Best Political Marketing Strategies

The Hidden Math of Political Strategy: Power = Σ(Persuasion × Precision) / (Noise + Apathy) Most people believe passion, speeches, and mass appeal win elections. That’s only partly true. In reality, the battlefield is far quieter; it's a spreadsheet. And the real strategists? They're not just speechwriters. They are tacticians with calculators. The Counterintuitive Truth: You don’t need more votes to win. You need a smarter distribution of them. Consider this: Party A secures 49% in every constituency and loses. Party B gets just 35% overall, but 51% in the right 100 seats, and forms the government. This isn’t an error in democracy. This is distribution theory, and it works like clockwork. The Formula That Matters: Seat Win Probability (Sᵢ) ≈ Vᵢ × Cᵢ × (1 - σᵢ) Where: Vᵢ = Vote share in constituency i Cᵢ = Caste-coalition alignment score σᵢ = Swing volatility (standard deviation over past elections) A simple equation, but one that separates winners from runners-up. Momentum, Calculated: Want to influence an election? Don’t rely on emotion. Rely on this: ΔV = (Narrative × Timing × Influence) / Resistance Where: Narrative must resonate Timing must be precise Influence must be hyperlocal Resistance (from incumbency or fatigue) must be factored in Even a single poorly handled booth, a delayed message, or a neglected micro-caste can cost a seat by 0.7%. Why This Matters: I failed at math as a child. I ran from numbers. But now, they guide me in understanding power. Because the truth is Great political strategy isn’t loud. It’s logarithmic. It’s not about shouting the hardest. It’s about knowing exactly where your whisper matters most. Master the math And you don’t just play the game. You tilt it.

LinkedIn isn’t usually for political campaign chat, but when there’s a real case study worth learning from, it’s worth a share. This isn't about who you voted for or policies— it’s about how to connect, communicate, and actually move people. Zohran Mamdani s campaign is full of marketing lessons. 1. Don’t force it. Notice I didn’t say, “study” this campaign. When things feel studied or forced, people don’t connect — doesn’t matter what you’re talking about. Nothing here felt overly produced or ad-y. The colors, the choices of words, the blend of humor and serious tone, the music choice, the rest of the campaign aesthetic, it was all a "vibe." As master of messaging Helena Price taught me: think about what you want people to feel first, then read what you wrote and see if it makes them feel that way again. 2. At the root of every piece of content, create feeling — not just a viral trend or UGC moment to feel “authentic.” Think about what you want people to feel first, and they’ll follow through. Even in an age of AI, we’re not robots. Marketing briefs have become too logic-driven, filled with fake “insights,” when we know emotion drives results. According to Marketing Week, ads that appeal to the right side of the brain can see up to a 90% lift in brand favorability. I get that logic sells it internally, but externally, fight for what you want your audience to feel. 3. Keep it simple. Your message can be important without being complicated. If your message needs a whole framework to explain, you've lost the plot (hard to do in deck making jobs, but I try!). Simple language increases retention by 25% (Science Says). 4. IRL is not just back — it’s mission critical social proof. The weekend before the election, I saw Mamdani at BK parties with soca, Harlem churches, and rallies — and it felt like he was living the same life I was. It’s not about “surprise and delight” or being in the right spaces. It’s about where people choose to spend their time. That tells you who they want to be with, what they value, where they feel welcome, and, most importantly, their why.  As Casey Lewis wrote in her recent Gen Alpha report (worth a read!) "In a generation fluent in algorithmic discovery, these offline moments and tangible items offer something digital feeds can’t replicate — proof of being there." 5. Micro-personas — or simply, understanding the radical need not to generalize people. I’ve been on this one lately, but his campaign team got it right. They spoke broadly, then drilled down so it felt like he was talking directly to you. It wasn’t just “New Yorkers frustrated with affordability.” It was 50+ micro stories underneath that — “reflecting not just demographics, but motivations,” as said in Sprinklr's recent article on tips for marketers in 2025. Of course, open to discourse, but back to the feeling...this Caribbean girl is leaving you with him dancing to soca. You can’t not smile. :)

