January 9, 2008
Updating my marketing prescriptions for the Clinton campaign
The competitive landscape in the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign has changed significantly since Tuesday morning. What does this do to the marketing strategy I suggested for Hillary Clinton a mere 24 hours ago? Let’s see.
My major points were:
- Hillary Clinton should stress her status as a woman. Yep, that sure was right.
- Clinton should tell this story by emphasizing her unique advantages versus other women’s lots in life. Hmm, maybe that one isn’t so necessary. She seems to have told it just fine her way. And my suggested strategy has some risks.
- Clinton should play defense but not offense in trying to redefine “change.” That’s pretty much what she’s doing now, and it seems to be working. Nobody’s making fun of those “Ready for change” signs waved at her rally.
- Clinton should stress her track record of achievement. This one may not be needed, and it carries some risk of making her seem wooden or not-for-change again. Even so, I think it would be wise to have an aide get the more objective story ready, in case it turns out to be needed after all.
- Clinton should continue to hammer at Obama’s lack of experience. Yep. That seems to be working.
- Clinton should push likability. That was obvious. And she has done a beautiful job of it.
- In particular, Clinton should reach out emotionally to younger women. I absolutely still believe that.
- Hillary Clinton should use Bill Clinton as a surrogate. Actually, much of her New Hampshire win is ascribed to distancing herself from the Bill Clinton legacy, so I’m less sure of this opinion than I was a day ago. Even so, as Super-Duper Tuesday approaches, it will be necessary to fan out as many teams of powerful messengers as possible. And Bill Clinton can surely lead one of the strongest such teams. Maybe it should be a Bill-plus-Chelsea Clinton team, to reduce any back-to-the-past negative reactions.
Links:
- How to market Hillary Clinton more effectively
- The women’s strategy I had thought up for Clinton
- The extent to which marketing “change” makes sense
Comments
2 Responses to “Updating my marketing prescriptions for the Clinton campaign”
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But she does carry a lot of baggage and has yet to share with everyone how she proposes to change things and for anything to change you have to make the changes right at the top of everything, otherwise it will not work and now she’s just a wannabe puppet trying to get sat at the table. And then, she’s only going to do what she is told … for she’s not leadership material, at all. The country needs someone with New with New Ideas otherwise it will be just more of the same old pain.
Here is some of that baggage itemised …. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=507762&in_page_id=1879
I’m sorry, but your argument seems a bit confused. You link to a long article claiming she gave a large fraction of the orders during her husband’s presidency, then claim she only does what’s told.
There WERE some details there undermining my assumption that Hillary Clinton did a disproportionate share of the parenting. So I’m getting further doubts about my previous idea she should tell a narrative of overcoming normal barriers to a woman’s success. Thank you for that part.
CAM