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In Search of 21st Century Democrats [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-02-21

There were a lot of people who voted for Donald Trump that did not like him. Enough of them so that he squeaked out a victory that never should have been. How does that happen? How did he convince these “hold my nose and vote for him” voters?

He sold himself to that major block of voters who do not follow the news daily. Voters who might see Fox News at the gym or in the waiting room at the dentist office. To all those casual citizens, Trump sold himself better than Kamala and the Democrats sold themselves. How could he do that, you ask?

You could dig out the work of Marshall McLuhan, the Canadian philosopher whose work forms the bedrock of media studies. Or, you could go have a beer with the Marketing Director of some moderately successful small company. They will both agree on one basic principle.

Branding takes time and investment to build. And it is key to any successful enterprise. A Brand is built with many components, not the least of which is advertising. Advertising works by repetition. A one-time ad doesn’t usually work. An ad campaign that reaches a target audience with a consistent message over time builds a brand image that motivates a consumer to change their vote, or, purchases.

Voters are consumers of government. And as such, they can be motivated and informed by propaganda, or, advertising. Donald Trump doesn’t know a whole lot, but he does understand how to build and maintain his “brand”. He even puts a dollar amount on the value of his name on his balance sheets because his name IS his brand. His brand is what got him elected both times. And he is a marketing genius to have pulled out a win in the 2024 election. We may not like his brand, but we have to respect its power if we want to compete with it.

After he lost to Joe Biden, and failed to complete a coup to take over the presidency, he went back to holding rallies almost right away. Never stopped. Everyone knew he was campaigning for the next election. And the crowds that he attracted drew reporters like moths to a candle. They couldn’t stay away. And the media kept projecting his brand to the public every time he made a appearance. So regularly, that he became more recognizable than any other American.

That doesn’t mean his is smart, or that he was a better candidate. It means that he understands how media works in the 21st century better than his opponents.

He didn’t have to pay for that advertising or for many signs, either. He just had to put on a show in every little corner that would have him. And the right-wing media would cover and elaborate over every single event.

And to their ever-lasting shame, so did the major media networks. They treated his performances as though he was a celebrity, seldom holding him to account for what was said. But he made their shareholders money by boosting Nielson audience ratings and growing their internet “click-through” rates.

Rallies provided the stage setting for his “product”. He needed the live, cheering audience to project his “brand”. And he needed to hold rallies even while serving as president to counter the bland workaday reality of being the nation’s top administrator. He projects himself into every major event, be it news, sports or entertainment. No news is bad news for him. He doesn’t just crave attention, he generates free media attention to keep his name in front of potential voters non-stop.

The mid-terms may be the last meaningful election ever held in America. How must Trump’s opponents approach 2026? Doing business as usual and expecting a different result is crazy.

Most of Trump’s opponents are stuck in the 20th century. You remember the 20th century? When Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw were influential? When the news show 60 Minutes could make or break a politician? When the major broadcast news organizations could reliably reach most voters? Well, this is 21st century America and they don’t live here anymore.

Trump has made the media a valuable personal asset. Most of the attention that he gets is free. And he is a master at keeping the attention coming.

The Democrats need to build their brand with defeating Trumpism in mind. But to do that, they must fight fire with fire.

Kamala Harris drew bigger crowds than did Trump all last fall. Crowds lined the streets to see her pass and the enthusiasm she generated was real. It is incredible that given her very brief campaign, she came so very close to winning. She had ten weeks to create a brand from scratch, and communicate it as widely as she could. Trump had a ten year head start. With the casual voter, she never had a chance. They have told pollsters that they never felt that they got to know her.

Don’t judge the casual voter. There is some wisdom behind everyone. Democrats need to embrace marketing principles, get out early, and meet this deciding demographic head on.

Kamala is probably the best person to put out front. But Democrats have a deep bench with the Tik-Tok and Instagram generation. We need to see and hear more from Pete Buttigieg every single week. And why doesn’t the Party embrace Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as well. We all know that Nancy Pelosi sabotaged AOC’s bid for a committee leadership role in the current House. Will someone politely tell Ms. Pelosi to stand down, please. Please!

I greatly admire Nancy Pelosi, but her time is over. She does not speak to anyone under the age of fifty. AOC is a rising star with younger people. Keeping her down hurts the Democrat “brand” in ways that cost elections.

Corey Booker, Gavin Newsom, Jasmine Crockett and others need to join a team of Democrats that are featured in every social media. Tik-Toks, short reels, podcasts, and in-person appearances at concerts, festivals and yes, sporting events, too. They need to be seen mixing it up with the casual voter who knows celebrities birthdates but cannot name their own governor.

Just remember, that even though Apple is one of the most successful companies on earth, they continue to advertise widely, building upon and reinforcing their brand image. Much the same can be said about Costco, Amazon, and Walmart. You never stop seeing brand names on stadiums, or sponsoring public events and performances. All the top brands have a strategy that they invest in nonstop. The GOP embraced marketing to great advantage since the Reagon years. Isn’t it about time the Democrats join the competition and level their playing field?

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