Today the last of a series on how to construct a campaign slogan.

I’ve mentioned in previous videos that a slogan should be based on one of four items:

1. The political environment.
2. The office you are running for and what you’ll do with it.
3. The person you are running against.
4. The slice of the electorate that you must win in order to prevail over your opponent.

Smart candidates see emerging trends before others do. And quite often they spot it by looking at demographic data. There is truth to the assertion that demography is destiny.

I’ll start with a couple real life examples:

At one time Queens, NY, was a white Irish and Italian County with a small but growing Asian population.

A few years ago, a smart Asian candidate who had taken the time to study demographic trends noticed that Asians had grown to become a significant part of the population as the older stock had died or moved out of the county. She had a simple slogan “It’s Our Time. It’s Our Turn.”

In a recent campaign in Africa, I discovered the most of those eligible to vote were under the age of 50. My client, a very outspoken and passionate young man in his 30’s, faced a quiet, soft-spoken, aging incumbent. Our slogan? “The Energy of Youth. The Passion to Lead.”

Sometimes it is not a specific demographic group, but changing attitudes about a particular issue that provide the opening. Presidential candidates around the globe have discovered and exploited changing attitudes about unfettered immigration, unbridled trade, and the plight of those left behind in our high-tech economy.

Being the first to spot a trend, and exploiting that in your slogan is a time honored practice in democracies around the world.

In this series of videos we have discussed how to fashion our slogan based on the political environment, the office you are running for, your opponent, and demographic trends. All are important considerations when developing your slogan.

How do you know when you are done formulating your slogan? It should pass one of these tests.

1. Does it spark an emotional connection with voters?
2. Does it tell voters what you’ll do if you win?
3. Does it clearly differentiate you from your opponent?
4. Does it offer a direct appeal to a slice of the electorate you must carry in order to win?

If it does, you have your slogan.

Next week I’ll share some little known secrets about how to construct your story, another of the 5 pillars of a compelling campaign message.