Obama’s Presidential Logo.
Last week, The New York Times reported on an Obama logo “deliberately reminiscent of the official seal of the president of the United States.” So, what do you think — savvy marketing or arrogance? (Click “Comment” link below)
June 28th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Savvy marketing, of course.
June 28th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Maybe a bit of arrogance… but smart. A logo should be the trigger for recalling the brand story. If Obama’s brand story is reaching for the presidency of the US, why not a logo that reminds people of the goal?
It’ll rally his supporters and upset his deterrents. Good idea!
A
June 28th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Arrogance is landing a jet on an aircraft carrier and declaring victory when a war is far from over and thereafter numerous young men and women will come home without limbs and/or without all of their mental faculties. Arrogance is lighting up New Orleans for your speech as if the surrouding high water, death and destruction really aren’t that bad, at least for those well-off. Arrogance is saying certain falsehoods so often that most folks begin to repeat it and believe it (i.e. Saddam Hussein is directly linked to Al Quaida’s attack on America). Arrogance is using your power to deceive the people who elected you while lining the pockets of your friends.
Let the similarities of the seals be the most aggregious act of arrogance by the Senator from Illinois.
So, in summary, I’ll call it marketing saavy. Because the marketing we have been privy to over the last 8 years has been nothing short of despicable.
June 28th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Shows incredibly bad judgment. Presumputous, arrogant, dumb. And to top it off, a bad design. He’s not president yet. And if he continues these kinds of antics, he’ll wind up yet another democratic presidential candidate who blew it.
June 28th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Well said, Allan. I agree!
June 28th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Savvy…..
June 28th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
So Steve, you think it’s like a Dukakis in the tank faux pas?
June 28th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Pompous and arrogant. In terms of marketing, the key is whether this logo will make people think Obama is more “Presidential” or whether it shows a lack of respect for the office and raises concerns over exactly what “changes” Obama might actually impose if elected President. At a time when many are concerned with attacks on traditional beliefs and values, I do not believe a promotional stunt like this will do anything to allay concerns about Obama’s intentions and/or beliefs.
June 28th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
The Republicans are grasping at straws if this is the best they can come up with in regards to attacking Obama. Please read this post:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/06/23/republicans-whine-about-legality-of-new-obama-logo-their-use-of-similar-logos-doesnt-bother-them/
June 28th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
It is both: savvy marketing and arrogance. But you need a little arrogance to make it in politics, especially presidential politics.
Obama et al. should just be careful not to cross too far over that line.
June 28th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Definitely savvy. What better way to get people even more comfortable with Obama as president than to help us visualize it. It evokes many of the emotions you and I would experience if he were to win. Positive or negative, it still creates comfort because we can now imagine him in office more easily. That is brilliant.
June 28th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
I think people’s interpretation of the brilliance/stupidity of the move is entirely dependent on their own political perspective. It’s sort of like the Windows/Mac debate, nearly impossible for people to discuss it rationally.
June 28th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
It’s an eagle, in a circle, get over yourself Steve. Bad design? I think not. What would you prefer a Pollock, you know something like splattered blood of 3,000 troops doing Baby Bush’s dirty work for a war Daddy couldn’t finish? Don’t call me a liberal crazy until your Republican President gives up ALL his rights to oil. All government contracts for building and rebuilding are reviewed by the public before awarding (Yes we all know you sign them before you go to war or is it called going to conflict? I am sure that makes a real difference to lives that are shattered by it)
Arrogance is refusing to meet with Mrs. Sheey explaining why her son died!
Arrogance is a President that calls something a Patriot Act when it is robbing EVERY citizen of their Constitutional rights to privacy (I’d say Orwellian, but I’m sure Mr. George- how did he ever graduate anywhere-Bush would not know the reference).
Just for the record that’s not hysteria or conspiracy theory talking. I was in the process of getting a credit card on the phone a few months ago and was told that before I completed the application they had to inform me that ALL of my information was subject to use by the government with no qualifications needed due to the Patriot Act. Hell, I know my credit score is dropping, but when did that give the government the right to treat me like a %$#@ terrorist? Go ahead, try to get a card online and see what they say–if they are even bothering to tell people anymore.
Arrogance is standing up to a microphone without the ability to ad-lib IDEAS, never mind ad-lib freaking REAL words.
