Who can blame us if we harbor dreamy aspirations for our
country and its leadership--especially when there’s that inspiring aroma of
self-congratulation in the air we breathe?
Yep, that would be brand contagion, folks: the warm buzz of shared enlightenment and group well-being, the persistent urges to link arms (at least metaphorically) with the people who share our feelings. It’s as characteristically infectious today for a nation polling 82% approval for the incoming President as it’s traditionally been--in admittedly narrower cases--for middle-aged Harley riders, Pabst drinkers, and hip Apple-istas.
Wind the way-back machine to five short months ago in Minneapolis, when the “Drill, Baby, Drill” contingent was huffing its own very different variant on this social network glue. For the moment, this latter horde—so histrionically self-assured and cynically dismissive of aspirational change--is struggling to catch a panicky breath in the swells of good will and pat-ourselves-on-the-back euphoria that has overtaken most Americans, even Spiderman.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a little woozy from the Kool-Aid
rush myself. Still, let’s not forget that Barack Obama’s brand is a carefully and
brilliantly crafted creation—or more accurately a co-creation. For the
moment, its volunteer evangelists, including many in the media, are
supercharging the brand’s momentum through the mysterious energy of
connectedness, visible or otherwise. That’s how co-creation works. And we have had
an unprecedented opportunity, these last two months, to witness its workings in
action, a cablecast case study, if you will.
So, even if you’re not buying in, be alert to an awesome demonstration of brand magic on January 20, when two million or more of our citizens, bundled against a cold Washington wind, dance to the Obama brand’s entrancing tune--remixed with their own very American hopes and dreams.
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