A Marketing Perspective On Why Hillary Clinton Is Vulnerable As A Presidential Candidate

Anything can be marketed – especially political candidates. As the political season starts ramping up, we are witnessing the beginning of what is sure to be a fast-paced, rapid-fire, marketing competition play out. Day-by-day, almost any candidate can be on top of the leader board with polling numbers shifting drastically. Imagine marketing a brand where daily market share can fluctuate by 10, 20, or even 30 percent. While I don't advocate for or against particular candidates, I love following the political process because of the ability to see concepts tested (by virtue of what candidates say) and then see impact (measure voter response via polls). As a marketer, it's the best spectator sport possible. For example, in the past couple of weeks, Trump has made some incendiary comments. Watching the reaction of voters from the subsequent polls has been instructive for all in his party because it provides insight into what voters believe, feel, and want. And this year's election is special--not only because there are 16 (with potentially more to come) candidates currently vying for the Republican nomination but because we also have two competent and accomplished women who could theoretically go head-to-head in the final contest. In a discussion with Tom Szold, the National Political Director at Carly for America, we talked about the different brand-related attributes between Clinton and Fiorina. The differences in approach are quite stark; while we don’t know which approach might work best, it will be interesting to see how it plays out. What follows is a point-in-time marketing comparison between two very interesting Presidential contenders.