Trump, Hillary, and Lessons in Advertising

Mike HardmanAdvertisingLeave a Comment

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know there are a few things that I repeat, namely strategy and measurement. Make sure you have a strategy and make sure you measure it to know whether or not it’s effective. That’s what we’re about to do thanks to the always-engaging presidential race.

Because typical elections feature paid media campaigns by both candidates, we’ve never really been able to determine their value. Until now.

The New York Times tells the story of how we’re in a unique position: Donald Trump has generally run the publicity wave only while Hillary Clinton has paid for television spots. In the few places where Trump did pay for ads, where he out-advertised Clinton, he is winning. And vice versa. Where Clinton out-advertised him, she leads. This is an over simplified-summary of the study, of course, and I encourage you to read the entire article.

What strikes me is that these results confirm what the AIDA model of marketing suggests: people cannot buy something that they’re not aware exists. First we must create brand Awareness. Then we generate Interest in our product’s benefits. Next we focus on Desire and emotionally connect with our audience. Finally, we move the buyer to Action.

This is the type of common sense approach we take here at the Hardman Group. It’s strategic. And it’s measured. Contact me if you’re interested in learning more!

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