The GOP’s deepest brand is white, straight, authoritarian, wealthy & religiously fundamentalist. Their vulnerability is these can be re-cast as bigoted, homophobic, fascistic, greedy & hypocritical…
Thom, great article! I'll just remind you that my son and I recently were on your show to talk about our book, "BRANDING DEMOCRATS: a Top-to-Bottom Reimagining of Campaign Strategies." You kindly said the book was "brilliant."
Your article touched on some of the same concepts we examine in the book. (Available on Amazon!)
I'm happy to report that the book and the ideas we put forward are quickly gaining traction with some important Democratic leaders. Hopefully some of your followers can join us as we push Dems to smarter, more effective branding.
Hi Thom, your article is about a really important subject. I agree with your analysis and hope the Democratic party will pick up the baton and run with it.
This must be a joke. Of course you're right about the Republican Party as you almost always are, but to misrepresent Biden in this way just allows the continued downward spiral that our country is in. The Biden administration pushed a contract upon rail workers without a SINGLE PAID SICK DAY and Biden publicly called it a "good deal" for workers. He is currently siding with the rail industry in making it impossible for workers to sue for injuries incurred while on the job. I haven't heard him using the bully pulpit in any significant way regarding the movements for unionization occurring at the ground level across the country. If you try to refute that by saying he's mentioned it a few times, think of what Bernie Sanders would be saying about this every day if he were president. So he's the opposite of a labor president as far as his actions go. As for a "strong defense." if you call hiring a former Raython board member as your Secretary of Defense and sending $100 billion in weapons to a corrupt oligarchy led by a comedian in the interests of ousting Putin, while escalating tensions with China and North Korea, I would call all that foolish. And point out that Joe Biden and his globalists have no right to put the planet in jeopardy for their economic interests. Of course, with the help of propagandists like you, saying out of one side of your mouth that Putin's military is a paper tiger and out of the other calling him Hitler (aren't they all Thom?) and spouting the Domino Theory, austerity will rule the day until there is nuclear confrontation. Martin Luther King Jr would be spinning in his grave bearing witness to the militarism and hypocrisy of today's liberals, touting escalation to nuclear confrontation as peace and pro-capitalist presidents and pro-labor.
Great article Thom. Brand something then get people to identify with the brand and voila, you can pick their pocket and get them to up their lives.
Crips vs Bloods, Kansas City Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles. Francis I vs Henry VIII at Buologne, Edward IV vs Henry VI at Towton. There are wars fought for existential survival, at least on one side, like Ukraine, but not on the other (like Russia). Putin has effectively, for domestic consumption, branded the war as a war against NAZIs. A war that Russia has kept alive since 1945 with their annual May Day parade, speeches, sermons, eduation and books.
Regardless of how corrupt and oppressive the ruling regime, Russian citizens unite behind the brand.
After the U.S. left Viet Nam, this army of rice farmers was able to invade Cambodia I 1978 and defeat the Khmer Rouge which it perceived as an existential threat, then turn around in Feb and March and defeat the vaunted Chinese Army that invaded from the north., and the country of rice farmers were able to sustain and win an invasion by the French and Anglo allies Very effective branding and defense of an existential threat.
Bush used an existential threat, and the help of American exceptionalism branding to invade Iraq same with Afghanistan, but mission accomplished and the brand loyalty alone lost its impetus.
Actually answers questions that have been bugging me.
For instance the ability of Kings to motivate people to go to their death for them, when all they were doing was exchanging one harsh uncaring master for another. (Also applies to modern nation states)
There is an element of mercenary motivation, like the army of William the Conqueror, which was, except for the Bretons perhaps, a band of thugs motivated with visions of rapine, looting and land grab.
The Bretons were, in fact, at least at a subconscious level, returning the favor,.. Most of Brittany was populated by descendants of the Brythonic peoples that fled in the wake of the Anglo Saxon invasion, hence the name Brittany.
