U.S. Political Parties as Brands

U.S. Political Parties as Brands
Perceptions of the Democratic and Republican Parties

Prepared by Brad VanAuken
Brand consultant
Author, Brand Aid

(c) 2012 by Brad VanAuken

Background
• Study conducted online from October
15, 2011 to April 1, 2012
• People from U.S. states and territories
approached through social media, including
Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter
• 324 started the survey
• 253 (78.1%) completed the survey


Political Party Identification

N = 321 (c) 2012 by Brad VanAuken

Gender


Age Range


Household Income Range


Religion


State of Residence
• 38 of 50 states represented in survey, roughly
in proportion to their populations, with an
oversampling of New York State residents


Democratic Party Perceptions
Overall

How well each word
or phrase describes:

5 = extremely well
4 = very well
3 = somewhat well
N = 268 (c) 2012 by Brad VanAuken 2= not very well
1= not at all

Democrats vs. Republicans
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
Democrats
2.5
Republicans
2.0
1.5
1.0 How well each word

5 = extremely well
4 = very well
3 = somewhat well
(c) 2012 by Brad VanAuken 2= not very well
N = 68, 29 1= not at all

by Gender
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
Men
2.5
Women
2.0
1.5
1.0 How well each word

5 = extremely well
4 = very well
3 = somewhat well
N = 163, 105 1= not at all

by HH Income
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
<$250,000
2.5
$250,000+
2.0
1.5
1.0 How well each word or
phrase describes:

5 = extremely well
4 = very well
3 = somewhat well
N = 234, 34 1= not at all

Republican Party Perceptions
Overall

How well each word

5 = extremely well
4 = very well
3 = somewhat well
2= not very well
N = 261 (c) 2012 by Brad VanAuken 1= not at all

Democrats versus Republicans
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
Democrats
2.5
Republicans
2
1.5
1
How well each word or
phrase describes:

5 = extremely well
4 = very well
3 = somewhat well
N = 67, 29 (c) 2012 by Brad VanAuken 2= not very well
1= not at all

by Gender
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
Men
2.5
Women
2
1.5
1
How well each word

5 = extremely well
4 = very well
3 = somewhat well
N = 160, 101 (c) 2012 by Brad VanAuken 2= not very well
1= not at all

by Income
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
<$250,000
2.5
$250,000+
2
1.5
1 How well each word

5 = extremely well
4 = very well
3 = somewhat well
2= not very well
N = 229, 32 (c) 2012 by Brad VanAuken 1= not at all

Democratic Party vs. Republican Party
Perceptions
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
Democratic Party
2.5
Republican Party
2.0
1.5
How well each word
1.0 or phrase describes:

5 = extremely well
4 = very well
3 = somewhat well
1= not at all

Personal Beliefs Overall

The degree to
which you
believe

5 = completely
4 = mostly
3 = somewhat
2= a little
1= not at all


Personal Beliefs Overall

N = 257

Personal Beliefs - Exact Wording of Choices
• In personal freedoms as long as those freedoms do not harm others
• We must aggressively pursue alternative energy sources to reduce our reliance on foreign oil
• America will only remain strong as long as it has a strong middle class
• Politicians are corrupted by large corporations and other special interests
• Education is the most important driver of our country’s long-term success
• Most politicians are self serving
• In balanced budgets
• Most politicians lie
• Society has a role to play in helping underprivileged individuals
• Corporate executives are paid too much
• There are clear “rights” and “wrongs” in this world
• Those who have more should contribute more to society
• Elitists do not know what is best for the average person
• If the government does not mandate protection of the environment, no one will
• The USA should not intervene in other countries' issues unless our national security is at stake
• Market driven decisions are more beneficial than government driven decisions
• Most decisions should be made locally
• Generally ,people are good and can be trusted
• Government is a part of the problem, not a part of the solution
• The federal government is spending too much on social programs
• The federal government is spending too much on security and defense
• The primary role of the federal government is security and defense
• The USA was founded on Christian values
• Most people are selfish and don't care that much about others outside of their friends and family
• Income taxes should be substantially reduced or eliminated
• Most people on welfare are lazy and do not want to work


Personal Beliefs by Political Party
In personal freedoms
Most on welfare are lazy
5.0 Must pursue alternative energy
Democratic
Reduce/eliminate income taxes Strong middle class important

