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The UK labour party leader and current Prime Minister, Gordon Brown last night announced that the Labour party and government was ‘in the future business’. Having been in power for the past 13 years, it was a bold claim along with the assertion that Labour wants to ‘renew Britain’. The Labour party slogan…’A future fair for all’ and it’s bold graphics and understated ‘Mr men-style’ cartoon animation on its website are part of the party’s attempts to use contemporary and focussed branding in order to assist their election campaign. It was Labour’s bold re-launch as ‘New Labour’ under Tony Blair which helped them to sweep to power in 1997. The Labour logo, the traditional red rose of working class socialism was originally introduced by Neil Kinnock in 1986 replacing the Red Flag of the British Labour workers party heritage. The current Red rose (now truncated minus stem and placed in a box) has been retained minus the ‘New’ and now in reversed out colours (making it more white with a red outline than solid red). Labour has in the past referred to brand-led thinking as being critical to their efforts to communicate with and represent its policies. The continual updating of the party logo was cited by the party in 2000 as being similar to what and how coca-cola manages its brand to stay contemporary and relevant. This is in keeping with the Labour party message to ‘stay the course’ with Labour and not jeapordize the economic recovery’ while securing a fair future. The Labour party imagery and manifesto hearkens back to a more socialist ideal and almost utopian ‘horizon’ as it seeks to focus the electorate’s mind on the future and not the past 13 years of Labour government. In addition to this, by using new tools and media via the web cartoon as well as old tools, such as the ‘card carrying pocket manifesto’ – Labour seeks to make it as succinct and clear as possible to the electorate why their brand of government is better and should be chosen to remain in power.

Not to be outdone, the UK Conservative  (Tory) party led by David Cameron also has become adept at using branding to help their election efforts. Ditching the patriotic ‘torch’ logo introduced under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980’s, the Conservative party’s current logo is a hand drawn ‘Oak tree’ which seeks to project a ‘kinder, gentler and more environmentally friendly’ approach to conservative politics. The Oak tree was introduced in 2006 to symbolize ‘strength, endurance, renewal and growth’. At the time, a former Tory Chairman referred to the Oak Tree as similar to a ‘bunch of broccoli’ while others compared it to a ‘child’s crayon drawing’. Either way, the logo in blue and green along with the Conservative party slogan…’Time for a change’ seeks to clarify and remind voters that the Labour government as the incumbent is out of step with current thinking and electoral issues thus signifying it is both the time to change in order to keep up with the changing times. A clever word play which helps to reinforce the Conservative’s as a ‘challenger’ party. The current Tory campaign has also cleverly brought the Union flag symbolism of red/white/blue into the background of their message imagery thus bridging the past (Thatcher’s torch and Union symbolism) whilst placing the blue/green and change message at the forefront of voter’s minds.  The most interesting development of the Tories is their view that participatory culture in the form of voter involvement, collaboration and new media is vital to helping them not only win the election but potentially govern as well. Again, this underscores the need for parties and branding to be more than just a graphic design logo, slogan or series of images and sound bites. Truly, the brand experience must embrace new channels of communication whilst also adapting messages and symbols to the current cultural and social zeitgeist of the electorate.

The third party in the frame at the national level is the Liberal Democrats led by Nick Clegg. The Lib-Dems as they are called are the ‘middle’ party who are seeking to gain from a general dissatisfaction with the overall two party approaches. The Lib-Dems are hoping for a hung parliament in which neither party (Labour or Conservative) obtains a majority of seats in order to form a government yet ‘wins’ the election based on overall votes. In this situation, the Lib-Dems could form a pact with one or the other of the parties and form a government. Thus, they hold a potentially critical balancing ‘vote’ should the opportunity arise. In keeping with this ‘balanced’ view, the Lib Dems slogan ‘Change that works for you…building a fairer Britain’ seems to be a combination of both the Labour ‘fair’ message and the Tory ‘change’ message. The Lib Dem logo, a yellow bird that is neither ‘realistic nor abstract’ seems to conjure up an image of peace. It was introduced in the 1990’s  and referred to as ‘the Bird of Freedom’ and was meant to help the party to stand out as a credible alternative to Labour and the Tories by adopting more consistent and well articulated visually and verbally messages. The current web site for the General Election combines the colours of yellow and a light blue-green colour using simple bullet points, headlines and photography to communicate their policies.