Arrogance? Mr. Obama? No, it’s called marketing savvy and I just hope he had enough of it to stand up to the Republican mafia and their last minute ploys (Dangling chads counting overseen by a Republican and telling middle of the roaders in Ohio that Bush will end partial birth abortion, unlike his opponent. I’m sorry can anyone tell me if the partial birth abortion count is down? I know the already alive and in the military count isn’t down.
Obabma may be the last chance this country has at being supreme at something other than bullsh%$, bluster and arrogance.
Don’t rebut this unless you both vote and read history.
S
June 29th, 2008 at 1:13 am
I’m with the admin! and Andy and Allan.
Admin, I don’t see this taking on nearly the life the tank thing did, he had a few strikes against him already, the clown in a tank thing just made laughing at the poor guy easier. Obama so far has few (if any) strikes against him. Who doesn’t like a little arrogance anyway, really. It could actually play out well for him.
June 29th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Well said, David and Steve.
This is classic Obama campaign. Arrogant, stupid, par for the course - that this campaign is shallow, superficial and all about ’savvy marketing’ with no depth, no substantial ideas for change - any of the other buzz words thrown around so elegantly. And it shows clearly that he has no clue about real leadership…which is more than royal or presidential seals.
And heaven help us if he does get his hands on the real seal and has to come up with more than slogans.
In branding, the campaign can do so much, but the product has to deliver and continue to do so…
June 29th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
The “seal” looks like something a high school student would do - silly, amateurish and yes, arrogant at the same time.
I agree with Elli that the seal is a perfect symbol of the shallow, “buzzword” nature of the Obama campaign. Change. Wow that ’s a new concept.
And all of you guys who responded to this query with over-the-top attacks against Bush sound even sillier than this seal looks — what does anything Bush has done have to do with judging this seal on its merits as a marketing strategy? Nothing. Your comments simply give further credence to the obvious, that rabid Bush-haters all have a one-track mind.
June 30th, 2008 at 8:56 am
I think it’s neither savy or arrogant.
I think it’s too simple of an ad campaign to make me think otherwise. Yes they always say Keep It Simple Stupid but I believe as a person running for President of the United States you must go beyond simple and prove you are the one to be elected. There is still a long road ahead for both presidental candidates and I belive this simple ad will not prove himself to the general public.
And to me it is not arrogant because arrogance comes from one when they know they are already victorious. To me this may have been considered arrogant when he was running against Hilary Clinton.
June 30th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Well, we’re all talking about it so arrogance or intentional savvy aside, it’s a mute point.
June 30th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Little bit of both. It is undoubtedly savvy marketing. But instead of using the word “Arrogance” I would say “Confidence”.
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:15 am
for the effectiveness, I hardly can see this logo will change people’s mind to support him from the opposite.
In general, it has two-side impact. one: it obviously can convince much his followers or people like this way; second, it might irratate some people in different style. so the savvy part might be a) reminds people of his ambitions; b) it could help him differentiate the voters.
Meanwhile, it shows he or his team is not yet sophisticated and confident enough. It shows again he is young. But it fits him. This might be the 3rd savvy part.
July 8th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Graphically, the Eagle ain’t Phat! and the logo is cheesy.
July 8th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Frankly, I think it is a foolish mistake…besides the bad and reiministant design , it will definately go against his mission.
His backers will “fluff it off”, but the people that are either on the fence or against him will see it as an arrogant move and those are the people he is trying to persuade into his corner.
A frivolous move, since it can only hurt rather than help his campaign
Quite the opposite of a positive marketing plan
July 10th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I agree whole-heartedly with Steve (see below) - poor logo design - we don’t want the same old thing! We need something fresh and new! How about progressive even!
# steve Says:
June 28th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Shows incredibly bad judgment. Presumputous, arrogant, dumb. And to top it off, a bad design. He’s not president yet. And if he continues these kinds of antics, he’ll wind up yet another democratic presidential candidate who blew it.
July 25th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Don’t be silly. This emblem completely symbolizes is purpose, to be president. Some say it is presumptious, but is it presumptious for Nike to name itself that when Nike translates to Victory? It’s optimistic foreshadowing and when seen enough, may tap into the subconscious of a few on-the-fence voters.
I also admire the fact that the original Obama O is placed on the Eagle’s center.
Savvy/10
July 25th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Thanks Mike. I agree!
John Follis