For political purposes, a campaign theme is basically a single message which is used to communicate an integrated political message. It should be based on a clear reason why a candidate is running for office, and backed up by an overall identity that shapes the overall campaign. The overall goal, of course, is to convince people to vote for you.
Why are you Running?
Your message or narrative is a concise statement that states why voters should vote for a candidate. The message for any political campaign should be carefully crafted beforehand. The message should be short enough to not only tell a story, but also to be broken down and used as sound bites that can be used over and over again.
Here are some short examples:
“As we face fiscal woes and a decaying infrastructure, we need leaders who will restore fiscal accountability and help rebuild our state. John Smith is that leader.”
“Jane Smith is a former teacher and administrator, not a well-connected politician. Her background in education means she can restore accountability to our local schools.”
“Ian Incumbent has missed over half of the Town Board meetings over the last two years. How can he govern if he doesn’t even do his job? Jane Smith will be there and work hard for the taxpayers.”
Your message should contain the major talking points that will be used by the candidate throughout the campaign. In one form or another, this message should be repeated at every opportunity, in every available medium.
Your Campaign Slogan
While a summary of your campaign is great and should be practiced until it can be recited in your sleep, the average voter needs something even shorter. They need a slogan that encapsulates your entire campaign.
- Let’s Make a Difference
- A Voice for Smart Growth
- Proven Leadership.
- Quality in Government
Your slogan should be related to your message. For example, if your candidate is running an anti-sprawl campaign, a slogan like ‘A Voice for Smart Growth’ would be appropriate. It’s short, it fits on a campaign sign, and it’s related to the major campaign issue.
Your Campaign Color Theme
What colors are you going to use to promote your campaign? Red, white and blue are always favorites, but if you were running on environmental issues, perhaps green and white might be a better scheme. It’s usually best to keep your color scheme to two colors, one light and one dark. Simple is best, and that goes for your fonts, as well. A nice sans-serif font is easier to read than, say, a fancy script.
Putting it all together
At this point, your campaign theme is complete. You have a message, a slogan, and a general design scheme. From here on in, it’s a matter of combining and using these elements consistently though your campaign literature, TV and radio ads, signage and campaign website. Hammer that message home so every voter can easily recall what you stand for, and why they should vote for you on Election Day!
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Tags: campaign promotion, general campaign tips, local campaigns, local election