Quick hit – branding in politics

Obama was, arguably, one of the best branded presidential candidates of all time.  The visuals, the message of hope and change, it was all one organized package.  So it’s surprising that this is almost the anti-branding campaign year, epitomized by this quote from today’s NYT:  “I voted for the more electable not-Romney,” In case you were wondering, that’s Santorum who should have enough brand identity of his own.  But particularly this year, it’s all who people aren’t, not who they are.  Romney is the not-Obama, Santorum and Gingrich are the not-Romneys.  I’m hoping that Obama returns to his brand and doesn’t follow this year’s pattern, otherwise this will be a particularly unfortunate mess of not-not-nots.