I never write about politics. But this isn’t about politics. It’s about branding, messaging, and knowing your consumer. And it’s a masterclass in what works—and what doesn’t. Using politics. I listen to The Daily podcast every day. The interview today with Sen Gallego of AZ made me holler with glee—not because of his politics, but because it made so clear why he won—and why the Democratic Party lost overall. And this was all so foreseeable when you see the world through a marketing lens. Here’s what every founder and marketer should learn from this: 𝟭. 𝗚𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲-𝘁𝗼-𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲) Gallego hit construction sites. Because he knew his consumer was there. Democrats stayed on social feeds and in safe rooms. He met voters on their turf. They stayed on their terms. He took the risk of getting booed. They avoided discomfort. 👉 For brands: Stop waiting for consumers to come to you. Show up where they scroll, shop, and talk. Be willing to get feedback—good or bad. 𝟮. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲—𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 Gallego: “I’ll help you get out of your mama’s house and get a job.” Democrats: “We’re delivering economic security.” Same message. One resonates. The other disappears in one ear and out the other of that particular consumer. 👉 For brands: If you’re saying “innovative solutions” while your consumer is asking, “Will this help me hit my goals?”—you’re losing. 𝟯. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗼—𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 Gallego’s campaign wasn’t about him. It was about his voters. Democrats spent time on their own achievements, and telling their consumers that they didn't have the problems they felt like they had. 👉 For brands: Nobody cares about your story—until you show them how it fits into theirs. 𝟰. 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀—𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 Gallego went to Harvard. Should he downplay it to seem more relatable? On the surface, maybe. But NO is the answer. Because his voters admire that success. It’s a powerful reason to believe (RTB) for them. Meanwhile, Democrats assumed working-class voters resent the rich and powerful. And can't understand how they can think Trump will fight for the working class. It's because they ADMIRE that success—and want it for themselves. 👉 For brands: 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀. Your edge—your credentials, your wins—are WHY they trust you. Own them. 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠 𝘄𝗶𝗻. Because it HAS to be about them, at the end of the day. This was Democrat's biggest fail. I don’t write about politics. But I always write about why people choose one thing over another. And this is a case study every brand should study.

After a while, I finally got excited about content strategy again, and this time, it wasn’t a brand that did it. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘯. 𝗭𝗼𝗵𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗺𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻. 𝗛𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆. While most politicians were rehearsing speeches, Zohran was out there…  • Making lassi on TikTok.  • Singing karaoke in a gay bar.  • Speaking Arabic at street festivals. And somehow, between memes, street food, and chaotic vlogs, he became 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺. If you’ve been wondering how social media won an election… here’s your crash course in "The Zohran Playbook" 𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 “𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀, 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗸𝗧𝗼𝗸𝘀” 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 No press conferences, no stiff podiums. Just handheld videos, jump cuts, and real conversations. While others chased airtime, Zohran chased the algorithm and won. 𝟮. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗙𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘁 He didn’t just “post content.” He 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘦. He made policy digestible through humor, culture, and chaos. When your audience speaks in reels and remixes, you don’t send them PDFs. 𝟯. 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗩𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼-𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 His supporters didn’t just campaign 𝘧𝘰𝘳 him, they 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 the campaign. “Hot Girls 4 Zohran” went viral. Fan edits, duets, soundbites, his message multiplied through community creativity. That’s not politics. That’s participatory branding. 𝟰. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 No expensive filters, no corporate polish. Just a guy, a mic, and a mission. In a world of over-curated content, real beats perfect every time. 𝟱. 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 When people in Pakistan, Turkey, and France started saying, “𝘏𝘦’𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘳,” that’s when you know you’ve transcended politics. Because once your message becomes a meme, it stops being a campaign and starts being culture. 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗜’𝗺 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗸  • Show up where your people scroll.  • Let them shape the story with you.  • Be human, even if that means being a little messy.  • Build community first, credibility follows. Zohran’s campaign wasn’t just political. It was a masterclass in how 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. If anyone still thinks social media is just noise, tell them it just built a Mayor. #SocialMediaStrategy #CampaignMarketing #PersonalBranding #Storytelling #ZohranMamdani

