6153: Conceding The Non-White Vote…?

The letter below appeared in the latest issue of Ad Age. A brief MultiCultClassics comment immediately follows…

McCain could have swayed blacks

RE: Al Ries’ “What Marketers Can Learn from Obama’s Campaign” (AdAge.com, Nov. 7). What many in the “mainstream” ad/marketing community fail to observe is that the Obama brand had “loyalty” in the African-American community that was not challenged by his competitor at all. Obama built on that brand loyalty by spending more than $4 million with our African-American-owned newspaper network nationwide, which his competitor did not do. In today’s marketplace, you can’t just let 90% of African-American consumers sit there and patronize your competition. With the right media choices, black consumers/voters can be swayed. For instance, a full-page ad in our newspaper network of 121 black newspapers highlighting Martin Luther King Jr., who was a Republican, could have at least been done by McCain.

Mark Kimber
Kimber Kimber & Associates
Black Newspaper Network
Fresno, Calif.

Kimber makes a few interesting points, but the idea of McCain running a Martin Luther King Jr. advertisement is probably not a good idea. After all, even Wikipedia notes the following:

“Former Presidential candidate John McCain voted against the creation of the holiday to honor King, and later defended Arizona Republican Governor Mecham’s rescinding of the state holiday in honor of King created by his Democratic predecessor. After his opposition grew increasingly untenable, McCain reversed his position, and encouraged his home state of Arizona to recognize the holiday despite opposition from then-Governor Evan Mecham.”

In McCain’s case, trying to link with the iconic civil rights leader would have appeared patronizing at best, and outrageous at least. If McCain hoped to connect with non-Whites, the self-proclaimed Maverick needed to show how his record has benefited such audiences. The decision to not run messages in Black newspapers spoke volumes on the reality. Advertising has never succeeded in creating complete fabrications, especially in the political arena.