Harold Godwinson should have won the battle at Hastings, and would had not his army been exhausted from a two week forced march from York to Hastings, and the fyrd (Saxon peasant conscripts) had been better commanded and disciplined, such that they would not fall for the feint retreat of the Norman cavalry and go chasing them. Other than that the motivation was on the defense, Also the Saxons had no cavalry
I marveled at how Henry VIII could convince his army that they had a self interest in attacking France, during his aborted invasion, used the royal “we” when he claimed that they were only reclaiming “our” inheritance. Branding himself as part of the people or the populace as part of him, thus Normandy
Was rightfully theirs, not just Henry, but the English people. The English, then and now, cannot separate the person, identity of the sovereign, from their own identity.
In like manner we have the deadly phenomenon of Trumpism, where his cult cannot separate his identify from theirs. Trump under attack and siege is them under attack and siege.
And because their only reference to the world is themselves, their only response is projection. Thus when they call liberals snowflakes, it is because they themselves are fragile and have a tenuous and insecure hold on reality.
When they talk of grooming children, it is because the basis of their power, is grooming children to grow up like them. The same goes for all accusations from
We do need to spread the word but criticizing the other Tribe doesn't work. I like Rev. Warnock's approach. Sen. Warnock ran a really tough race against Herschel Walker but didn't attack him. Everyone knew (including the black and brown communities in GA) that Walker was a pawn who probably has brain damage from football, had a pathological tendency to lie and was in sum, a really messed up dude. The African Americans in GA knew what was going on and found it insulting, degrading. Walker was in no shape to run for Senate that the African Americans in GA knew it. Warnock could have crucified him (no pun intended) but instead took the high road. Warnock focused on his own agenda and has accomplished and will accomplish much as a Senator. Warnock did the insulin bill and that's a good start.
"The multi-millionaire who’d been born of a patrician Connecticut family put on jeans, leather work gloves, and a flannel shirt, picked up a chainsaw, affected a Texas drawl, and transformed his brand into that of a Reaganesque GOP cowboy."
Almost as ridiculous as that poseur Trent Lott and his pressed-into-a-sharp-crease blue jeans.
We all need to speak out as ambassadors. Call out the lies and expose the truth. To all the brainwashed people who think they are getting the truth from Fox, they need to be educated!!!
RE: "The single most powerful way brands migrate across a culture is through word-of-mouth." `Therefore, no messenger is as credible as a trusted friend or relative` ... That may be true amongst [close trusted] friends. But, with simply "friends" or "acquaintances" the obverse carries more weight. Which is why you see such personas as #MT3 following the same script #Ivanka laid out in her book. How can this be so? How can personas consciously lie, stir up triggering #Sh't, and smear "Crapp-O-La" everywhere in a perverse way to gain viewership? Respuesta: Porque the statistics of word-of-mouth advertising go something like-a this! 1.) If a customer is satisfied, they will generally tell Three (3) or Four (4) [close trusted] friends that you are the greatest thing since sliced bread. However, 2.) If on the other hand ... A customer becomes JILTED or even FEELS jilted by their vendor, in a bout of what we in the marketing profession call "Shared Anxiety", they will expound and expound and expound over weeks and months and even years ... How they were SCREWED by a certain past trusted vendor. And, not just Three (3) or Four (4) times. We're talking multiple TENs (10's) of times. So, the moral of the story is ... Personas that like you and tell everyone you're the greatest thing since sliced bread are nice to have. However, NIPPING the adverse in the bud as quickly as possible will prevent your brand from becoming "muddied" across the globe, the galaxy, and the universe! Which is why it is SO `importante` for banks to a.) NOT screw their customers or employees, and b.) When a customer does complain, to pounce on the issue like your stock bonus depends on it! Which, by the way, indirectly ... It truly does! Assuage the customer up front, nip the "bad blood" in the bud, and pounce on these nefarious jackasses that think they can lie and cheat their way into the wealthy class by simply theatrically lying to gullible #Amerikan-citizens.
