January 8, 2008
The classic marketing mistake Hillary Clinton now needs to avoid
I’m writing this Tuesday morning. It is widely expected that Hillary Clinton will get shellacked in the New Hampshire primary, and her campaign is searching for a strategy with which to rebound.
The temptation will be to make a classic marketing error: Excessive focus. And if they fall into that trap, they will lose.
If Hillary Clinton is to win the Democratic nomination, her campaign now has to simultaneously follow all (or at least most) of the following strategies:
- Pitch her experience, positively (and in more detail than they have been).
- Attack Barack Obama’s lack of experience.
- Pitch her “change-through-accomplishment” story, even though that will accomplish little more than stemming defections from her existing base of supporters.
- Open a new conceptual front, by stressing Clinton’s role as a womens’ rights icon.
- Continue to advance on the likability front (she’s a wonderful, moving speaker, when she lets herself be).
- Unleash Bill Clinton on the campaign trail, with the dual assignment of highlighting policy differences with the opposition and – even more important – giving examples of specific Hillary Clinton accomplishments behind closed doors.
Categories: "Change", Campaign 2008, Companies, products, and candidates, Hillary Clinton, Political marketing
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[…] 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 […]
Ooh – Len’s right, it’s too bad Hil didn’t read this in advance! 🙁
p.s. I’m much closer to your point of view on this election. If Hil gets the nomination, she’ll get my vote – if it’s O? Not sure who will get it.
[…] February 22, 2008 @CurtMonash – If Hillary had taken your Jan. 9 advice she’d probably have this wrapped up by now. http://www.strategicmessaging.com/marketing-mistake/2008/01/08/ […]