Looking for opportunity-makers

Whoever most vividly characterizes what a product or service is usually determines how others see it in their mind’s eye, feel it in their hearts, and act on it with great interest. Whoever dreams our dream gets our support. Such a person is an opportunity-maker. Going beyond charisma, he makes things happen.

He has an optimistic attitude and practices behaviors that inspire a happier and higher performance in others. He looks at people’s positive intent, especially when they appear to have none. He believes there are three ways to "be good." First, he brings out the better side of people he deals with so they instinctively see his own value. Second, he spirals up into cooperation and camaraderie rather than down into conflict and enmity. And third, he evokes the golden rule that can make dissimilarities — personal or professional — among his constituents a mutual benefit, rather than a cause for divergence.

An opportunity-maker becomes an unforgettable "face" of the group he leads. People are far more intrigued, cajoled, pushed or challenged by the questions he asks than the answers he gives. He goes slow to go fast, speaks any language or dialect like it really tastes good. He knows that what is not revealed is often most revealing, and he becomes the glue that bonds people together.

More than a problem solver, a business or political leader is an opportunity-maker. He subscribes to the idea that whoever creates the context creates the rules of the game. He sees the much bigger picture to create a bigger pie. He sees the forest as well as the trees. He brings expertise to the table, cultivates unlikely allies, inside and outside his group, forges smart partnerships to generate extra value and visibility, and triggers tipping points.

Whether he is an existing or aspiring politico or businessman, he seriously looks at and answers strategic questions. He has only three choices in any given situation. He changes, accepts or leaves depending on the circumstance facing him. He hones his strengths, prioritizes his time and characterizes his group’s value to its publics.

Political Branding

A good brand persona creates opportunities. From this parallel, we can only hope that all those aspiring for political office will demonstrate their power to be good political brands and deliver clear platforms and intentions to the voters. A battery of questions can be asked of them. Start with, "What is his single greatest asset as a political candidate? Is it his sterling record, servant leadership mindset, team play, productivity, charisma, empathy or individual intelligence? How does his persona reinforce his political brand?"

The Philippine mid-term electoral process is in full swing, and branding is once again playing a major role in the way political communication is being used. We are witnessing a battle of political brands. As records will show, most of them are expected to spend big bucks to buy advertising time and space to get themselves known, recalled and preferred. Advertising is an expensive tool, but it is unquestionably a powerful implement in generating the desired result. There are those who use the supremacy of advertising early on, and there are others who procrastinate, only to play catch-up and join the fray in the last few weeks of the campaign period.

As we get hit by the advertising taglines of wannabe senators — Ang gara ng buhay, ’Tol, Sipag at Tiyaga, Korekto, Tito, K Na, No. 1 sa Senado or Pichay, Itanim sa Senado — several questions cross our minds as we watch and scrutinize their pitches: What is the image being projected? What aspects of the candidate’s communication are most compelling? How does it score in terms of clarity, relevance and interest?

The answers to these queries can be compared and cross- tabulated to see who among them stands out. The list of mental questions may appear too cerebral or scientific, but that’s how the evaluation should go. There is a fun part to this exercise, though. Check the elements of execution — is the jingle viral, is the selling proposition unique and memorable, is the talking head sincere and credible, is the dramatization believable, is the overall mood and tone empathetic, or is the brand character warm and connecting?

Looking at the various devices employed, the potency of branding is indeed in full harness. Consciously or not, most are aiming to be up in the tally sheet. Peculiar monikers for efficient recall are used, adaptations of hit tunes like Boom Tarat Tarat for mass appeal are brought into play, and special choreography is made part of the visual hook.

Some contenders are utilizing the "halo effect" of established political names. If they get lucky, we will see a brother-sister, an aunt-nephew or a father-son tandem in the senate. It cannot be disputed that borrowed interest and the power of association are also at work. Surely, visibility will be the trademark of political campaigning, hugely manifested in the candidate’s merchandising tactics. Without a doubt, branding reinforced by the magic of advertising and sustained media presence will be key in capturing a coveted Senate seat.

Movie-star candidates Cesar Montano and Richard Gomez have individual trademarks. Their branding will emanate from a combination of their respective celluloid careers and leadership experiences. Seasoned political candidates, on the other hand, will be in advantageous positions considering the accumulated attributes that people can easily attach to them. They have the advantages of name recall, familiarity, experience, and brand equity that can help build distinct branding packages. Some of them will be in, and some will be out.

Good branding does three things for the frazzled electorate. It saves time, projects the right message and provides an identity for the individual contenders. Some branding lessons can already be learned from the initial salvo of political communication in this year’s election. Foremost is remembering that we are our own brand. It’s our name. We should guard and protect it. We should make it part of all our decisions. It takes time and care to build a brand, but it can be destroyed in an instant when scandal hits.

Branding is all about our brand name and how we build, protect and nurture it. It is making opportunities for ourselves and the people we want to serve. In the coming election this May, let’s search for these opportunity-makers and write them in our ballots. What’s in a brand name? There’s a lot and it starts from awareness and goes on to recall and preference. As TV talk show host Jay Leno exclaims, "You’re not famous until my mother has heard of you."

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E-mail bongo@vasia.com for comments, questions and suggestions. Thank you for communicating.