I am sympathetic to anyone who is a victim of war, including the Ukrainians, and am looking for a solution other than perpetual war or nuclear annihilation. We have difference. You think Joe Biden and America has the right to do whatever we want anywhere around the world and suffer no consequences, I think Joe Biden does not have the right to threaten all of humanity and the survival of this planet for the interests of the global capitalists who ultimately make the decisions. This invasion is indeed a consequence of our penchant for war and global domination, and our war crimes of yesterday that continue today are coming back to haunt us. Which imperialist nation is worse? I think they are both culpable and capable of destroying the planet for their pride and profit. You endorse that ideolgy by playing the neoliberal "in the past" game, except that what happens in the past tends to dictate what happens in the present. Ignoring history is one of the major steps in the loss of critical thinking, and your logic would be tragic if it weren't so terrifying and once again relying on the personal insults levied by Trump and Biden supporters alike when they have no policy answers. And it is indeed telling that I am expressing empathy for the people of Afghanistan who we have slaughtered and you interpret that as "mentioning Afghanistian." So now apparently in our democracy we are not supposed to mention Afghanistan either as it a reminder of the lies and deception of every president and general involved, which would include Barack Obama and his "surge" and Biden and the war crimes he committed upon his haphazard exit. But I apologize for mentioning the past.
I think the nukes are still there. I know there are agreements but, I doubt they have been followed. Also, Ukraine has one of the largest natural deposits of uranium in the world; worth fighting over for these creeps. It's all about the missile size, isn't it? Ukraine was run by a Putin Puppet for many years.
You have proved it, and I have said before that the name calling that is going on these days is the result of hate radio, hate TV, and hate think tanks. The Republicans started it. What they hate the most is that we are not taking their labeling without labeling back. They cry like little babies when we use their actual behavior to point out who they ARE!
We do need to proceed full speed ahead with the branding. The more they cry, the weaker they look. The closer they align themselves with Fox, the less they align themselves with the youth and diverse groups we love and embrace. Kevin's move with the Jan 6th footage was idiotic. Good, now he is Tucker's idiot. Not a good look for him or the GOP---the mainstream is on it.
You nailed this, even though I wish we were not still fighting Republicans for basic human rights, ours and Ukraine's. How does ANYONE (including DR. Kaufman) think it's their place to tell a democratic country they should negotiate with a psychopath? When one refers to Russia these days, it is not a whole government, it's a psychopath. Ukraine will decide what they should do, not us. Talk of negotiation coming from Americans is pathetic considering how this country was formed. Roll-over and play dead for the tyrant, because he's scaring us? That's the definition of an Un-American thing to do!
I appreciate your thoughtful response. And fortunately those from the right, left and center are coming together to oppose potential nuclear annihilation as the cost of policing the world, as if we somehow have the right to do so when every single intervention we have overseen over the past 75 years has left death and destruction in its wake (and all were largely based on false pretense). So if you see I have some integrity regarding the Democratic Party, perhaps I might have some regarding the imperialist foreign policy that is draining our country. I am open to the fact that occasionally conservatives can be right about something. I hope you will at least lend an ear to Chris Hedges who won a Pulitzer Prize for his war coverage and was fired from The New York Times for telling the truth: https://therealnews.com/the-chris-hedges-report-ukraine-and-the-crisis-of-media-censorship
Yes when they ask why they can't afford their medication or why they can only see nurse practitioners and not physicians or why their Medicare premiums are so high or why they can't afford insurance even on the exchanges or why their Medicaid has an HMO attached to it or why their insurance company has denied treatment they desperately need. Yes we talk about solutions, and why these things are occurring, and we always find agreement in the fact that those running our government, Democrat or Republican, are being run by the health care conglomerates. Again, can you stop attacking me personally and discuss the issues?
As long as we know now for sure, the DNC picks the candidate, they choose the one who will best protect the current status quo. The status quo isn't working for the people. I can't even imagine them stuffing Joe Biden down our throats with their miserable campaign, "Vote Blue No Matter Who". How to get people to vote is embarrassing at the least. Unacceptable too.
Therein lies the problem Marg. You are laughing, not taking this seriously, and pointing out that often Fox News tells the truth about Democrats, albeit not to change anything just to make Democrats look bad. MSNBC and Thom do the same thing with Republicans, tell the truth about them while hiding the truth about Democrats. It's not at all funny from my perspective as a physician, and your mocking tone is representative of the degree to which journalism has failed us. I can change much more by being realistic about how awful the Democratic Party is and trying to pressure them than I can expounding about how crazy the Republicans are. I have zero chance of influencing Republicans at the leadership level, although I do so by connecting with my conservative patients on a daily basis. The "older parts" of the Democratic Party comprise over 66% of it by the way, and Democratic leadership is either old or representing the establishment.