8 marketing lessons from the Trump win (Love Him or Loathe Him). I’m no fan of Trump, Harris, or any political soap opera, but there’s no denying Trump’s campaign tapped into some fascinating marketing strategies.  Let’s dive into some of the key takeaways. 1. Know the National Narrative In the U.S., the narrative often aligns with the Western hero trope - a rugged “sheriff” battling the forces of chaos. Trump’s persona was shaped around this archetype. Understanding the narrative context (the story your audience already buys into) can help you tap deeper into their psyche. 2. Remember that People Lie Research and polls failed time and again because people tend to tell researchers what they think they want to hear. Many customers do the same thing. So, get beyond the “polite” answers. Ask bold questions. Look at behaviours, not just words. 3. Embrace the Power of Flawed Characters Trump’s appeal was that he wasn’t perfect, and neither are any of us. A character with flaws feels real, relatable. People don’t connect with “polished” as much as they do with “authentic.” In marketing, show your brand’s human side, warts and all. 4. Repeat Your Message Relentlessly Consistency isn’t sexy, but it works. Trump’s catchphrases were repeated until they became undeniable. Are you repeating your message enough for it to become part of your audience’s thought process? 5. Lean into a Great Villain Every great story has a villain. Trump’s campaign often framed “the establishment” or “mainstream media” as the antagonist. In marketing, this doesn’t mean bashing others, but it can mean highlighting an “enemy problem” your brand helps solve. 6. Controversy Breeds Attention Controversial messages don’t always mean being divisive, but they do mean taking a stance. Trump’s polarising stance drew crowds and conversations. In marketing, “safe” messages don’t create buzz - dare to stand for something. 7. It’s Always About Money At the end of the day, Trump appealed to the economic concerns of his base. For most of us, decisions boil down to value and financial security. How is your message addressing your customers’ most basic needs? 8. Be Memorable Trump was anything but forgettable. Audiences remember brands with personality, flaws, and all. Let your brand bring boldness, depth, even a bit of controversy, if it fits. I’m Steve. I help businesses create more captivating content by blending story science with the power of AI. Want to see how it works for your brand? Message me for a free consultation over coffee or lunch!

No matter where you stand politically, Trump’s 2024 campaign offers a few noteworthy takeaways on leadership, communication, and adaptability in today’s fast-paced landscape. Here are three strategies that I thought stood out, and is something that all of us should ponder over as we build our businesses: 🔹 Trump’s appearances on popular podcasts and nontraditional media showcased his adaptability to reach audiences outside conventional media. From tapping popular podcasters like Joe Rogan, who extended his election eve endorsement to Trump, to making X the primary platform for driving his campaign narrative where user-generated content played a pivotal role, Trump focused on appealing to a younger audience. In the business world, leveraging customer stories and authentic testimonials can foster trust, building a brand that’s truly connected to its community. 🔹 Trump’s campaign was anchored around fixing the economy and saving America’s democracy, the top two concerns raised by voters, as per exit polls conducted by Edison Research - this shows the power of data-driven messaging. Extensive research and leveraging data analytics to gauge public opinion, clearly are critical in understanding customer sentiment that ultimately drives product development and marketing. 🔹 Humanising Brand "Trump" - whether it was a casual stop at local eateries or golf games with well-known figures, Trump’s campaign successfully highlighted a more relatable side of him. This approach can inspire leaders to bring authenticity and relatability into their brand, helping to bridge the gap between leadership and consumers. By meeting people where they are, he built authentic connections, which leaders today can emulate by being present and engaged on platforms where their stakeholders are most active. #LessonsInLeadership #USElections #2024 #DonaldTrump #Trump

Zohran Mamdani’s blowout win over Andrew Cuomo holds a key lesson for marketers: you can’t buy attention anymore. You have to earn it. Mamdani’s battle against ex-New York Governor (and professional creepy uncle) Andrew Cuomo was the perfect modern marketing case study. It was old school vs. new school. TV vs. TikTok. Memes vs. money. Cuomo’s campaign epitomized the old school approach. He had a record $25 million SuperPAC behind him to execute the tried-and-true political marketing playbook: 🔵 Raise a shit ton of money. 🔵 Wait until several weeks before the election. 🔵 Bludgeon your opponent with attack ads. Meanwhile, Mamdani epitomized the new-school approach to marketing: 🟣 Spend relatively little money. 🟣 Win attention through TikTok and Instagram’s Discover algorithm. 🟣 Turn your messaging into a meme. In other words, it was buying attention vs. earning it. Despite Mamdani’s meteoric rise from an unknown State Assemblyman to top contender, the consensus was that the old-school playbook would win. Cuomo was the heavy favorite heading into last Tuesday’s primary. But when all the ranked-choice votes were finally tallied Tuesday, Mamdani whooped the former Governor by 12 points, 56%-44%. Mamdani understood the grammar of vertical video and how to meme-ify messaging in a way that we've never seen from a politician. And as I break down in this week's newsletter, there are 4 crucial marketing lessons we can learn from his win: