Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

As a marketer, I find candidates’ speeches fascinating - even the boring ones. (Why are they boring? Who told them to wear that brown sweater? Why do they have that particular group of people around them? It’s all packaging, folks!)

Last night I watched McCain’s and Obama’s speeches. Here’s what struck me:

Senator McCain used a lot of “they” sprinkled with a few “we” and several “my friends.” “They didn’t send us to Washington to serve our own self-interest.” Hey, who’s “they?” As for “us”, I’m not in Washington. He was talking about the American people as if it/we are some separate thing from him and his fellow politicos.

Senator McCain was closely surrounded (hey, a little elbow room here!) by a group of really old, tired-looking, really white people. Now, I have nothing against really old white people - I hope to be one some day and I’m pasty too in the winter. However, the impression was of the Old Guard drawing together protectively against “they.”

Senator McCain didn’t have any memorable lines. (To be fair, I may have missed something in switching stations.) He started on a good riff alluding to his time as a POW, talking about hope and then it sorta dwindled. Otherwise, pretty standard lines about America’s greatness, etc. (Senator McCain did get in one good, albeit wordy, zinger: “I do not seek the presidency on the presumption that I am blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me.” Burrrrrn!)

For his closing line, he borrowed from Obama. “I promise you, I’m fired up and ready to go.” Sorry, Senator that just didn’t ring true with the rest of the pretty monotone speech.

Senator Obama talked a LOT of “we.” Even when he said “I know that…” he always brought it back around to “we.” Sign of excellent media training and skill - no matter the topic, you always circle back around to your key message, your key words.

Memorable line: “Hope isn’t the same as blind optimism.” Hits me in the emotion and counters his opponents trying to position Obama as a naive blind optimist.

Senator Obama was in the center of a large group of young people waving signs, with plenty of room for him to stand out from the crowd. Hey, hey! We’re all here - ready to go! And there are a lot of us! He was also welcomed to the podium by an old white guy (I believe the mayor of Madison) - nice contrast there.

So, how do you think about, talk to your customers? Do you see them as - well - them? Or, are they fellow human beings, and you’re all in this together? (The core problem with customer service - customers are “the other”.)

Full Disclosure: Two years ago I would have voted for McCain. And, I think his mother is great - 95 and still putting on the lipstick, fluffing the hair, stepping into heels and hitting the trail. I hope I look that good and have that much energy when I’m 70. (Hmmm…I think there may be a “marketing to women” point in there somewhere…)

…and Senator Clinton was doing something down in El Paso…

Tags: John McCain, Barack Obama, politics, 2008 election, Potomac primaries, media training, marketing, marketing troubleshooting