What businesses can learn from this election

This is not a political post. But I've been closely watching this election season. And it's clear that, although we Americans like to insist that we're not influenced by the "marketing" of our candidates, there's little evidence to support our claims.

The brand matters.
Plenty has been made about the consistent branding of the Obama campaign, through its bright and hopeful "morning in America again" logo and its strict adherence to brand elements in campaign communication. The target is younger than traditional campaigns; the message is "different". A circle communicates community.

McCain's branding uses the military star and simple blue and gold for a traditional look and feel. This is the guy you can rely on. He's been there, done that. He's experienced. These brands are selling. People are buying, and so are the media.

But the message is critical.
Yet, as we're increasingly seeing in the run up to November, having an effective message matters more. Not having one can be a real problem. (Remember Bill Clinton's "It's the economy, stupid?" It may have been clunky, but it was on target and people could understand it.)

Whether you believe he can deliver or not, Obama's message has been simple and clear. It's change. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone with access to media who doesn't know that Obama stands for change (even if his version of change isn't for them). Change you can count on. The change you need. Change for America. Translation: this guy doesn't like the way things are headed and he wants to do something about it. That has been his message since Day One of his campaign.

Mixed messages = confusion.
McCain, and Hillary Clinton before him, have suffered for their wildly inconsistent messaging, even while the look and feel of their campaign communications said "experienced." Their more traditional campaign graphics conveyed one message, and their ever-changing slogans, communications messaging and media talking points have left them wide-open to misinterpretation by their target market (voters) and the media.

Has anyone noticed how McCain's backdrops and lectern signs have had wildly different messages throughout this campaign? There was  Big Ideas for Serious Problems. There was A Leader We Can Believe In. Then there was the clunky The American President Americans Have Been Waiting For, a few more, and now the latest, Country First.

Whenever polling and editorials have changed, so has the message. Every time a campaign shake-up is announced, out comes a new McCain message. And the introduction of Sarah Palin as a vice presidential pick has thrown another wrench into the frenzied McCain messaging. Her message and story - hockey mom maverick and Washington outsider - have threatened to overwhelm his campaign theme of confident, experienced leadership in a time of national peril. He is ready on Day One. But, voters are asking, is she? Even Palin's biggest supporters can't say that her pick bolstered his mantra of readiness to lead.

What's this got to do with me?
Businesses small and large, for-profit and non-profit, have a lot to learn from these two ways of campaigning. Our own marketing campaigns need to be consistent over time, too. If your message is all over the place, it's not helping you. Changing your message to suit the latest news, polls or market research is risky business. Changing the message because you're newly in charge is worse.

What do you stand for? Can your clients and customers tell you that? Or are they constantly trying to keep up as you engage in re-branding, tweaking and jumping up and down to get their attention?

Do your press materials and web site communicate the same things as your leadership does in person? Do your print materials back you up, or do they just confuse people? Do you walk your talk, or do people dismiss your communication as simply "marketing speak"?

The next time you're watching election coverage, notice what you see. I'm willing to bet you'll get at least one good idea for improving your company's communication. Let me know what you come up with!