As I picked up my order at Broad Street on a gorgeous afternoon a couple of weeks back and walked outside to find a table, my pals Ben and Sam beckoned me over to join them. They were apparently in the middle of a word association game.
Sam: “Nick Saban.”
Ben: “Miracle worker.”
Sam: “For what he has done at Alabama?”
Ben: “No, because he cured COVID in 24 hours.”
Sam, smiling: “Good one.”
Ben: “OK, I’ve got one for you. Democrat.”
Sam: “Great brand.”
Ben: “What do you mean ‘great brand’? I’m talking politics, not business.”
Sam: “Think about some of the classic brands you know. Nike, for instance. Nike fans see the swoosh and buy their shoes regardless of where they’re manufactured, if they’re the most comfortable, or if they perform the best. I’m not implying they are not the most comfortable or offer the best performance. They may or may not. But to the Nike fan it doesn’t matter. He or she is buying the brand because he believes in it. Whether or not other brands provide better products is irrelevant.
By the same token, the voter who is a Democrat fan sees the “D” or donkey and buys that product regardless of whether another brand has a superior offering.”
Ben: “And if I had said ‘Republican’?”
Sam: “Same answer. These are the two strongest brands in contemporary American politics.”
Ben: “So you think a political party is just a brand?”
Sam: “I’m not saying it’s just a brand – just like a shoe company is not just a brand. I’m saying it goes to great lengths to promote its brand. Think about all the money Nike spends on billboards, advertisements, and celebrity endorsements. They’re typically not talking about the materials from which the shoe is made or the engineering that makes it perform well. No, they’re pitching to emotions and vanity. If I wear those shoes, I’ll be like Lebron or Michael. ‘It’s gotta be the shoes,’ to quote Mars Blackmon. And even if I don’t play like that, at least I’m in the family by wearing the same gear.”
Ben: “You’re telling me political parties pitch to emotions?”
Sam: “Are you telling me they don’t? Think again about the similarity to corporate brands. Political parties, like good brand managers everywhere, spend billions to promote the brand. And the ad is typically based not on what makes their product (candidate) perform well. Rather, it’s based on FUD – Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt – about the opposition. If John Jones is elected there’s no telling what he’ll do. If Suzy Smith is elected the world as we know it is in jeopardy. Brand messages are simple because they are effective. Emotion resonates.”
Ben: “I see. So, do you wear Nike or Adidas? Those are the 2 largest shoe companies in the world are they not?”
Sam: “They are. And I wear neither.”
Ben, sighing: “Why did I know that was coming?”
Sam: “Look, there’s nothing wrong with wearing Nike or Adidas. I wore both when I was a kid and liked the style. But as I got older, I realized I was more into function than image. So, I tried lots of shoes and started wearing New Balance. New Balance makes shoes in more widths, and I’ve found them to be more comfortable and durable. (Apparently, it’s difficult for the two leading brands to make shoes that deviate from the standard mold.) And I’ll wear other brands as well as long as they’re functional and durable.”
Ben: “So you’re telling me that casting a vote is like buying a shoe?”
Sam: “In a sense.”
Ben: “And you don’t think voting is important? Or that voting in this election is important?”
Sam: “I didn’t say that. (You might make a good politician yourself, Ben!) I vote in every election and will vote Tuesday. If we want representative democracy to work, we should vote. But it won’t be the most important thing I do that day. If I stop on the way to or from work and help out a homeless person, that will be more important. Or if I call to check on someone who is sick in the hospital, that will be more important. Or if I perform some small act of kindness for a neighbor or family member, that will be more important.”
“Political parties and television networks are good at hyping elections. That’s how they bring in contributions and sell ads. This will be the 7th or 8th time I’ve voted in ‘the most important election of our lifetime.’ But it’s the little things we do every day that really make a difference. Don’t lose sight of that.”
Ben: “I see.”
Sam: “One thing more if I may. We live in a great country, full of individual liberties that do not exist in many parts of the world. I think George Washington’s warning about the dangers of political parties was both prescient and wise. (Perhaps we can discuss that further another time.) In elections, sometimes our candidates win, and sometimes they lose. And since I often buy the New Balance/Independent candidate, mine lose more frequently than most.”
“But your life is more than an election. And whether your candidate or party wins or loses should not dictate your emotional fulfillment. You may be temporarily pleased or disappointed with the outcome, but in a tripartite government, with checks and balances on each branch, most of our lives are lived outside of government control. So, if the outcome is not what you hoped for, none of this silliness about moving to Canada. Be thankful for the freedoms you enjoy here, and make the most of the one life you have to live.”
Kelley Williams, Jr. lives in Jackson, Mississippi.
