President Obama will never be "our Lord and Savior" as actor Jamie Foxx recently said. But he is god-like at making people see him as a transformational figure.
If Republicans want to win, they should study why people see Obama as a messiah and emulate the tactics he uses that are so powerful artists paint him as Christ crucified and hope embodied.
Ultimately, it comes down to branding, which Republicans are about as good at as unsuccessful Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin is at explaining "legitimate rape."A computer program created by a child could be designing most Republican advertisements and campaign material given that the party's motif for the past 50 years has been the same: flags and eagles combined with a candidate's name.
Other conservative-libertarian symbols probably alienate more people than they attract. The Gadsden flag, for example, depicts a coiled, hissing rattlesnake underscored by "Don't tread on me." It may have been a perfect symbol for American Revolutionaries and embody the tea party's distrust of government. But times have changed - a lot.
For starters, America is a lot more urban and pop culture is paramount. Young people are mostly ignorant of American history, see the Constitution as a "living" document, and are not moved by symbols of our past. In fact, they likely see them as relics of a slave-holding, oppressive society.
Art critic Jed Perl wrote in the Dec. 6 issue of The New Republic that the popularity of Andy Warhol, whose advertising-inspired loud prints of celebrities and consumables that fetch millions at auction, reveals the new America. "Warholism is the dominant ism of our day, grounded as it is in the assumption that popular culture trumps all other culture, and that all culture must become popular culture in order to succeed ..."
Many people hate pop culture and love America's historic symbols, reminiscent though they may be of a flawed past. But we live in today's world, not one where the founding fathers still walk the earth. It requires meeting people where they are - not changing principles, just approach.
Obama gets this. Why do you think he only visited comedy and talk shows during the closing months of his campaign? He knew that winning the pop culture meant winning it all.
Likewise, and more importantly, the iconography created by his campaign resonates with the prevailing culture.
The O with the bright sun and flowing fields conjures images of a brighter tomorrow with Obama at the center of it, the sun or the Son as Jamie Foxx and others have labeled him. The O obviously stands for Obama but it works outside of his name as an emblem for America. The Democratic National Committee keeps using the symbol instead of the presidential seal, leading commentator Bill Whittle to say of the ubiquitous O, "what they are branding is in fact an ideology, centered around a cult of personality."
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's brand - red and blue wavy lines in the shape of an R, by comparison, is like a bad copycat. The flow of the lines makes it feel somewhat modern - and it summons the U.S. flag. But the R in his case speaks mainly to the candidate without invoking a better, or any, vision of America.
Politics do not offer salvation for anyone, conservative or liberal alike. And adopting successful tactics does not mean shelving a belief in a limited government.
But icons are powerful tools that shape a candidate or a movement's image in the public. Given the success of Obama's image machine, conservatives need to understand branding is at least as central to their cause as the ideas animating it.
When or if that happens, progressives will not know what hit them because freedom and prosperity are so much more appealing than a government forcing each person to pay his or her fair share.
- Marta H. Mossburg is an independent columnist. Contact her at marta@martamossburg.com.
Apparently, it is not enough to tolerate, accept, or even endorse the gay agenda. Now, unless you tolerate and accept criminal behavior committed by gays, you are a hater.
Believe it — that is the very public argument being made in behalf of Florida high school cheerleader Kaitlyn Hunt, 18, who faces criminal charges for having sex with a 14-year-old girl.
Word on the street and in the media is that it will be a really bad summer for mosquitoes. Or should I say, it will be a really bad summer for humans, because it will be a great year for thirsty mosquitoes.
When Barack Obama announced his presidential campaign back in February 2007, he did it in front of the old Springfield, Ill., Statehouse in a speech full of references to Abraham Lincoln.
Ordinarily I don’t take requests, but a bunch of people have written to ask how I’m doing with my weight-loss surgery and I thought this might be the most efficient way to answer.
I am a grandmother who went to the Brownsburg graduation ceremony on June 7 and due to very poor planning on Brownsburg School’s part, I could not sit and watch my twin grandsons graduate in person. I was directed to an overflow room where I had to watch it on a TV screen and could not even take pictures.
What you are now hearing across the land is a collective whine. Blue-state Democrats are upset that Texas Gov. Rick Perry dares come and play in their sandboxes, and worse, threatens to “poach” jobs from their states.
The website Politico reports that Perry’s attempts to lure jobs to Texas are “infuriating to prominent Democrats around the country.”
I am the first to admit I am behind the times when it comes to technology. I remember way back in the olden days of the 1990s when I was actually ahead of the game. Now there are second-graders that are more tech savvy than me. I just decided to stop my forward technological progression a few years back.
College graduates facing a crushing debt – some more than $100,000 – is a very big and a very real problem.
But U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s recent proposal to deal with it won’t solve the problem. It is a cheap ploy to divert attention from the real problem.
An NPR broadcast examines the question of how communities can better prepare for tornadoes like the one that struck Moore, Okla. on Monday. The broadcast features commentary from Michael Fitzgerald, who reported a five-part disaster series for the CNHI News Service.
Commentary
Discussion
GOP needs to rebrand itself
By Marta Mossburg CNHI
President Obama will never be "our Lord and Savior" as actor Jamie Foxx recently said. But he is god-like at making people see him as a transformational figure.
If Republicans want to win, they should study why people see Obama as a messiah and emulate the tactics he uses that are so powerful artists paint him as Christ crucified and hope embodied.
Ultimately, it comes down to branding, which Republicans are about as good at as unsuccessful Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin is at explaining "legitimate rape."A computer program created by a child could be designing most Republican advertisements and campaign material given that the party's motif for the past 50 years has been the same: flags and eagles combined with a candidate's name.
