Our two presidential candidates need a professional art director. For that matter, they could both benefit from a creative director, perhaps one who specializes in pushing the copy point to front and center. Of course, that person would have to refer to the political "hot button" secret code politico-jargon book so that all the bigots (a.k.a. the Conservative Citizens group) would know who secretly holds the "kkk" agenda and which candidate secretly holds the "free gifts for my friends" card. All of this is antithetical to the clarity and forthrightness of a democracy; and so are manipulators like Karl Rove who played on lazy thinkers. Don't kid yourself that just because he got caught with his hand in the wrong pot that he's out of the game. He may be identifying the plays as a commentator on TV, but he's probably still holding late night phone huddles with his old buddies in the politico.
As an art director, a crooked tie makes me crazy--what is it with those crooked political ties? It's subtle; but perhaps the use of a half windsor in that wad of silk hanging from their necks instead of the more symmetrical full windsor knot is foreshadowing. I don't think we can tolerate anymore crookedness in powerful places. And how about branding and modern history? The fact that we're suffering from one of the worst economic meltdowns since the Great Depression, as a society we should be seeking truth, reform and remedy as a cure. Yet our social historians, those who frame events for posterity, continue to attribute our economic woes to the "subprime mortgage" fiasco. Unfortunately, nobody can get a loan in this country without going through a banker or broker. So labeling the mess after the trusting masses who thought their good fortune would only improve with time (subprime suckers who aren't rolling in dough, have gaps in employment and less than perfect credit) instead of with a more equitable name like "idiot greedy gambling gobshites in the banking industry" would probably be more creditable. To quote a line from Dylan Moran in his hysterical sitcom Black Books "Why shouldn't it be called Black Books? You're right. I was thinking of calling it World of Tights, but people are so stupid, you have to spell everything out." Brilliant.
I watched the debate between the two presidential candidates Tuesday night. What I saw was a very old and nervous stiff guy pacing with a young, supple confident guy in the middle of a big red carpet. The trouble with red is that as a color, it's used to motivate people to get up and leave. That's why all those fast food restaurants have red interiors. Probably not the best choice for a stage where almost everybody is already discouraging their fight or flight response, nervous and hoping to do their best. The stiff old guy kept complaining and criticizing the younger guy; brought on that old feeling about not trusting anybody over thirty. My mouth fell open as I watched him condescend with one audience member who he assumed had not realized the American dream based on his skin color.
My friends, product appearance is everything in convincing your public to buy. What you don't want to do is emphasize any dramatic differences in your product by isolating two choices in a spacious area with little distraction. Avoid putting them in a Roman arena with the competition that increases visual comparisons of your man in action, especially when the visual is the least important and your guy is . . . stiff. Hey, but who needs an art director. I'm voting for the athletic, quick thinking young guy because what we don't need is another old guy who is computer illiterate in a computer savvy world, a war monger eager to attack anyone who crosses a line and a rich guy who thinks deregulating the insurance industry will make things better. It will makes things better the same way deregulating the banking industry did; to the tune of $750 billion our kids will end up having to bear the burden of paying back. Do you feel better?
The primary thread question is:
How important should branding and marketing be in politics?
