s graphic imagery; this can often be illustrated or simply written. Sometimes the logo becomes part of the entire identity of the brand. It also gives out a desired emotion that will help consumers identify with the company. One of the most famous is the big yellow (golden) arches shaped in an M of you know who. Children from all over the world see it and immediately name it without knowing how to read. These arches act like bells awakening children’s craving for McDonalds. The Obama campaign logo is simple yet quite clever and meaningful. At the top, there is a half blue ring which symbolizes a rising sun. It is also the same shape as the O used to write Obama in campaign materials. The red and white stripes below it combined with the blue above create the American flag, which is completed with a sun rising above the horizon. The logo is symbolic, simple, and memorable.
The fifth element is Positioning. Positioning usually requires heavy research and it determines much of how what has been discussed in this essay will be executed. This determines where the product or company fits in the market place, and its services and advantages over the competition. Given the time in history, the economy, the leaps and bounds the country is taking over the last 50 years, the progressive mentality of its youth and their desire for taking responsibility for our environment, the Obama campaign flourished and succeeded. As society becomes more diverse, it becomes more aware of it surroundings and the entire world. Designers would need to consider target audiences and other common variables for design decisions simply because these things will affect the approach that will be taken for a brand.
Finally, a Tag Line as simple as “Just Do it” stands on its own. An affective tag line does not need the company’s name sometimes. It is a catchy and memorable phase or sentence that identifies the company. The well publicized and constantly enforced tag line for the Obama campaign was “Change We Can Believe In.”
Obama’s campaign ran well most likely because it was one of the best branding campaigns ever put together. The Obama website was user friendly. One interesting feature was the ability to add your phone number so constant updates on the campaign could be sent to you. The posters, t-shirt and other collectibles made designers want to hang them in their office. Everything was perfectly carried out. In one small detail, at the Obama speeches given throughout the country, there was always an abundance of posters. As one of Obama’s supporter and his family arrived to listen to a speech, someone handed him a homemade poster with Obama’s name on it. Several minutes later, a representative of the Obama campaign approached the supporter and gave him one of the official campaign posters. Talk about retaining a brand.
by GIANCARLO BRAND
COLLEGE VALENCIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
JOINED FULL SAIL 2006
INTERESTS Aside from design, he also has a passion for the technical aspects such as maintaining and fixing computer software and hardware including
maintaining servers and networks. He now holds the position as
Communication Chair for AIGA Orlando chapter.
CAREER Giancarlo, also known as "Blue", has worked for several local ad
agencies in Orlando, such as Push, one of the largest design firms in
Florida, and MarkUSA which is now located in Chicago. He also excels
at Photography; his first passion and one he worked with for many
years with several local photographers as well as on his own.
He was mentored by well-known "Design Activist" Julio Lima, founder
of Push and owner of the successful local Studio "Say It Loud".
