How ad agencies re-packaged Abdullah Badawi and sold the BN "brand"

In an earlier posting, we had suggested that the BN victory was actually a triumph for advertising agencies. Today, a Bernama report supports our observation that the election ad blitz was actually part of a professional well-coordinated advertising campaign unleashed on unsuspecting Malaysians. The ads were designed to promote the "feel-good" factor, to market the BN "brand" image and to portray Abdullah Badawi in the best possible light.

In addition, the "soft-sell" advertising campaign used different kinds of ads for different target groups.

Here is the link to the Bernama report and the report in full:

BN Effectively Used "Soft-Sell" For Election Advertising Campaign

KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 (Bernama) -- The "soft-sell" approach helped the Barisan Nasional (BN) win votes during its election campaign.

Coordinated by two of BN chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's aides -- an ex-banker and a political scientist -- the media blitz used the creative input of three or four advertising companies and covered TV, radio, print media, billboards and, for the first time, direct mail.

"It definitely affected the outcome of the elections," said Democratic Action Party (DAP)'s National Publicity Chairman Ronnie Liu, "and worked on the fence-sitters who want peace and stability--and who form up to 40 per cent of the total voters."

Liu, who is a copywriter for an advertising agency, said, "There was not much about politics but about the 'feel good' factor, which was more effective than previous campaigns which used threats."

For example, he said, previous campaign advertisements suggested that if the Opposition was voted in, Malaysia might face riots like a neighbouring country.

But Liu criticised a series of advertisements targetting the opposition party, which claimed, "A vote for DAP is a vote for PAS."

"They tried to give the impression that old photos were new and that the DAP is still cooperating with PAS," he said.

One of the two BN chairman's aides stressed that the anti-DAP advertisements were "not coordinated centrally."

"We wanted to use soft-sell because Malaysian voters have reached a certain level of maturity, especially the young voters who enjoy making a choice," he told Bernama.

"It would not go down well if we dictated to them. So we aimed at persuading them."

The strategy was to lay all the facts on the table and let the voters make a choice, he explained.

For example, during his TV and radio appearances, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said, "I respect whatever decision you make but it is important for you to make that decision. If you like what I'm doing, it's important to let me know and if you don't like what I am doing, it is equally important to let me know."

The campaign featured Abdullah's pronouncements over the past five months, a strong central message that the BN stands for peace, stability and inclusiveness, the aide said.

"Soft-sell has greater appeal," agreed Leo Burnett Advertising's chairman and executive creative director Ali Mohamed, whose company worked on the TV commercials. "If you don't talk bad about other people but talk about what Pak Lah is trying to do for us, for a better Malaysia."

He explained that the commercials focused "just on Malaysians talking about what they like to do, what they believe in about this country and their life, rather than politics."

"Because Pak Lah talks about everyday things, not mega-projects," he said.

"Things like education, better service from the government, improving the police, anti-corruption, dealing directly with the public."

The aide said different approaches were used for different target groups.

For example, print advertisements which only appeared in the Chinese newspapers talked about mother-tongue education, corruption (showing a glass table which would not allow "under-the-table" payments), and a wishing tree with the wishes of the community.

People who supported the BN but did not feel compelled to go out and vote were wooed with a TV commercial featuring a real letter from a 70-year-old man in Johor to the Prime Minister.

The campaign was distributed equally across the different media, the aide said, adding that "overkill is one of the greatest enemies, so we tried to space it out."

Overall, he said, "We were successful in selling the BN's brand and the principal product, Datuk Seri Abdullah, well. If people 'felt good' towards the BN I feel it was validated."

-- BERNAMA

What we would like to know is how much was paid to the ad agencies and the media for this advertising campaign. Did the newspapers charge the BN the market rate for the media space or air-time (well, of course, we know the newspapers are all controlled by the BN and its friends, so it's just going from one pocket to another)? Would the cost of the advertising campaign be reflected in the candidates' campaign expenditure and if so, have the BN candidates then exceeded their permitted spending limits?

In this advertising and marketing game, voters are reduced to unsuspecting consumers whose minds should be moulded and manipulated into buying the "product." In this game, the BN is the brand, the dacing is the brand logo, the tag line is "Excellence, Glory, Distinction", and the emotion they are trying to create is "feel good". The principal "product" is of course, Abdullah Badawi, and the product attributes highlighted are the images of him as an anti-corruption crusader fighting against formidable odds, a man who listens to the people, etc.

It worked, didn't it? So does this make you "feel good" - to know that the election campaign is all part of a professional marketing game by the BN and its ad agencies? Fine, you may say, but what about poorer parties who do not have access to the financial resources of the BN - will they always be the losers in this marketing game?

It is obvious too that capitalism and Big Business are creeping into the electoral process in new and unhealthy ways. Look at the "feel-good" ads taken out by MAS, Tenaga, etc. Look at the number of fawning full-page ads congratulating the BN on its victory. These ads were taken out by various businessmen/firms who probably want to ingratiate themselves to the ruling politicians. Look at the growing prominence of ad agencies and the coordinated advertising campaigns.

And they say they are trying to wipe out money politics? Gimme a break...

Blog visitor Kurang Asam comments: "So now, when it's all over, will anyone believe the hype? Hope everyone is satisfied with their products. 100% satisfaction! No refunds or trade-in's ; ) "