January 2009
Eye Askant
Governance and political campaigns from a marketing perspective.
That there is disappointment with our governments is something to be happy about: while, with eyes askant, we say that nothing good can be expected from politicians, walang mahihita, and that nothing really changes, our collective hearts have not hardened beyond repair, have not learned not to hope.
Our jadedness, it appears, has a seasonality; it ebbs when the election storm clouds appear. We elect governments into office with fervor and hoopla, reveling in the power to do so, and then we sigh as we watch them descend, with tortoisian certainty, into unpopularity. We watch as they appear to be overwhelmed by the system, repeating mistakes of the past, donning the clothes, insincere smiles and bloat of traditional politicians. Corruption? Everyday office attire.
The Aquino government though got brusquely shoved down the bumpy slide into SWS low satisfaction ratings with the Mendiola Massacre. In contrast, the Estrada government's decline was more a free-fall than a slide. While Ramos, if it weren't for the Asian Crisis, would have been that rare head of state to end a term loved by the people.
In fairness, the disappointment with Aquino was to be expected. She was our Obama: countrywide and dramatic transformation was a minimum expectation. We all honked car horns that fateful day after the dictatorship was torn off the land by helicopter like a long-standing decayed molar. Tears were shed as hearts runneth over with hope. (In fact, Obama has it easy: Aquino had a suspicious military mindset to dismantle, an entire political and economic structure to demolish and rebuild, a secessionist movement in the South and a communist insurgency to placate. And she was stymied at the onset by drained government coffers and gargantuan debts).
Despite great disappointments, we never learn. And it is a blessing that we never learn. Arteriosclerosis of the veins that provide hope would be the death of the national corpus.
Why governments disappoint.
“Not even a year after EDSA, they were slowly becoming disappointed.” Eric Tañada
Continued: Perception is Reality
Prof. Vincent R. Pozon
Chairman, Estima, Inc.
Email: vrpozon@estimacontent.com
Office Address: Republic Glass Bldg., 196 Salcedo St.,Makati Philippines 1229
Corporate website: www.estimacontent.com
Advocacy website: www.universitv.net
Course Website:
http://sites.google.com/site/profvincentpozonclass/
In his 35 years in advertising, Professor Pozon has been been involved, in varying degrees, independently and as an agency man, with political campaigns.
ARTICLES
The Candidate as a Brand: The politician is really very like a product. He needs to be known, his image easily recognized, his attributes and skills understood, his platform and promises made familiar to -- and desired by -- his target audience.
Why governments disappoint: Why governments can't win the governed.
Sa Bahay na Malaki: The Search for a Leader: It's not about poverty, or corruption or the economy. The political landscape is feudal, very feudal.
The City is a Country: Why a mayor is more equipped to run a country than any senator.
Advertising Lessons for Public Servants: Promil or presidential, the goals and methodologies are the same.
Creating Anti-hegemony: Opposition shouldn't just oppose, it should create and promote an alternative and viable ideal state.
Villanueva in Retrospection: The Curious Crowds of Bro. Eddie.
Pastor Ed Lapiz on the Villanueva bid: A staunch supporter writes about the BEV campaign.
Presidential campaign advertising commercials Philippine politics marketing strategies Villanueva TV spotspolitical campaigns from a marketing perspective Villanueva Noli De Castro Bishop Abante Velarde the religious voter SWS Pulse Asia Osmeña and Alfredo Lim Villar