Video Introductions: The 21st Century Calling Card
By Shaun Kenney | Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 | PoliticsThese seem to be all the rage nowadays. A good video introduction can set the right tone, be shared virally, and kickoff a campaign right sort of energy needed to drum up support.
Of the three candidates that have announced so far (Allen, Radtke, and McCormick) all three have produced just these sorts of videos. I’d encourage you to check them all out and add below whether or not you feel the are effective… or not.
For those wondering, this video introduction business is quite a big deal, with politicos and consultants paying high-dollar for just the right welcoming card:
Republicans appear to be using neuromarketing more than Democrats, if this midterm is any indication. They are appealing to the emotion of voters’ “Red Brain” triggers. “No Democratic candidate I know of has used them [neuromarketing tactics], nor has any major Democratic organization appeared to express any interest in them,” says Drew Westen, author of The Political Brain and consultant to major U.S. national Democratic Party candidates.
Then again, 17 of 19 neuromarketing and political consultants contacted for this story stated they did not engage in the practice–including Neurofocus, which bills itself as the world leader in the emerging field and whose Chief Innovation Officer, Steven Genco, did political neuromarketing work previously at Lucid Systems.
“The real risk is that politicians will not want us to know that they are using influencing tools,” says Patrick Renvoise, a neuromarketing consultant. “The one with the most knowledge wins and this probably explains why a lot of people are reluctant to talk about neuromarketing, especially with the word politician in the same sentence.”
…and before anyone goes off on a tangent about how “neuromarketing” is the new mind control, keep in mind that this isn’t the “how” a video or speech or argument or even a good movie is done… it’s the “why” you find those videos appealing. Even the Greeks understood this and devised a whole system of argumentation around the concept.
Welcome to the 21st century. Neuromarketing, social media, and expressive choice theory. This is just a taste as to what the big boys are doing for competitive advantage in the war of ideas and culture.
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About the author
Shaun Kenney is the Chairman of the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors, former Communications Director for the Republican Party of Virginia, and an active blogger since 2002. Shaun lives in Thomas Jefferson's backyard with his wife, six children, and a modest attempt at a farm in Kents Store, Virginia.
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4 Responses to "Video Introductions: The 21st Century Calling Card"
“Neuromarketing?”
We used to call this jingoism. BTW, when did “growing up in a military family” (Radtke, McCormick) become a substitute for actual military service?
Memo to George: Hillary already did the “listening tour.” Try having an original idea, would you?
Growing up in a military family = 18 years of military service.
Same goes for military wives/husbands.
Shaun,
I disagree. By that logic, growing up in a railroad family makes you an engineer.
There is no question that the spouses and children of military professionals make sacrifices that civilian families can’t even begin to appreciate. But it is not even close to actually serving and I resent politicians who try to imply that they have military cred simply because of their familial ties.
BTW, Rachael Maddow grew up in a career Air Force family. Would you like to see her on the House Armed Services Committee?
Frankly, I wouldn’t mind that one bit. After all, a civilian is Commander in Chief, regardless of previous military service… and long should it be that way.
There certainly is no sort of equivalency between being an Army brat and being a combat soldier… but we could sit here all day debating whether a Marine grunt get better accolades than an Army cook over an airman over the F-15 pilot.
But it does say something about that person’s character to mention being a military brat or spouse, especially the former. Kids don’t volunteer to send their mother or father to war… or separate from friends every three to five years. It’s a tough road, and I don’t mind hearing people mention the fact they were indeed military brats.
It’s service all right. A different sort of service, but it’s a service and sacrifice nonetheless.
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