Thom, great article! I'll just remind you that my son and I recently were on your show to talk about our book, "BRANDING DEMOCRATS: a Top-to-Bottom Reimagining of Campaign Strategies." You kindly said the book was "brilliant."
Your article touched on some of the same concepts we examine in the book. (Available on Amazon!)
I'm happy to report that the book and the ideas we put forward are quickly gaining traction with some important Democratic leaders. Hopefully some of your followers can join us as we push Dems to smarter, more effective branding.
Ken Weber
Hi Thom, your article is about a really important subject. I agree with your analysis and hope the Democratic party will pick up the baton and run with it.
This must be a joke. Of course you're right about the Republican Party as you almost always are, but to misrepresent Biden in this way just allows the continued downward spiral that our country is in. The Biden administration pushed a contract upon rail workers without a SINGLE PAID SICK DAY and Biden publicly called it a "good deal" for workers. He is currently siding with the rail industry in making it impossible for workers to sue for injuries incurred while on the job. I haven't heard him using the bully pulpit in any significant way regarding the movements for unionization occurring at the ground level across the country. If you try to refute that by saying he's mentioned it a few times, think of what Bernie Sanders would be saying about this every day if he were president. So he's the opposite of a labor president as far as his actions go. As for a "strong defense." if you call hiring a former Raython board member as your Secretary of Defense and sending $100 billion in weapons to a corrupt oligarchy led by a comedian in the interests of ousting Putin, while escalating tensions with China and North Korea, I would call all that foolish. And point out that Joe Biden and his globalists have no right to put the planet in jeopardy for their economic interests. Of course, with the help of propagandists like you, saying out of one side of your mouth that Putin's military is a paper tiger and out of the other calling him Hitler (aren't they all Thom?) and spouting the Domino Theory, austerity will rule the day until there is nuclear confrontation. Martin Luther King Jr would be spinning in his grave bearing witness to the militarism and hypocrisy of today's liberals, touting escalation to nuclear confrontation as peace and pro-capitalist presidents and pro-labor.
Great article Thom. Brand something then get people to identify with the brand and voila, you can pick their pocket and get them to up their lives.
Crips vs Bloods, Kansas City Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles. Francis I vs Henry VIII at Buologne, Edward IV vs Henry VI at Towton. There are wars fought for existential survival, at least on one side, like Ukraine, but not on the other (like Russia). Putin has effectively, for domestic consumption, branded the war as a war against NAZIs. A war that Russia has kept alive since 1945 with their annual May Day parade, speeches, sermons, eduation and books.
Regardless of how corrupt and oppressive the ruling regime, Russian citizens unite behind the brand.
After the U.S. left Viet Nam, this army of rice farmers was able to invade Cambodia I 1978 and defeat the Khmer Rouge which it perceived as an existential threat, then turn around in Feb and March and defeat the vaunted Chinese Army that invaded from the north., and the country of rice farmers were able to sustain and win an invasion by the French and Anglo allies Very effective branding and defense of an existential threat.
Bush used an existential threat, and the help of American exceptionalism branding to invade Iraq same with Afghanistan, but mission accomplished and the brand loyalty alone lost its impetus.
Actually answers questions that have been bugging me.
For instance the ability of Kings to motivate people to go to their death for them, when all they were doing was exchanging one harsh uncaring master for another. (Also applies to modern nation states)
There is an element of mercenary motivation, like the army of William the Conqueror, which was, except for the Bretons perhaps, a band of thugs motivated with visions of rapine, looting and land grab.
The Bretons were, in fact, at least at a subconscious level, returning the favor,.. Most of Brittany was populated by descendants of the Brythonic peoples that fled in the wake of the Anglo Saxon invasion, hence the name Brittany.
Harold Godwinson should have won the battle at Hastings, and would had not his army been exhausted from a two week forced march from York to Hastings, and the fyrd (Saxon peasant conscripts) had been better commanded and disciplined, such that they would not fall for the feint retreat of the Norman cavalry and go chasing them. Other than that the motivation was on the defense, Also the Saxons had no cavalry
I marveled at how Henry VIII could convince his army that they had a self interest in attacking France, during his aborted invasion, used the royal “we” when he claimed that they were only reclaiming “our” inheritance. Branding himself as part of the people or the populace as part of him, thus Normandy
Was rightfully theirs, not just Henry, but the English people. The English, then and now, cannot separate the person, identity of the sovereign, from their own identity.
