Marketing a damaged brand. The elections race to the bottom explained.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the negative marketing aspect of a US election is different than any other marketing category. The fact that there are only two options for voters to consider makes the race to the bottom attractive. Throw enough mud and folks won't have a choice but…

What’s in a Basket of Deplorables? An Ad Guy Explains

I wrote a few weeks ago on why negative advertising is so effective in politics but is much more rarely used in consumer brand advertising. But what about basket of deplorables? It seems a lot different. It's also been compared to Mitt's 47% comment. But that's the politics side of it…

The power of visual ideas. The election explained by advertising creative director.

In the advertising world, we love a good "visual solve." When we see a really good one we'll often say to one another. "Wow, I wish I would have thought of that." There's a simplicity of communication that's not easily done with words. Words can get complicated and require a…

The issues don’t matter: The election explained by an advertising guy

In advertising we deal with competing brands all the time. Logically thinking, you might assume that one brand really is better than another. But if facts and logic where what consumers were in the market for each product category would have one dominate brand and everyone else would just get…

An ad guy explains the election. Hillary: the packaged goods candidate

Hillary Clinton's campaign tactics, public statements and brand promise are all a lot more understandable than Donald Trump's, which I've previously written about. In fact, Hillary's campaign feel a lot like it could be for a packaged good's company than her competitor. After all, Proctor and Gamble's motto is "The…