The latest Gallup poll shows Barack Obama leading John McCain 56% to 35% among 18-29 year olds. Obama’s strategy of mobilizing youth is generally acknowledged to be the edge that can/will win the election. Recent articles in Ad Age and Newsweek do a great job of analyzing Brand Obama’s singular appeal to Millennials. Andrew Romano, a 25 year old associate editor for Newsweek traveling with the candidates, first wrote about Obama and Millennials back in February, in an article titled, “He’s one of us now,” he wrote, “”how fully and seamlessly he embodies the attitudes, aspirations and shortcomings of the generation that’s rallied around him.” Today, Ad Age features an article, “What Obama Can Teach You About Millennial Marketing” that praises Obama’s ‘brand management’: “Mr. Obama’s brand management, unprecedented in presidential politics, shows pitch-perfect understanding of the keys to appealing to the youngest voters.”
Where does this leave Brand McCain? Well, he needs to play catch up for sure, but all is not lost. Fortunately, there is more than one way to appeal to Millennials, as many marketers are discovering. Here are some ideas for Brand McCain as it attempts a “Millennial Makeover”.
1. Emphasize Authenticity. Many Millennials voted for the first time four years ago, and many of them voted for McCain. Millennials value authenticity above all. Obama, according to Ad Age may have the smoothest brand, but McCain should emphasize his willingness to take the unpopular stand, when it is true to his values.
2. Downplay Age. The age jokes have to go. The lack of technology, the fact he is proud of never having done a Google search. Vietnam for these voters is what WWII is for Baby Boomers — WAAAY before my time. Half of all Millennials aren’t even aware that their generation has been labeled. They don’t think of themselves as a ‘generation’ yet, just as young people working on their resume and figuring out what impact they want to make on the world.
3. Tell Stories of Personal Altruism: Focus on John and Cindy McCain’s personal rather than only political efforts to make a difference: John and Cindy McCain have real track record of jumping in when their personal money or compassion can make a difference, as they did when they adopted a child from India and encouraged others to do so. They need to stop being modest about these deeds, or let someone else tell their stories.
4. Talk About Economic Opportunity. Millennials are deeply concerned about their personal economic future and ability to maintain the standard of living their parents enjoyed. As they begin to make paychecks, they are experiencing the real impact of high taxes. As a business owning, wealthy, successful American family that has managed to do good while making a personal fortune, John and Cindy McCain should in a good position to speak to Millennials’ economic aspirations.
5. Show Them Your Team: Millennials are famously collaborative and team-oriented. They understand that leadership is about who is ‘on the bus’ and how they are managed. By making wise choices and allow Millennials to peek inside the inner workings of Team McCain, the leadership story will resonate more deeply.
