Key Takeaways:
– Marketing does not only entail sales but is also about effective product placement, promotion, and pricing.
– The article discusses how Kamala Harris and the Democrats failed to effectively market their product during the 2024 elections.
– The analysis suggests that the winning campaign must meet the needs of the undecided voters, making sure the offered product and policies suit them.
– It points out the importance of the business cycle and how it can be applied to understanding political parties.
– The piece ends by stating that growth is from government spending, more government employees, and more immigrants.
What is Marketing and Why did the Democrats Lose
Marketing is more than just selling a product. Instead, it takes into consideration multiple aspects known as the 4 P’s of marketing: product, promotion, place, and price. In hindsight, this concept proves to be of utmost importance during elections, as the recently concluded 2024 election demonstrates.
Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, lost, and it’s due to a misunderstanding of marketing principles. An election, in many ways, is a market where politicians sell themselves and their policies.
Where Democrats Failed
An integral part of marketing is the product, which in this context, is the political candidate and their policy. This includes an analysis of the market and defining what that market needs. Unfortunately, Democrats failed at this.
During the election, it appeared that neither Harris nor her policies met voters’ desires, especially those who were undecided. The battleground states were a testament to this failure as they failed to secure a single victory there.
Another area where Harris and her team faltered was properly promoting and selling their product. A fundamental part of an election is getting a candidate’s message across, but for this to work, the message must match the needs of the market. Harris’s campaign was unable to create an effective message that resonated with her market.
Understanding the Business Life Cycle and its Impact on Political Parties
The business life cycle, from infancy to death, enlightens understanding of the state of political parties. This model places a company or organization at different stages depending on their focus. It was observed that the Democratic Party, mostly run by lawyers, is in the ‘legal’ stage – interpreted as a sign of dying.
In contrast, the Republican party, headed by businessmen like Trump, hovers around the ‘marketing’ stage which indicates maturity and growth. This understanding could explain why more Hispanic and black men voted for Trump in 2024.
The Future of the Democratic Party
While it’s easy to cast stones, critics must acknowledge that the Democratic methodology differs from the Republicans. Democrats have been focused on government spending, employing more government officials, and promoting immigration – areas that have stimulated growth over the past four years.
Yet, the 2024 elections proved this strategy alone is not enough. The Democrats failed to connect with the undecided voters and market their policies effectively. All these lessons learned suggest that the Democratic party must reform their approach and tailor their marketing strategies to suit better the needs of the undecided voters if they are to earn their place in future elections.