Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Pro-

There's two new ads up from the Center for American Progress at Crooks and Liars, essentially re-introducing the Progressive "brand" to America, for the first time via television.

Casting the yet-to-be-smeared term Progressivism as the antidote to Conservatism -- rather than Liberalism vs. Conservatism -- the ads list major advancements such as Women's Suffrage, the National Park system, the 40-hour work week, Civil Rights, Social Security and the New Deal as successes benefiting all Americans bitterly opposed by Conservative forces, and then links up to today's major battlefields of national health care and protection from corporate exploitation.

There's two more ads I "get" but like a lot less, as they're already cliched parodies of Apples "Mac guy/PC guy" ads, but they're at least on point and mildly amusing, if borderline cheap shots.

What I love about all of this is the focus on modern branding, and anyone who gets too purist on me can eat it, because if we don't do it we don't win -- the other side already knows all these lessons, witness Karl Rove's message machine. And it's also crucial to define it to ourselves so it's not just an instinct or tendency or feeling.

But a modern brand campaign won't be enough in and of itself, progressives.

Get ready to be slimed, and I hope the Center for American Progress already has their plans in place for brand defense.

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