In like manner we have the deadly phenomenon of Trumpism, where his cult cannot separate his identify from theirs. Trump under attack and siege is them under attack and siege.
And because their only reference to the world is themselves, their only response is projection. Thus when they call liberals snowflakes, it is because they themselves are fragile and have a tenuous and insecure hold on reality.
When they talk of grooming children, it is because the basis of their power, is grooming children to grow up like them. The same goes for all accusations from
Pedophile to treason.
We do need to spread the word but criticizing the other Tribe doesn't work. I like Rev. Warnock's approach. Sen. Warnock ran a really tough race against Herschel Walker but didn't attack him. Everyone knew (including the black and brown communities in GA) that Walker was a pawn who probably has brain damage from football, had a pathological tendency to lie and was in sum, a really messed up dude. The African Americans in GA knew what was going on and found it insulting, degrading. Walker was in no shape to run for Senate that the African Americans in GA knew it. Warnock could have crucified him (no pun intended) but instead took the high road. Warnock focused on his own agenda and has accomplished and will accomplish much as a Senator. Warnock did the insulin bill and that's a good start.
"The multi-millionaire who’d been born of a patrician Connecticut family put on jeans, leather work gloves, and a flannel shirt, picked up a chainsaw, affected a Texas drawl, and transformed his brand into that of a Reaganesque GOP cowboy."
Almost as ridiculous as that poseur Trent Lott and his pressed-into-a-sharp-crease blue jeans.
We all need to speak out as ambassadors. Call out the lies and expose the truth. To all the brainwashed people who think they are getting the truth from Fox, they need to be educated!!!
Great inspirational writing as always!!
RE: "The single most powerful way brands migrate across a culture is through word-of-mouth." `Therefore, no messenger is as credible as a trusted friend or relative` ... That may be true amongst [close trusted] friends. But, with simply "friends" or "acquaintances" the obverse carries more weight. Which is why you see such personas as #MT3 following the same script #Ivanka laid out in her book. How can this be so? How can personas consciously lie, stir up triggering #Sh't, and smear "Crapp-O-La" everywhere in a perverse way to gain viewership? Respuesta: Porque the statistics of word-of-mouth advertising go something like-a this! 1.) If a customer is satisfied, they will generally tell Three (3) or Four (4) [close trusted] friends that you are the greatest thing since sliced bread. However, 2.) If on the other hand ... A customer becomes JILTED or even FEELS jilted by their vendor, in a bout of what we in the marketing profession call "Shared Anxiety", they will expound and expound and expound over weeks and months and even years ... How they were SCREWED by a certain past trusted vendor. And, not just Three (3) or Four (4) times. We're talking multiple TENs (10's) of times. So, the moral of the story is ... Personas that like you and tell everyone you're the greatest thing since sliced bread are nice to have. However, NIPPING the adverse in the bud as quickly as possible will prevent your brand from becoming "muddied" across the globe, the galaxy, and the universe! Which is why it is SO `importante` for banks to a.) NOT screw their customers or employees, and b.) When a customer does complain, to pounce on the issue like your stock bonus depends on it! Which, by the way, indirectly ... It truly does! Assuage the customer up front, nip the "bad blood" in the bud, and pounce on these nefarious jackasses that think they can lie and cheat their way into the wealthy class by simply theatrically lying to gullible #Amerikan-citizens.
I am sympathetic to anyone who is a victim of war, including the Ukrainians, and am looking for a solution other than perpetual war or nuclear annihilation. We have difference. You think Joe Biden and America has the right to do whatever we want anywhere around the world and suffer no consequences, I think Joe Biden does not have the right to threaten all of humanity and the survival of this planet for the interests of the global capitalists who ultimately make the decisions. This invasion is indeed a consequence of our penchant for war and global domination, and our war crimes of yesterday that continue today are coming back to haunt us. Which imperialist nation is worse? I think they are both culpable and capable of destroying the planet for their pride and profit. You endorse that ideolgy by playing the neoliberal "in the past" game, except that what happens in the past tends to dictate what happens in the present. Ignoring history is one of the major steps in the loss of critical thinking, and your logic would be tragic if it weren't so terrifying and once again relying on the personal insults levied by Trump and Biden supporters alike when they have no policy answers. And it is indeed telling that I am expressing empathy for the people of Afghanistan who we have slaughtered and you interpret that as "mentioning Afghanistian." So now apparently in our democracy we are not supposed to mention Afghanistan either as it a reminder of the lies and deception of every president and general involved, which would include Barack Obama and his "surge" and Biden and the war crimes he committed upon his haphazard exit. But I apologize for mentioning the past.
