Marketing of a President-to-Be

This week's Business Week explains how "better marketing elected Barack Obama." Sizzle counts in marketing--but so does substance. Senator Obama marketed himself AND his ideas--as well as his ability to listen to citizens, seek out experts, ask their views, and enlist their aid in proposing solutions to the country's tough challenges. He forged relationships with many stakeholders and encouraged two-way communication to shape the ideas and proposals that backed up the sizzle. Beyond bumper-sticker political marketing!

clipped from www.businessweek.com How Better Marketing Elected Barack Obama Obama's defeat of the heir apparent in his own party and his victory over the much-vaunted Republican machine is a remarkable achievement that owes a lot to his instinct for marketing First, Obama's personal charisma, his listening and public speaking skills, his consistently positive and unruffled demeanor and his compelling biography attracted the attention and empathy of voters. Second, Obama converted this empathy into tangible support. More citizens volunteered time and money to help the Obama campaign than any previous presidential candidate. Indeed, he attracted more donors than the entire Democratic or Republican party nationwide. Almost half of Obama's unprecedented $639 million in funds raised from individuals came from small donors giving $300 or less.