We,as people directly connected with PR, always speak about branding.
But brand is not just a product. The person itself can be a powerful brand.
That happened with Barack Obama- 44th American president.
Actually, the Obama preelctoral and electoral campaigns were so huge and so powerful, that just sweeped away the concurents.
But that happened not accidently. A huge PR machine worked (and I'm sure still works) for Barack Obama.
PRofs of the American president banked on the social media, and though many critics predicted the fail,they proved critics wrong.
Obviously, every future president wants his electoral campaign become the most fantastic,colorful,bright and memorable. In this case Barack Obama's was even better than many were expecting. The key factor (exept usual actions like speeches,debates,merchendise and others) was to engage as many voters as possible and make them a part of the future presidential elections.
PRofs made a good step and played on peoples' desire to be a part of something big and significant.
Barack Obama was everywhere-on almost every social platform, the ringtones with his voice were downloadable , his website opened the doors for the users.
The idea worked perfectly fine.
Note: Barack Obama Facebook
However taking the same route doesn't lead you to the same result.
David Cameron in his election campaign tried to take pretty similar steps as Obama did. However,it is obvious that Britons and Americans have absolutely different mentality.
That's why to please the British public you have to be really smart and persuasive. David Cameron, creating buzz through Twitter,Facebook and e-mails , just annoyed the british public.
His bank on the same messages of "HOPE" and "CHANGE" failed as the audience revealed the absolute similarity between his and Obama's mottos.
And definately Social Media creates a risk if used incorrectly. That also happened with David Cameron when his posters appeared in the internet. He became a laughingstock and the ground for numerous internet memes.
At this point I would like to say about the Russian ex-president Vladimir Putin. I'm Russian so you'll get a direct view.
While Obama and Cameron were fighting for voters in the social media, Putin came to power when there was no Facebook or Twitter.
However his PRofs made him a cult. While officially we have Dmitriy Medvedev, every Russian understands that we now have 2 presidents.
According to statistics, just 10-12% of Russian population uses Internet. Yes we are huge,so it takes time for technologies to come to every corner of Russia. However, about 90% have an access to the TV, so it becomes the place for political battles.
One of the main PR actions of Putin are the live transmissions.Thus people can ask the questions live. Though the cencorship works here, many strange,funny,explicit and dangerous questions are allowed to appear. That is not made accidently-thus Putin can show that he is not afraid of difficulties, that he can react quickly,that he has a sence of humour and thus he becomes closer to the ordinary public. As well as he creates the food for thought and speeches of Russian public.
Putin apperas on the TV almost everyday (to be honest almost everyone is tired of that). There are many Internet mems now that also shows the popularity of him.
The other PR action for Putin promotion includes his way of speech. I mean not the speed or tone, but the words he uses. To say a sharp and close-to-public sentence is a normal practice. People are happy (oh look-he is just like us), Putin gains popularity.
The so-called "exhibition galas" are in huge practice these days. Appearance in a usual shop or tube station without warning the public is a normal practice. Thus the idea is to catch people unawares and show how Putin fights the injustice officially.
(a case in one of the Moscow Food Supermarkets:
Putin:"Why pork is so expensive? You think 120% bigger than the everage price is normal?"
Vendor(frightened): "Oh, sorry, Mr.Putin - we'll change the prices right now").
People are happy (Did u see how he fought those self-conceited vendors? Ha-ha! He showed them awht was what!). Putin gains popularity.
Even to scold the highest rank officials in public is not a problem for Putin. Everything for PR.
Here is the example of Putin shames the high-up politicians:
Russian audience was just happy,Putin was a national hero.
However after so many years of his power, Russian public began to understand that they were fed with stories and Putin is a tyrant (hope the KGB won't read my blog).
The conclusion is that PR proffesionals can make an amazing job and make people beleive and vote. However in some time people begin to look with clear eyes on what is happening around them. And the goal of PR practitioners and politians is not to disappoint the public.
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