BRANDING OBAMA

3 December 2009 at Interbrand, London WC2R 0DW

Chaired by:  Baroness Scott of Needham Market
Presentations: Rita Clifton, Chief Executive, Interbrand
Maura Donlan, Senior Vice President,GMMB

WiPP and National Black Women’s Network (NBWN) members joined together to see the entire 45 minute presentation about the branding of Barak Obama.  WiPP members had a short taster in June and Maura Donlan kindly agreed to return to give us the full picture.  The scene was set by Rita Clifton who outlined the purpose and importance of branding, and how it can be applied to people as well as products.*

Maura then demonstrated how Obama’s character and message were woven together to create a consistent brand which would engage the electorate across the whole of the United States.  She showed us promotion posters and photos, and played us video clips of the advertising that went out on US television.  The branding was so successful that people outside of the campaign team put together their own versions – see Will I Am on YouTube.

Picture ©The Guardian Newspaper.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/16/barack-obama-swing-states-campaign-strategy

*For more information about Brands & Branding, see our Book Review page.