My-Bama

Posted: January 19th, 2009 | Author: Lula | Filed under: brand | 2 Comments »

I feel the need to state the obvious and say that Barack’s campaign has been AMAZING. I’m sure many books will be written about this historical event from many different angles. The Obama campaign was and is inspirational on so many levels. It has moved and continues to move an apathetic Generation X (mine) into action. When I listen to the conversations going on around me from young adults, people on the street, my own social circle, I get the distinct impression that each and every one of us supporters feels a personal connection with the big man himself. Obama is our Obama, your Obama, my Obama.

But enough about the political and social impact of this campaign, let’s talk about the design of this piece of genius. The brand that is Obama.

The catchy logo alone warrants its own piece of literature. It’s so full of happy feel-goodness that I almost can’t stand it but in a good way. Red, white, and blue; the sun coming up on the horizon, the stripes of the flag doubling as a field of hope, and of course, the whole image makes an O.

It’s  pure genius. I’ve seen this image countless times and I don’t seem to tire of it. It’s just so damn catchy and inspirational.

This branding continues through every single piece of propaganda in the entire campaign. There is much to be learned from Barack’s team. They took the ideology of mega-business branding and put it to work for a single man who because of it (and his upstanding character and intelligence of course) rose to the top, literally.

What I really love about this campaign is the whole internet presence that’s become a force in itself. No candidate has utilized this tool with such vigor and success. In compliment of this embracing of the digital world, supporters of the campaign have launched their own marketing initiatives. I think my favorite viral marketing piece has to be the spin-off of the Shepard Fairey poster.

It makes such an impact. On one hand, it is a fun thing that you can play with and send to friends and family. On the other hand, it gives one a sense of empowerment to replicate oneself as that already iconic image of Obama. You can join in the fun at Paste Magazine’s site and create your own personal piece of history.

Speaking of owning history, I am proud to say that I will be one of the hundreds of thousands of people who will be descending upon Washington D.C. this Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 to witness the inauguration of our 44th president of the United States of America. I strongly feel that without the excellent sense of design, marketing, and communication strategies of Obama’s campaign, history would have repeated itself.

We often underestimate  the incredible impact that effective design & marketing can have. However, when we witness a body of work that is so finely tuned, finessed, and flawless, it reminds us of the pure power that can be held within the hand of creativity.

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