"If the Primary Election Were Held Today.."
So how do the candidates’ brands translate into votes? Here we turn to that old standby of political polling: “If the primary were held today, who would you most likely vote for?”
Hillary Clinton far outpaces her rivals. In a multi-candidate field, Clinton draws 38 percent, with Obama at 21, Edwards at 17 and everybody else far behind. If the field is narrowed to just the top three, Clinton still enjoys a double-digit lead with 43 percent and Obama and Edwards tied at 25.
At this point, Clinton’s experience – or Brand Performance - (or at least the perception of it) wins out over Obama’s personality (Brand Appeal) and Edwards connection with voters (Brand Relevance). But with 18 months to go, will the candidates take heed of consumers’ preferences? Will their positioning statements change? Will the “less presidential” candidates seek new packaging? Stay tuned and visit presidentialbrands2008.com for regular updates.