Most people are selfish Politicians corrupted by special interests Republican
4.0
USA founded on Christian values
Education is most important driver of Independent
success

3.0
Conservative
Primary role of government is defense Most politicians self serving

2.0 Fiscal Conservative
Spending too much on defense In balanced budgets
Libertarian
1.0
Spending too much on social programs Most politicians lie Liberal

Progressive
Government is part of the problem Need to help underprivileged

Progressive Libertarian
People are good/can be trusted Corporate exectutives overpaid

The degree to which you
Most decisions should be made locally There are clear "rights" and "wrongs" believe:
Market decisions better than Those who have more should contribute
government decisions
In nonintervention except for national
more 5 = completely
Elitists do not know what is best
security
Need government to protect the 4 = mostly
environment 3 = somewhat
N = 66,26,55,36,14,18,11,9,7 2= a little
(c) 2012 by Brad VanAuken 1= not at all

Personal Beliefs by Gender
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0 Men
1.5 Women
1.0

The degree to which
you believe:

5 = completely
4 = mostly
3 = somewhat
N = 157, 100 (c) 2012 by Brad VanAuken 2= a little
1= not at all

Summary of Findings
• Primary Democratic Party perceptions:
diverse, compassionate, giving, determined and kind
• Primary Republican Party perceptions: business
friendly, determined, driven, entrepreneurial and decisive
• Biggest differences between the two parties: business
friendly, diverse, compassionate and giving
• People who identify with the Democratic Party rate it more highly
than the Republican Party against almost all personality attributes
• People who identify with the Republican Party rate it more highly
than the Democratic Party against almost all personality attributes
• Many people identified with political parties or philosophies
outside of the Democratic and especially the Republican parties.
They identified with
Independent, Conservative, Libertarian, Liberal, Fiscal
Conservative, Progressive, Progressive Libertarian, Tea
Party, Moderate and Social Democrat parties/philosophies.

Summary of Findings
• The highest rated personal beliefs are:
– In personal freedoms as long as those freedoms do not harm others
– We must aggressively pursue alternative energy sources to reduce our reliance on foreign oil
– America will only remain strong as long as it has a strong middle class
– Politicians are corrupted by large corporations and other special interests
– Education is the most important driver of our country’s long-term success
• The highest rated beliefs are generally held by most people and have the least variation in response
• The lowest rated personal beliefs are:
– Most people on welfare are lazy and do not want to work
– Income taxes should be substantially reduced or eliminated
– Most people are selfish and don't care that much about others outside of their friends and family
– The USA was founded on Christian values
• Most people take a dim view of politicians. All of these personal beliefs scored high:
– Politicians are corrupted by large corporations and other special interests
– Most politicians are self serving
– Most politicians lie
• Most greatest variation in response occurred for the following personal beliefs:
– The USA was founded on Christian values
– The federal government is spending too much on social programs
– Market driven decisions are more beneficial than government driven decisions
– Income taxes should be substantially reduced or eliminated
– The primary role of the federal government is security and defense


Implications
• All political parties would do well to talk about personal
freedoms, although they may be defined in different ways by different
people (freedom to practice one’s own religion, right to bear arms, control
over one’s body, etc.)
• Pursuing alternative energy sources is almost universally embraced. All
parties would do well to embrace this, although it might mean clean
renewable energy to some and increased fossil fuel extraction in the U.S.
for others. An objective long-term national energy policy independent of
special interests would be welcomed.
• People generally believe a strong middle class is necessary for a strong
America. Being a champion of the middle class is a winning strategy.
• The Democratic Party would do well to be more business friendly. The
Republican Party would do well to be more compassionate. The
Republican Party would also do well to embrace additional diversity.
• The Republican Party will struggle with different factions with different
agendas. Social and fiscal conservatives are quite different in their beliefs
and priorities.


Implications
• Political parties will struggle as long as people do not trust
politicians to represent them (versus special interests).
• Despite party polarization, there are a significant number of people
that do not fit the belief profile of either major party, such as the
group of people who are fiscally moderate to conservative and
socially moderate to liberal. New labels are emerging to describe
this variation in beliefs.
• Substantive issues include the following:
– Which is better at meeting the needs of the average U.S. citizen:
markets or government
– What should be decided and managed at a federal versus local level
– The right balance of spending on social programs versus
security/defense


U.S. Political Parties as Brands

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