Other conservative-libertarian symbols probably alienate more people than they attract. The Gadsden flag, for example, depicts a coiled, hissing rattlesnake underscored by "Don't tread on me." It may have been a perfect symbol for American Revolutionaries and embody the tea party's distrust of government. But times have changed - a lot.
For starters, America is a lot more urban and pop culture is paramount. Young people are mostly ignorant of American history, see the Constitution as a "living" document, and are not moved by symbols of our past. In fact, they likely see them as relics of a slave-holding, oppressive society.
Art critic Jed Perl wrote in the Dec. 6 issue of The New Republic that the popularity of Andy Warhol, whose advertising-inspired loud prints of celebrities and consumables that fetch millions at auction, reveals the new America. "Warholism is the dominant ism of our day, grounded as it is in the assumption that popular culture trumps all other culture, and that all culture must become popular culture in order to succeed ..."
Many people hate pop culture and love America's historic symbols, reminiscent though they may be of a flawed past. But we live in today's world, not one where the founding fathers still walk the earth. It requires meeting people where they are - not changing principles, just approach.
Obama gets this. Why do you think he only visited comedy and talk shows during the closing months of his campaign? He knew that winning the pop culture meant winning it all.
Likewise, and more importantly, the iconography created by his campaign resonates with the prevailing culture.
The O with the bright sun and flowing fields conjures images of a brighter tomorrow with Obama at the center of it, the sun or the Son as Jamie Foxx and others have labeled him. The O obviously stands for Obama but it works outside of his name as an emblem for America. The Democratic National Committee keeps using the symbol instead of the presidential seal, leading commentator Bill Whittle to say of the ubiquitous O, "what they are branding is in fact an ideology, centered around a cult of personality."
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's brand - red and blue wavy lines in the shape of an R, by comparison, is like a bad copycat. The flow of the lines makes it feel somewhat modern - and it summons the U.S. flag. But the R in his case speaks mainly to the candidate without invoking a better, or any, vision of America.
Politics do not offer salvation for anyone, conservative or liberal alike. And adopting successful tactics does not mean shelving a belief in a limited government.
But icons are powerful tools that shape a candidate or a movement's image in the public. Given the success of Obama's image machine, conservatives need to understand branding is at least as central to their cause as the ideas animating it.
When or if that happens, progressives will not know what hit them because freedom and prosperity are so much more appealing than a government forcing each person to pay his or her fair share.
- Marta H. Mossburg is an independent columnist. Contact her at marta@martamossburg.com.
Will the current V.A. backlog on veterans’ compensation claims be the next scandal to hit the administration?
Currently, the backlog is at 865,000 plus compensation claims with a wait time of greater than 125 days.
June 18, 2013
Apparently, it is not enough to tolerate, accept, or even endorse the gay agenda. Now, unless you tolerate and accept criminal behavior committed by gays, you are a hater.
Believe it — that is the very public argument being made in behalf of Florida high school cheerleader Kaitlyn Hunt, 18, who faces criminal charges for having sex with a 14-year-old girl.
June 18, 2013
Word on the street and in the media is that it will be a really bad summer for mosquitoes. Or should I say, it will be a really bad summer for humans, because it will be a great year for thirsty mosquitoes.
June 14, 2013
As a Christian, I feel compelled to respond to a recent letter to the editor.
June 14, 2013
When Barack Obama announced his presidential campaign back in February 2007, he did it in front of the old Springfield, Ill., Statehouse in a speech full of references to Abraham Lincoln.
June 14, 2013
Ordinarily I don’t take requests, but a bunch of people have written to ask how I’m doing with my weight-loss surgery and I thought this might be the most efficient way to answer.
June 11, 2013
I am a grandmother who went to the Brownsburg graduation ceremony on June 7 and due to very poor planning on Brownsburg School’s part, I could not sit and watch my twin grandsons graduate in person. I was directed to an overflow room where I had to watch it on a TV screen and could not even take pictures.
June 11, 2013
What you are now hearing across the land is a collective whine. Blue-state Democrats are upset that Texas Gov. Rick Perry dares come and play in their sandboxes, and worse, threatens to “poach” jobs from their states.
The website Politico reports that Perry’s attempts to lure jobs to Texas are “infuriating to prominent Democrats around the country.”
June 11, 2013
I am the first to admit I am behind the times when it comes to technology. I remember way back in the olden days of the 1990s when I was actually ahead of the game. Now there are second-graders that are more tech savvy than me. I just decided to stop my forward technological progression a few years back.
June 7, 2013
College graduates facing a crushing debt – some more than $100,000 – is a very big and a very real problem.
But U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s recent proposal to deal with it won’t solve the problem. It is a cheap ploy to divert attention from the real problem.
June 7, 2013
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Is Eric Snowden a traitor or patriot?
Tires
Telecommunications
Beauty Salons
Government
An NPR broadcast examines the question of how communities can better prepare for tornadoes like the one that struck Moore, Okla. on Monday. The broadcast features commentary from Michael Fitzgerald, who reported a five-part disaster series for the CNHI News Service.
May 22, 2013 1 Photo
Complete Report:
Part I: Are We Prepared? | Part II: Disaster Dollars
Part III: Lessons Learned | Part IV: Warning Signs
Part V: The Big One
HBO and his managers say James Gandolfini -- best known for his role as Tony Soprano in the TV series "The Sopranos" -- has died in Italy at age 51.
June 19, 2013 1 Photo
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