US Voters' Dilemma: Dunkin' Donuts or BMW?

Branding firm Landor Associates and research firm Penn, Schoen and Berland have released a study indicating how Messrs Bush and Kerry are viewed by their own supports and other voters. Respondents aligned the presidential hopefuls with leading brands in a number of categories.

The Presidential ImagePower study groups results into three categories: likely Bush voters, likely Kerry voters and undecided voters. According to Mike Berland, Partner at the research company, brand association is fairly common across all groups, ie regardless of political affiliation, but voters will associate each candidate with the positive or negative aspects of the brand depending on their affiliation / leanings.

This is particularly true for Bush, but less so for Kerry, suggesting that 'Bush's brand is more established while Kerry's brand has a greater ability to shape voters' perceptions' according to the study.

Among his own supporters, Bush is associated with the positive attributes of established mainstay brands like Bud Light, IBM and Ford ('reliable', 'humble', 'heritage' and 'solid'), while Kerry is associated by his own supporters with the positive attributes of premium brands like Heineken, Apple, and BMW ('high-quality', 'high-performance', 'hip' and 'young').



Among their respective detractors, Bush is again associated with Bud Light, IBM and Ford - but in this case because of their negative brand attributes ('down-market' and 'outdated') but joined by Dunkin' Donuts, Kmart and McDonald's; Kerry is once again associated with Starbuck's (negative attribute: 'expensive'), as well as the negative attributes of brands like BMW ('elite') on one end and Motel 6 ('lacking substance') on the other.

The study also looks at the differing perceptions of undecided voters, and goes on to advise on 'brand strategies for ... wooing undecided voters'. 'To win undecided voters,' says Berland, 'Kerry must prove that he has substance, that he's not all flash and marketing. Bush, on the other hand, must focus on emphasizing that his strengths - stability and reliability - are more important than being ultra-modern or progressive'.

Penn, Schoen and Berland conducted 1,262 Internet interviews between August 6th and 11thamong a representative sample of registered voters who plan to vote in the upcoming presidential election and are familiar with both candidates and their respective running mates (Bush, Kerry, Cheney, Edwards).

The relevant web sites are at www.psbsurveys.com and www.landor.com