Comparatively speaking,I was so much impressed by the way elections are held in the US as was the case in the recent last elections which saw first black president and of African-American origin, Barack Hussein Obama taking the reins.Believe you me,I am not a politician but US Elections drive had been an interesting and awesome experience to many of us who are apolitical.
Although trying to compare the US with SA will be to a certain extent unfair and unrealistic,I think it is important to note the role and significance of branding during elections as we have witnessed.For me,the use of colours,promotional materials,posters,faces of people,catch-phrases and themes,election ambassadors,billboards etc were awesome.I was impressed also by the extent in which all these mediums or channels of campaigning are regulated, in that you wouldn't see a campaign materials in restricted areas like it's a case in Mzansi during elections(this is my view).
As I am talking now,various political parties have started putting up campaigns materials everywhere,very congested and some filthy-looking.Some are even glue-pasted on the walls of public places,power tranformers box,bus stops,telephone booths etc.Our streets poles are infested with posters and pvc banners and all that one is asking is "aren't there other ways to have messages carried through than using same strategies year in year out which to me is no longer appetising".Can't we as the country learn from the best and get to conform to the new and contemporary trends.Can't we have brand managers and gurus inventing new creatives that will give the difference?Can't we have copywriters and speechwriters going mad by developing brilliant concepts that sells than what currently is available.Almost all campaign materials have long-phrased copy,fazed (portrait) pictures and poor designs that you can't get the messages clear if you are driving along the street unless you halt the car and start reading.
Think of the popular catch phrases "Yes We Can","Change We Need" which dominated almost all advertising mediums and media channels and how vibrant it was during campaigns.Compare it with what we seeing in Mzansi nowadays.Is it because of the shrinking pool of expertise in excellent copywriting,speechwriting,brand managers or creatives/rationales or what?
Can we as Mzansi people learn from the best and make our country indeed alive with possibilities?What's your take on this?
