Republican candidates usher in post-branding era

Don't look now but the BCS championship-like race for the Republican presidential nomination is ushering in the post-branding era. What does that mean? The traditional methods of branding, such as communicating a consistent message over time, have been replaced by pressure to get to the core faster than ever before anyone changes their minds. Audiences no longer matter as much as loyal followers, which takes more effort than sending out Tweets every hour. Performance and organization trump buzz for now or at least until buzz forms -- then all bets are off. Here are some other observations along similar lines:

1. Voters aren't as nuanced as the candidates think they are. But they still shop with a value-driven vengeance. It makes less difference whether you're a Tea Partier than it does someone who can hold sway without extremism overcoming sound principles. Rick Santorum's emergence in Iowa as the evangelical darling occurred AFTER caucus goers decided that Rick Perry and Michelle Bachman weren't as appealing. It wasn't sleeveless sweaters that garnered 25 percent of the vote; it was good 'ole fashioned hard work and retail appeal. Think Walmart before they got fancy with the new marketing regime.

2. None of the candidates have captured the essence of the Republican brand, which may be a good thing. Without an anointed presumptive winner in traditional party form no one in the field represents an A-player. The now perceived front runners are old names trying to reinvent themselves into something new. Think of the remaining field as brand extensions, or in the world of laundry detergent, lots of Cheer and generic names vs. the go to Tide. Mitt Romney and Ron Paul are hardly new exciting figures in the same image as Barack Obama in 2008. The media love a darling, but to date, no one can or will claim the mantle. This leads to an unfortunate formula: Little differentiation + known quantities = snooze fest.

Here's hoping Monday night's BCS championship game doesn't suffer the same fate!

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