I think the nukes are still there. I know there are agreements but, I doubt they have been followed. Also, Ukraine has one of the largest natural deposits of uranium in the world; worth fighting over for these creeps. It's all about the missile size, isn't it? Ukraine was run by a Putin Puppet for many years.
You have proved it, and I have said before that the name calling that is going on these days is the result of hate radio, hate TV, and hate think tanks. The Republicans started it. What they hate the most is that we are not taking their labeling without labeling back. They cry like little babies when we use their actual behavior to point out who they ARE!
We do need to proceed full speed ahead with the branding. The more they cry, the weaker they look. The closer they align themselves with Fox, the less they align themselves with the youth and diverse groups we love and embrace. Kevin's move with the Jan 6th footage was idiotic. Good, now he is Tucker's idiot. Not a good look for him or the GOP---the mainstream is on it.
You nailed this, even though I wish we were not still fighting Republicans for basic human rights, ours and Ukraine's. How does ANYONE (including DR. Kaufman) think it's their place to tell a democratic country they should negotiate with a psychopath? When one refers to Russia these days, it is not a whole government, it's a psychopath. Ukraine will decide what they should do, not us. Talk of negotiation coming from Americans is pathetic considering how this country was formed. Roll-over and play dead for the tyrant, because he's scaring us? That's the definition of an Un-American thing to do!
Apologies to Thom and his fans. I will no longer be involved in this demeaning discussion.
I appreciate your thoughtful response. And fortunately those from the right, left and center are coming together to oppose potential nuclear annihilation as the cost of policing the world, as if we somehow have the right to do so when every single intervention we have overseen over the past 75 years has left death and destruction in its wake (and all were largely based on false pretense). So if you see I have some integrity regarding the Democratic Party, perhaps I might have some regarding the imperialist foreign policy that is draining our country. I am open to the fact that occasionally conservatives can be right about something. I hope you will at least lend an ear to Chris Hedges who won a Pulitzer Prize for his war coverage and was fired from The New York Times for telling the truth: https://therealnews.com/the-chris-hedges-report-ukraine-and-the-crisis-of-media-censorship
Yes when they ask why they can't afford their medication or why they can only see nurse practitioners and not physicians or why their Medicare premiums are so high or why they can't afford insurance even on the exchanges or why their Medicaid has an HMO attached to it or why their insurance company has denied treatment they desperately need. Yes we talk about solutions, and why these things are occurring, and we always find agreement in the fact that those running our government, Democrat or Republican, are being run by the health care conglomerates. Again, can you stop attacking me personally and discuss the issues?
As long as we know now for sure, the DNC picks the candidate, they choose the one who will best protect the current status quo. The status quo isn't working for the people. I can't even imagine them stuffing Joe Biden down our throats with their miserable campaign, "Vote Blue No Matter Who". How to get people to vote is embarrassing at the least. Unacceptable too.
Therein lies the problem Marg. You are laughing, not taking this seriously, and pointing out that often Fox News tells the truth about Democrats, albeit not to change anything just to make Democrats look bad. MSNBC and Thom do the same thing with Republicans, tell the truth about them while hiding the truth about Democrats. It's not at all funny from my perspective as a physician, and your mocking tone is representative of the degree to which journalism has failed us. I can change much more by being realistic about how awful the Democratic Party is and trying to pressure them than I can expounding about how crazy the Republicans are. I have zero chance of influencing Republicans at the leadership level, although I do so by connecting with my conservative patients on a daily basis. The "older parts" of the Democratic Party comprise over 66% of it by the way, and Democratic leadership is either old or representing the establishment.