On December 7, Ghana held its much-awaited presidential and parliamentary elections, and the energy during the elections felt a lot like what businesses experience when launching something big.

Politicians are focused on winning support, just like businesses focus on releasing new products, meeting sales goals, creating strategies to attract customers, and building their brands. The 2024 elections, in particular, have demonstrated how much businesses and can learn from politics and political communications — not just by making promises, but by standing out and building real connections with their audience.

In this article, one of AAG’s platinum member agencies, The Little Cow, takes a look at the lessons that brand owners and advertisers glean from the 2024 elections and how those lessons can impact Ghana’s businesses. Let’s dive in!

1. Distinctive Brand Asset Matter

One major lesson to pick from the political campaigns is the importance of having something unique that helps people identify you—what we call a distinctive brand asset (DBA). For both political parties and businesses, this could be a logo, a slogan, a specific color, or even the use of popular figures. But it’s also important to focus on the asset that your audience will actually look for when making their decision.

While it’s commendable that the campaigns of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and former President John Dramani Mahama and the others have effectively championed their personal images, created engaging taglines, and stuck to party colors, there is one key brand asset that matter on the voting day that they all neglected — the party logo or symbols and the actual image that would be used on the ballot sheet.

At the end of the day, voters will see the umbrella for the NDC or the elephant for the NPP and not the usual campaign designs. This creates a disconnect between the distinctive assets that the campaigns promote and what voters actually engage on the ballot paper at when voting. The parties, belatedly, woke up to this fact and began emphasizing their distinctive brand asset that would be relevant to the voters on the ballot paper.

As a business, it’s important to focus on the distinctive brand assets that evoke your brand name (uniqueness) and that most people associate with your brand (fame). This requires the brand managers to measure and prioritize the distinctive brand assets they would invest in and promote. Whether it’s your logo, tagline, or color, it should be unique and memorable so that people can quickly connect with your brand. Just as voters rely on distinctive symbols to find their preferred party on the ballot, customers rely on your DBA to find you in the marketplace.

Many businesses, however, often overlook promoting the right elements that make their brand easily recognizable. To avoid this, businesses should be intentional about selecting assets that actually help consumers to find their brands. When you understand your consumers’ objectives, you can effectively promote the right distinctive brand asset (DBA) to them. This will help ensure that your brand stands out and is easily recognized, making it easier for customers to connect with your business.

2. Authenticity Wins Hearts

The lessons from the 2024 U.S. elections reveal a critical insight: being ‘authenticity resonates deeply with voters’, and similarly, it can win over consumers for businesses. Donald Trump’s approach was seen as deeply rooted in understanding the desires of his voters. He focused on issues that mattered most to them, addressing the concerns that shaped their view of the country’s future.

Trump wasn’t confined to traditional political norms, and he often veered away from the status quo. This, in essence, reflects market orientation — understanding and adapting to the needs and preferences of the people, and shaping the message accordingly.

However, this doesn’t mean product orientation is irrelevant. While many believed Trump genuinely cared for his voters (akin to a business caring about its consumers), his campaign was not necessarily about refining the “product” (his political platform).

Instead, it was about how effectively his message aligned with the desires and concerns of the electorate. His authenticity became a key element of his political product, but it was his connection with the masses—the market—that truly propelled his success.

For businesses, this means that while it’s important to have a product that reflects your brand’s values (product orientation), it’s equally important to ensure that your offering resonates with your audience’s needs and desires (market orientation). The ability to authentically connect with your consumers—understanding what matters to them and aligning your message accordingly—can make all the difference. Just like Trump’s success, businesses that combine both market and product orientation will be able to build lasting trust and loyalty.

3.The Power of Positioning

The election campaign in Ghana as discussed before is simply like a race for attention. The candidates believe if they come out to define their opponent’s weakness, it might win more support than focusing on defining their own strengths.

Unfortunately, in politics, the main political parties get locked up in a cycle of back-and-forth criticisms of each other. Many voters are left frustrated as a result, unable to distinguish any unique qualities between the parties. In such circumstances the parties fail to project their distinctive assets or a clear pattern of values that sets them apart.

This is a key lesson for businesses: POSITIONING begins with defining the simple, basic category your brand fits into and the primary need it fulfills. For example, political leaders can be known by their party. This is essentially what people will associate with you. For a business, it’s about understanding what needs your brand fulfills, like milk or butter for a dairy product.

Next is the Point of Difference, which asks what sets your brand apart from others in the same category. In the case of the two main political leaders in Ghana, it was their digitalization or 24-hour economy campaign policies. Beyond their policies, it could be their trustworthiness, their activities during their term of office, etc.

Finally, the Reason to Believe is what supports your brand’s point of difference, providing proof that your claims are trustworthy. For businesses, this might be customer testimonials or proven success stories. For our politicians, it is more of their track record of achievements during their time in office, showing why voters should trust them.

Now in our part of the world, especially in Ghana, political parties are often seen as some sort of cult or an unreachable organization when they get into power. Businesses should avoid this by staying relatable, transparent, and directly connected with their customers.

By positioning yourself well with your audience, showing them how your brand is superior in fulfilling their needs, and providing solid proof of your claims, your business can stand out and succeed in the competitive market.

Final Thoughts

The 2024 elections in Ghana and the USA have provided businesses with lessons about communication, authenticity, positioning, and understanding their audience. Just as voters are drawn to candidates who are clear, genuine, and relatable, customers are more likely to trust brands that are transparent, consistent, and focused on meeting their needs. Some of the lessons we have derived are:

• Focus on Your Distinctive Brand Assets (DBA): Just as voters rely on party symbols like the NPP’s elephant or NDC’s umbrella, businesses need to promote assets that make their brand instantly recognizable. A logo, slogan, or even a specific color can become a powerful tool to stand out in a crowded market.

• Be Authentic: Authenticity is the bridge between your brand and your audience. Like Trump’s ability to resonate with voters by addressing their core concerns, businesses must deeply understand their customers’ needs and connect on a personal level. It’s not just about having a great product; it’s about showing genuine care for your customers.

• Master the Power of Positioning: Positioning starts with defining the basic category your brand falls into and the need it fulfills. Then, distinguish yourself with a unique point of difference and back it up with reasons to believe—proof that reinforces trust in your brand.

For businesses, the lesson is clear: success isn’t just about having a great product or service. It’s about making your brand easy to find, relatable, and trustworthy. Politicians might win elections through strategic positioning and authenticity, but businesses can win loyal customers the same way.

At The Little Cow is a platinum member of the Advertising Association of Ghana. They specialize in helping build brands that connect with customers and stand out in the market.