Franco & Co. Blog

Somebody's probably written about a book about this already, but here's a few reflections from this side of the pond.

Lesson 1 Clarity of Positioning, Clarity of Message

Obama stood for one thing - Change - and this was the message he hammered home throughout the Campaign. He avoided negative campaigning focusing instead on his own message. His slogan ‘Yes We Can' was a clear and consistent call to action, an invitation to embrace the change he stood for. It comes through loud and clear in his victory speech.

Lesson 2 Tell a Compelling Story

The Obama life story has been well documented, not least in his own book, Dreams From My Father and he drew upon his personal experiences in all his speeches. It demonstrated his substance. People responded to it at an emotional level. It became the bedrock of his broad appeal.

Lesson 3 Impeccable Presentation

This operated at 2 levels. Firstly, his remarkable oratory skills attracted huge crowds and admiration from all over the world, drawing comparisons with other great speakers such as Martin Luther King. Secondly he dressed immaculately and never put a foot wrong with the sharp suits and good taste worthy of an iconic, charismatic leader.

Lesson 4 Use the Power of the Web

The centrepiece of his communication strategy was barackobama.com. It was used to ask for donations, create databases, post messages, showcase his speeches. It was easy to use, interactive and engaging. He also used a whole host of other ‘social media' - text messaging, twitter alerts and email to communicate to his followers.

Lesson 5 Get Advocates on Your Side

Obama had a diverse and powerful set of supporters, willing to sing his praises. They came from the world of music (eg Jay Z, Springsteen) popular culture (eg Oprah) and most importantly The Clintons. In addition, his supporters worked tirelessly on his behalf and were critical in mobilising the masses to vote for him.

Lesson 6 Money Talks

Everything was made possible with the vast resources he had at his disposal - a result of his phenomenal fundraising. He clearly outspent his opponent and had a much higher share of voice throughout the Campaign. When you're up against a tough opponent and the stakes are high, don't be afraid to spend big.