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Is Bush a Ford and Kerry a BMW?
The Wall Street Journal ^ | Monday, August 30, 2004 | BRIAN STEINBERG

Posted on 08/30/2004 3:05:24 PM PDT by presidio9

It's no startling insight to point out that presidential candidates sell themselves as if they were breakfast cereal or laundry detergent. So it was perhaps inevitable that this would be taken a step further by studying consumers ... er, voters ... along these same lines.

Accordingly, a new survey asked respondents to define the candidates in terms of popular advertising brands.

Bush supporters, for example, think Mr. Bush is Bud Light and Mr. Kerry is Heineken. Kerry backers see Mr. Bush as IBM and Mr. Kerry as Dell.

The study, conducted jointly by WPP Group's Landor branding consultancy and Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, a market-research company that works for political -- usually Democratic -- campaigns, seems to reflect the obvious attributes of the president's incumbency: Mr. Bush is like a "well-known leadership brand" and Mr. Kerry a "lesser-known challenger brand." Winning over undecided voters could depend on managing these two "critical points of differentiation," according to the survey's findings.

It also depends on where you like to go for breakfast. Undecided voters see Mr. Bush as Dunkin' Donuts and Mr. Kerry as Starbucks. Lunch? Mr. Bush is McDonald's; Mr. Kerry is Subway to the undecideds. Reading material? Undecided voters link Mr. Bush to Business Week and Mr. Kerry with People.

These undecideds, like the Bush supporters, see Mr. Bush as a Ford, Mr. Kerry as a BMW. They also think Mr. Bush is IBM while Mr. Kerry is Apple Computer. Oddly, Mr. Bush is linked by undecideds to Sam Adams from Boston Beer, in Mr. Kerry's backyard.

Mr. Bush's brands are seen as "ol' reliables" that some voters may associate with being outdated or unwilling to change, according to the survey. At the same time, those brands are eminently dependable.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: brands
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1 posted on 08/30/2004 3:05:24 PM PDT by presidio9
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To: presidio9
Bush - Man
Kerry - P***y.
2 posted on 08/30/2004 3:08:04 PM PDT by TomServo ("Meanwhile, the Midvale police visit his locker and find out why they call him 'Buzz'...")
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To: presidio9

Kerry is a Citroen (French Crap Car)


3 posted on 08/30/2004 3:08:40 PM PDT by conservaDave
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To: presidio9

Bump for later reading... interesting analogies.


4 posted on 08/30/2004 3:09:20 PM PDT by KangarooJacqui ("It ain't easy, living...")
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To: presidio9

Kerry's more of a Corvair. "Unsafe at any speed."

Maybe I should suggest that to the Nader campaign.


5 posted on 08/30/2004 3:09:50 PM PDT by cripplecreek (John Kerry thinks YOU are an idiot.)
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To: presidio9
What kind of an idiot came up with that comparison?

Kerry is a Citroen.
Bush is a Ford GT40<p. Everybody knows that!

6 posted on 08/30/2004 3:10:33 PM PDT by Publius6961 (I don't do diplomacy either)
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To: presidio9

Bush is a HUMVEE and sKerry is a Le Car.


7 posted on 08/30/2004 3:10:40 PM PDT by Looking4Truth (NEVER trust Muslims to keep their word.)
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To: presidio9

I only drive American cars.


8 posted on 08/30/2004 3:10:58 PM PDT by Right Wing Professor (www.swiftvets.com)
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To: conservaDave
Kerry is a Citroen (French Crap Car)

I bet when its all said and done Kerry is just another Saab story.

9 posted on 08/30/2004 3:11:00 PM PDT by LittleRedRooster
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To: cripplecreek

Whatever he is, he's all over the road.


10 posted on 08/30/2004 3:11:16 PM PDT by csmusaret (Urban Sprawl is an oxymoron)
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To: KangarooJacqui

I've been to Target, Mr. Kerry, and you, sir, are no Target.

Cars: Kerry: Citroen or perhaps a SAAB. No BMW.


11 posted on 08/30/2004 3:11:21 PM PDT by MeanWestTexan
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To: presidio9
Kerry=


12 posted on 08/30/2004 3:11:33 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: LittleRedRooster

LOL


13 posted on 08/30/2004 3:11:44 PM PDT by conservaDave
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To: presidio9
Apple in the Kerry column?

Who'da'thunk?

14 posted on 08/30/2004 3:12:17 PM PDT by Psycho_Bunny
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To: Larry Lucido

ROFLMAO


15 posted on 08/30/2004 3:12:20 PM PDT by conservaDave
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To: presidio9

Bush is an Abrams
Kerry a bicycle


16 posted on 08/30/2004 3:12:46 PM PDT by DM1
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To: conservaDave

Le Car


17 posted on 08/30/2004 3:12:58 PM PDT by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does)
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To: presidio9
Golly-kerry's has the only brand that is foreign in name...must be providencial.

And I really LIKE...

dependible

in a president!!!

From above:

Mr. Bush's brands are seen as "ol' reliables" that some voters may associate with being outdated or unwilling to change, according to the survey. At the same time, those brands are eminently dependable.

18 posted on 08/30/2004 3:13:24 PM PDT by Republic (Terri Schiavo,saved by TERRI's LAW after 7 days of starvation, fights ACLU tomorrow in FL Supreme ct)
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To: presidio9

Le car ....tres bon (HA HA)


19 posted on 08/30/2004 3:13:54 PM PDT by conservaDave
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To: presidio9
Bush is a HUMVEE with a 12 cylinder Merlin engine out of a Supermarine Spitfire under the hood.

Kerry is a shiny Lexus with a hamster wheel under the hood. And the hamster just got back from an encounter weekend with Richard Gere so its not feeling very well.

20 posted on 08/30/2004 3:14:42 PM PDT by asgardshill (The Republican's best weapon lies midway between John Kerry's nose and lower chin.)
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