The two parties who operate in the background  nationally but signify an important force regionally are the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru (the Welsh National Party). The SNP (Scottish National Party) has an abstract ribbon based upon the cross of St Andrew which in yellow and black has been referred to as a ‘clootie dumpling’ ( A Scottish suet pudding). Introduced in 1996 the current campaign in the General Election seeks to portray the SNP as a credible force and counter to the Labour and Conservative parties in Scotland. Plaid Cymru is the ‘party of Wales’ and seeks to portray itself as the leading Welsh party on all issues of relevance to the Welsh constituencies. In 2006 Plaid Cymru rebranded in order to stay contemporary ditching its ‘triban’ symbol for a refreshed and more contemporary yellow poppy flower logo. The change, the first since 1933 when the triban was introduced saw the traditional colour of Wales, green replaced by a softer yellow associated with the flower. At this stage, the Welsh word for Wales, Cymru was dropped formally from the name and relegated to the descriptor role – Plaid Cymru, the party of Wales. In all formal conversations and references Plaid became the ‘official’ name of the party. Interestingly, Plaid is the only UK party which uses on its web site a prominent aural signature (sonic brand mnemonic) to help stimulate recognition and memory.

So, what is the point of all this? The point is that branding of parties and elections is vital to help leaders connect with their constituents and stakeholders. In a democracy, this is vital to help elect governments and implement policies which form the basis of our society. Branding and the science of branding may have started in commerce and industry but it has evolved full circle now to be a vital part of modern socio-political management. The study of semiotics, which is analysis and understanding of signs, symbolism, codes and cues is vital to help de-code and understand why and how brands or communications either ‘connects’ or ‘disconnects’ with people. For it is in our subconscious that these ‘codes’ and ‘cues’ help shape our views and inform our decision-making. The semiotics of packaging for consumer goods is a critical means of helping achieve ‘shelf stand out’ in the grocery store, and so too is it wise for politicians to employ the same techniques to ‘stand out’ from the competition and connect with their audiences. In everything from choosing a logo or tag line to deciding what music to use at campaign rallies – the imagery, words, sounds and experiences deployed all help to create a connection. These connections link to people’s conscious and sub-conscious thoughts and feelings. In doing so, the power of using imagery influences how positive or negative messages are received, processed and stored. Ideally, the more positive and relevant the message to what or how a person is thinking and feeling the more likely that person is to choose the brand, or in the case of an election – the political party and politician.  However, to succeed – the imagery, messages and symbolism must stand out. It must be memorable and distinct. Most importantly, it must be relevant to the audience.

Consumers and the voting public are more marketing saavy than ever before and expect politicians and parties to ‘package’ their messages. The influence of the US election system and Presidential politics has re-defined the semi-otics for leadership. To be seen and heard as Presidential is to be seen and viewed as a leader. President Obama’s recent campaign with strong graphics, a succinct message and call-to-action (Yes we can!) and the use of imagery and media channels that connected with a new generation in the US population helped him and the Democratic party overturn 8 years of Republican party control of the White House and Congress. So too now in the UK, and indeed in many other western democracies, the full 360 degree branding of politics is now the standard. The lessons originally derived from the world of business serve as salient reminders for companies, products and organisations of the importance to use branding and brand expertise such as semi-otics to remain fresh, relevant and distinctive. In order to compete and succeed, branding is a vital force to be deployed against strategic plans and objectives.

In the UK, the only issue is will people actually vote? With the highest levels of cynicism and distrust of public figures, politics and media – a huge degree of apathy threatens to undermine the parliamentary system. I would argue, that governments should use branding and communications to ‘get out the vote’ much like the US Government has done to guarantee that voters are engaged and actively participate. The famous use of MTV and celebrities to ‘get out the vote’ from the 80’s through today in the US has helped to remind consumers that voting is a vital and personal choice which underpins free society. A society that values freedom of choice and capitalism. Indeed, the very basis of branding reinforces and connects with this principle – the ability of consumers to choose products or services; to vote with their wallets and reward or punish branded companies or organisations which succeed or fail to live up to their promises.
So, what is the business of the future? It is the ability to connect with and deliver what consumers (or the voting electorate) want and need in society. The running of government is akin to the running of a business and in the UK election the voter’s are being asked to both implicitly and explicitly choose which ‘management team’ is best suited to govern and lead the ‘UK Plc’. Like in companies and for products and services, branding is the means by which leadership can discover, understand and communicate ‘value’ to their constituents or consumers. Branding is more than just a superficial or cosmetic exercise, rather it is a fundamental means by which effective management, leadership and communications can help deliver a positive outcome or result. There is nothing wrong with taking a leaf out of the Coca-Cola book of branding in order to apply good principles of design, marketing and strategy to politics. In fact, consumers as voters today expect and demand this to be the case. However, political parties and organisations should treat branding in the same way that commercial companies operate and be careful to ensure that there is substance behind all that they do and project. The consumer as voter is wary of ‘empty promises’ or ‘cosmetics’ and as the science of semiotics shows – choosing or using the wrong codes, cues or imagery can be counter-productive or damaging to a brand, organisation or person.
There is no better experts to call to assist with helping to brand the future of business or government than those who are skilled in the tools, techniques and strategy of branding. At FutureBrand that is what makes us so valuable and continually relevant to leaders everywhere – whether in business or politics. The UK election is being fought using branding and it will be a case study in effectiveness after the May polls close. Watch this space!