The Lure of Obamarketing

From ice cream to cognac, does presidential marketing sell?

Last week’s Inauguration inspired a flurry of Obama-related activity. After a stop at Ben and Jerry’s for a scoop of Yes Pecan! ice cream, who visited the salon for an Obamanicure, which offered an image of our new President grinning back at you from every perfectly polished nail?

People are on board the Obama love train and there is no slowing it down. While Hennessy cognac released a limited edition bottle marked “44” to commemorate our 44th president, Dunkin Donuts announced that “’You Kin’ Do It.” Marketing experts say that this type of political tie-in is unprecedented, but not surprising.

“The Obama tie-ins we’re seeing now may not reflect what we’ve ever seen politically, but certainly we’ve been seeing this in brand extensions through events and corporate sponsorship activation,” says Gail S. Bower, president of Philadelphia, PA-based Bower & Co. Consulting (www.GailBower.com).

Other headline-making international events have also invited new product angles, she says.

“Just look at the Olympics. McDonald’s, for example, created a Beijing Burger in China and a Flavor of the Games promotion in Australia. Coke had a series of specialty collectible cans and bottles, designed by Chinese artists and with musical accompaniment.”

Fun, quirky-cool Jones Soda Company, known for its alternative marketing approach, has just released the new “Orange You Glad for Change” cola, decked out with a label featuring a beaming Obama, and retailing at $14.99 per six-pack.

“You probably noticed Pepsi’s campaign, too, including a spot that ran yesterday giving a history of Pepsi as the taste of a generation,” Bower adds. “These promotional ties are not new in our culture, but they are in the political world.”

Scott Testa, PhD, marketing professor at Philadelphia-based St. Joseph’s University agrees that advertisers are taking great advantage of the Obama momentum. “If you can link your product or service to a current event, you can cause a buzz,” he explains.

“The Obama marketing strategies may not necessarily lead to huge profits, but they do create positive brand awareness in the minds of consumers,” says Emma Ward, marketing director for bookhitch.com, a search engine for books (www.bookhitch.com). “These companies are actually taking advantage of the positive feeling people have towards Obama. It is very smart marketing in that the U.S. has obviously been in an economic downturn, meaning that the overall feeling of the nation has been reflective of a depression.”

The marketing strategies reflect the optimism that has overtaken the country with the promise of change to come. “Now, Americans are excited, and happy about their new President. If companies can channel into that frenzy and continue to trigger those happy thoughts with their smart slogans and interactive websites then consumers are going to project those happy feelings onto the brand,” Ward explains, referring to IKEA’s invitation to its website visitors to “Embrace Change” and decorate the Oval Office using its online icons.  

It is very simple, she adds. “Think about it. That's what marketing is all about, creating a strong brand with positive brand awareness.”

Obama’s fame and popularity may be compared to other internationally-loved figures. Does Ward, an Englishwoman, compare it to the Princess Diana frenzy which overtook the world at the time of her famous royal marriage to Prince Charles?

“I feel that the Obama merchandising, although it can be compared to Diana, is a lot more hyped. In England, you see spoons and plates commemorating the occasion, with the occasional tacky gift in a tacky gift shop,” Ward says. “But, the way that American businesses are pushing this moment in history is truly unique: you don't see an interactive website decorating the church in which she got married.”

Testa compares Obama’s magnetism to another famous American political figure. “Like Bill Clinton, Obama has an interesting story, he is charismatic, and he has a sixth sense that helps him connect to people,” he says. “Also, Obama’s background as community organizer means that he is good at getting people together and communicating a message. This makes him uniquely qualified to harness this groundswell and make things happen.”

This quality, says Testa, who is also a marketing and public relations consultant (www.scotttesta.com), translates to effective product promotion.

Are there any limitations to using a new President as such a key part of a marketing strategy?

Testa says the chance of alienating potential customers is no higher using this angle than any other. “You are always going to have people who like Pepsi, and you are always going to have people who like Coke,” he explains. “Obama won the election, so we know there are more people on his side. There is always a chance of alienating a certain percentage of customer base.”

“This is no different than a celebrity endorsement,” he notes. “Some people like the celebrity, and some do not. If you are doing your homework, you are picking someone who is a right fit for the product.”

The best products for this type of marketing plan are food and apparel, Testa adds. “Food companies are able to put out products relatively quickly and change packaging and marketing to make it very timely,” he explains. “It’s the same thing with apparel, because it gets out of the box really quickly, they can get marketing in gear quickly, they can change product line, and get it out to consumers quickly.”

Such items are “naturals” for any type of scenario requiring quick turnaround, not just a presidential election, he says. “Food and apparel can adapt to any situation that is newsworthy and that you have to react to relatively quickly.”

Overall, however, it seems that the Obama name and image is working for a variety of products. Testa says that he expects to see businesses that use Obama branding to see an uptick in revenue. “Certain brands are spiritual, they have fanatics,” he explains. “Some examples are Apple, Starbucks, and Whole Foods.”

“Obama the brand is like a spiritual brand. You cannot put your finger on it, but it is a combination of his charisma, his background, his celebrity connections, and other factors. He himself is one of those spiritual brands,” Testa explains. And companies that embrace that, he adds, will see a profit.

Bower says it makes perfect sense. “With the excitement of a new, media-friendly president who galvanizes people across racial, generational, and income groups, we have the new Obama Generation. Who wouldn’t want to reach them?” she says.