In today’s world, election season has become more than just a time for debates and rallies—it’s a high-stakes marketing game where every post, ad, and soundbite matters. As the 2024 campaigns have shown, candidates are all in on strategies that look a lot like the kind we use here at Clutch Creative Marketing: strategic storytelling, brand building, and a savvy use of digital platforms. But unlike product or service marketing, the stakes in political marketing couldn’t be higher.
So, let’s examine some key ways both campaigns are using marketing to capture Americans' attention and, hopefully, their votes.
Knowing the Audience Like a Pro
Both Harris and Trump know the golden rule of marketing: Know thy audience. In this year’s campaigns, we’ve seen each side go all out to connect with key demographics, tailoring messages to resonate deeply with their bases.
• Harris’s campaign has been a mix of traditional and digital outreach, geared largely toward middle-aged and older voters. From classic TV ads and town hall appearances to steady social media posts, Harris’s campaign emphasizes stability and experience, using messaging that feels like a reassuring presence to her core audience.
• Trump’s campaign, on the other hand, has leaned heavily into social media to connect with younger and more urban voters, blending humor and pop culture with policy commentary. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have become Trump’s digital playground, where a quick video or meme can go viral and communicate just as effectively as a traditional ad.
The takeaway? When you know who you’re talking to, you can tailor your messaging for maximum impact. And in an era where attention spans are short, both campaigns have nailed the art of grabbing attention with messages that resonate.
Brand Building in Real Time
Let’s face it, every candidate is a brand—and in 2024, branding is as much a part of politics as policy. Harris’s campaign has focused on the “trusted leader” persona, reinforcing her experience and reliability across every channel. Her messaging feels akin to a legacy brand reminding customers why they’ve stayed relevant for decades—think Coca-Cola’s “we’re classic, and we’re here to stay” approach.
Trump’s brand is on the other end of the spectrum: bold, fast, and unapologetically edgy. His campaign positions him as the disruptor and change-maker, much like an innovative start-up breaking into an established industry. Trump’s marketing leans into a new-cool, no-nonsense attitude that attracts those seeking fresh solutions, even if they challenge norms.
For us marketers, it’s a familiar lesson: branding isn’t just about what you say, but how people feel about what you say. Both campaigns have crafted brand identities that voters can “buy into,” each evoking different emotional connections.
Leveraging Digital with Precision
If there’s one area where political marketing has skyrocketed, it’s in digital strategy. In 2024, both campaigns are pouring budgets into online ads, social media, and targeted digital outreach. It’s almost like watching a corporate ad campaign unfold, but with a lot more at stake.
• Harris’s campaign has used paid digital ads strategically across popular news sites, social media, and lifestyle platforms to reach voters in traditional and swing states. Her strategy mirrors the tactics of corporate America: placing banner ads and sponsored posts right in the audience’s news feeds and digital spaces.
• Trump’s campaign has fully embraced social media, focusing on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to engage with younger voters. His digital presence isn’t just about posts; it’s about interaction. Trump’s team responds, engages, and builds a digital rapport with voters, making his online presence feel more like a conversation than a campaign ad.
The digital takeaway? Political marketing has shown us how powerful an omnichannel approach can be, especially when campaigns meet people right where they are—online, on social media, and in their daily digital lives.
The Power of Data and Targeting
Both campaigns are using advanced data targeting to speak directly to voter segments, such as suburban families, urban dwellers, and college-age voters. By identifying the unique concerns of each group, they customize messages that don’t just resonate—they feel personal and relevant.
• Harris’s campaign has crafted a CRM-like approach, focusing heavily on voters in traditional and swing states, along with older voters and those with a track record of voting. Her campaign is all about getting the message to people who will reliably turn out to vote.
• Trump’s campaign has leaned into micro-targeting, using algorithms to track what resonates with specific voter blocks and then delivering highly tailored messages on those topics. It’s the political equivalent of targeted email marketing: timely, precise, and directly relevant to the individual.
For marketers, the use of segmentation and targeting is both impressive and a reminder of the power of speaking to a customer (or voter) as an individual.
A High-Stakes Game
In the end, the 2024 campaigns show that political marketing isn’t so different from the brand marketing we do every day. Both Harris and Trump have leveraged audience insights, crafted distinct brand identities, harnessed digital platforms, and used data to shape their strategies.
While we at Clutch Creative Marketing don’t endorse a candidate, we certainly admire the strategy, creativity, and execution of both campaigns. This election is proof of how marketing can influence decisions, shape perceptions, and ultimately, steer the course of history.
Happy Election Day—and may the best strategy win!
Comments