As an American, I feel an obligation to vote during any election, whether it be for a local school board member or the President of the United States. While I'm saddened that so many Americans seem to view voting as a waste of time, I must admit that politics is a dirty game, and it simply disgusts many potential voters.
Only in politics can one candidate change facts, twist words, and launch personal attacks on opposition candidates and their families, resulting in more votes for him/herself. The twisted logic goes like this: "If I succeed at making my opponent look worse then he can make me look, then I win." A growing number of politicians are taking a "lesser of two evils" approach to campaigning. I find it mind boggling!
Imagine if we applied similar marketing principles to our own products or services.
How many of our businesses would succeed if we launched marketing campaigns actively criticizing our competition and misleading consumers about competitor pricing, product quality, employees and customer service, rather than simply speaking to the value, innovation and competitive advantages of our own brands?
Certainly there are some companies that choose to use questionable marketing tactics, but by and large the vast majority of businesses maintain a measurable level of civility, unlike in politics.
So why don't the rules applied to the marketing of products and services also apply to election campaigns? The answer is simple: Because the people who write those rules are the same ones practicing ethically dubious political campaigns!
It's a disturbing trend that is only getting worse. Just once I'd like to see a campaign that is focused solely on the issues, not on attacking a candidate's family, mistakes made in the distant past (something we're all guilty of), or a barrage of unrelenting ad hominems. What ever happened to moral integrity, strong character and personal accountability? In politics none of these core values seem to be the least bit important. While some people will criticize big business practices, big business can't hold a candle to politics when it comes to ethics, or lack thereof.
A suggestion to all politicians: Learn from good marketers, not bad ones. Please...
*The opinions shared on this blog are solely those of its author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of Goodwill of Greater Washington, its affiliates or supporters.
