How to create an effective campaign slogan
Audio
- How to create an effective campaign slogan (program audio)
Political slogans can be the difference between a campaign that sounds tight, focused, and smart, and a campaign that's in search of itself.
President Obama is looking for a campaign slogan---"Change you can believe in"-- and "hope" apparently won't work for an incumbent dealing with a struggling economy.
Pete Snyder, CEO of Disruptor Capital and a former pollster and media consultant, said it will be tough after his slogan's success in 2008.
"When you run a brilliant marketing campaign, no matter how good the product is, it often doesn't live up to its hype," he said.
Dan Schnur, director of the Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California, said social media was a big component of Obama's campaign success.
"What Obama did in 2008 was to realize that online, social media isn't meant to be a one way conversation," he said. "It was a risk on Obama's part because campaigns thrive on message discipline - if you have tens of thousands of people on Facebook, your message won't be a disciplined one. Obama decided it was worth the risk in their mind to sacrifice discipline in order to make their supporters feel part of the team and it paid off."
Snyder and Schnur will join The Daily Circuit Thursday to give us the inside scoop on the often-messy process of how campaigns come up with slogans--and why many of them don't work.
KERRI'S TAKEAWAY
A lot goes into creating a political slogan. The simplest phrases take a lot of thought.
‹ Earlier
The Daily Circuit from March 8, 2012
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- How to create an effective campaign slogan
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Presidential political slogans
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Can you think of a great slogan for the GOP challengers campaign or the president’s re-election? And are there some historical slogans that you think really worked?
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@KerriMPR "Yes, We Did?"
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54-40 or Fight - James Polk.
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Nixon campaign button. (Chronicle/Michael Macer)
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Lonnie called with a slogan for Obama - Four years is not enough.
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Halfway there
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A classic Reagan campaign ad.
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the hard trick is to get simplicity without superficiality.
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4 more to score
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For Obama: "Keep on Keeping on!"
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I'd like to suggest "Moving Forward Together" for Obama.
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I Still Believe
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4 + 4 = RESULTS
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Guest Dan Schnur.
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An effective slogan must be an effective mnemonic. It must evoke the emotion and the substance of teh issues, and be much more than simply a clever phrase. It needs to resonate with people on a profound level.
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How about "GET 'ER DONE" :)
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Revive "Don't change horses in the middle of the stream."
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He said it: "Let's get the job done."
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How about "Rhetoric won't do it"?
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For Obama: Finish The Job, TOGETHER
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Guest Pete Snyder.
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One word "Together"
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Obama's slogan "It's high time we end the Prohibition of Cannabis (the world's most utilitarian plant) and tell the truth about it, and that'll be either Ron Paul or me".
It's not illegal because it's dangerous; it's dangerous because it's illegal. -
Obama should emphasize his bigger-tent stance showing appreciation for and seeking consensus from all corners of society (vs republicans' increasingly narrow mindedness).
He could summarize this with something like "Obama: Working 100% for 100% of America" or "Obama:
He's 100% for 100% of US" to show he has everyone's interests at heart. It would also imply the 99% vs 1% divide as well, and his place as the person most able to appreciate both sides of that fissure. -
Elect one "Who's Sane"
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The Future Starts NOW
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"Let my people grow" - Obama
Regarding the peace and prosperity brought on by promoting greening the world with Cannabis sativa. -
No More Promises, Just Action and Results
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Ike Eisenhower on the campaign trail.
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After Paul Wellstone died, this pin just said it all - still think about it all the time: Stand Up. Keep Fighting.
www.flickr.com -
We're halfway there
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How about the GOP? Romney? Santorum? Gingrich? Anyone (sincere)?
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still the one
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"Obama: Brought us b
ack from the brink" -
'I'm not finished. Give me a Congress you can be proud of."
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@KerriMPR Obama: continue the normalicy.
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@KerriMPR I'm reminded of slogan from "Wag the Dog," "Don't change horses in mid-stream," President wins based on events, ads get the credit
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The only slogan that will work for Obama is one that extrudes power and confidince such as "its only half time" or "I'm not done yet" he needs to act like he has already won
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Obama: Bringing US
Back -
Bend over, there's more to come.
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@KerriMPR: "Obama: Leadership for 100%." #dailycircuit
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@KerriMPR "Don't Crush the Recovery" - Obama/Biden 2014
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Also Rommney can gain a huge internet following with a simple "i am not Santorum"
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"Listen to your mama, vote Obama"
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Obama 2012-Turning It Around
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@JBL Right on!
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How about "Join us on our American journey - together we can."
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For Obama: "Keep on."
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Obama Cares
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bin Laden is dead- GM is alive- The change is working.
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I think it fits well where he is now and I think had proponents shaken when Clint delivered it. Should pick from there, unless copyrighted.
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Here's that Half Time commercial with Clint Eastwood just mentioned.
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How about "join us on our journey - together we can."
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Hey USA let's go all the way
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CHANGE, we will take that too.
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'We've only just begun'. It suggests that the previous term was productive, it's forward looking, and it carries over the 'we' from the previous slogan to provide continuity.
Ed note: Now I will have The Carpenters in my head all day. -
"Obama: Your 100% Man"
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I think Obama's slogan should be "Hope Endures"... captures the last campaign yet also captures the spirit of the nation right now
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focus on the positive and not lament the present. -
Obama: "Imagine how screwed we be if it'd been McCain"l
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Responsibility bites
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I like something like "Stronger Together." We're getting stronger economically and that's because this administration (as opposed to the Republican candidates' positions) imagines a united economy, a united people with a responsibility to each other.
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"
Obama: Full time for America" -
Sorry, Stephanie. But cheese factor aside, it made sense to me.
Stephanie: I kind of love that song. Makes me get teary-eyed for some reason. -
Romney - All or any of the above
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for ron paul: Back to 1800!
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political slogan: STAY STRONG
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Obama: We're still not as bad as the Republicans!
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For Obama: Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.
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YES WE CANNABIS!
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I liked it too; I wouldn't mind having Karen Carpenter's voice stuck in my head. Better than 'Slow Ride'.
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for Obama: "Vote for me. Nobody likes change."
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for Newt: "I am the smartest guy in the race. And the fattest. Therefore, eat more bacon."
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Moderator has no sense of humor. Proof positive of being a card carrying Liberal.
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for Obama: "I deserve re-election. I have promised you everything, and given it all. From the Taxpayer, to the Kennedys. And my other super wealthy BFF's."
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Slogan: "You don't change horses midstream."
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Commercial: Obama dressed as cowboy, driving horses, approaches river. Dramatic footage of cowboy Obama successfully fording river and riding off into sunset.
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for Obama: "Please re-elect me. I need more time to amass my billion."
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Obama 2012, Working Progress.
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for Obama: "I'm the best ever. I've transfered more of the Middle Class's wealth to the Super Rich than any President ever has! I win."
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