How positive PR has shaped Kamala Harris’ election campaign
PR, not policy, takes centre stage at US elections
It’s been a febrile six months in politics. July’s snap election, Labour’s landslide, Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the Presidential race and Kamala Harris’ anointing as Democratic nominee dominated the news cycle.
Since joining the race, Harris has led with a message of hope. In contrast to the Republicans’ divisive narrative, she promises voters a bright future rather than a slide backwards.
Polls now place the Democrats ahead. It’s a remarkable turnaround for a political party that was gasping for air just three months ago. From the use of Beyonce’s song ‘Freedom’ as a campaign anthem to their trend-jacking of Brat Summer, the tone is resolutely positive. In fact, Harris’ critics describe the campaign using a term rarely heard in politics: joyful.
Whether this is enough to beat Mr Trump’s fearmongering remains to be seen. But it provides a powerful alternative message.
Two very different political messages
By contrast, Sir Keir Starmer adopted a different tone as the UK braces for a bruising Autumn budget.
His campaign delivered a huge majority in Parliament, but the honeymoon period is over after a difficult summer of unrest and missteps. The tone of last month’s Labour party conference was more upbeat, possibly in response to sustained criticism that ministers were talking the economy down. But overall, the message is less ‘things can only get better’ and more ‘things will get worse before they get better’. The picture of that sunny destination is conspicuously sketchy.
There may be tactical reasons for this; Mr Starmer is laying the groundwork for tough financial decisions – and pointing the finger at the Conservatives’ legacy. But is he in danger of over-spinning, and even putting a dampener on an already battered economy?
Transparency is crucial, for sure. But leaders can point beyond the bad news with a message of cautious optimism.
Could good vibes win through in the US?
A big criticism facing Kamala Harris is that her campaign lacks policy detail. Her supporters might be jubilant, but undecided voters also want specifics about how their lives will improve.
The Democrats have a strong campaign with a positive narrative. Voters can forgive vagueness when it comes to policy detail, as long as they believe the story.
So far, it’s been a glaring counter to Mr Trump’s moral failings. To sustain momentum, she needs to communicate a vision for change as well as stability.
That said, polls show that Harris’ message discipline and focus on unity is paying off for now. Can good comms – and good vibes – move the needle and deliver real-world consequences?
This first appeared in the October edition of the Distinctive Dispatch newsletter
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