The Democratic race for president between Obama and Clinton has been a
public war over branding.

Just like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, which are both basically sugar-flavored
and caramel-colored caffeinated, canned soda, the basic elements are
the same. When it’s time to make a decision at the grocery store
between the two, the choice comes down to the one that has the most-
effective commercials and ads. The one with the better message. From
health care to Social Security, the War in Iraq to gay marriage, both
Clinton and Obama are basically the same. Their branding, however, is
not.

Barack Obama is Pepsi. From the first day Obama submitted his bid for
nomination, he led with a brand of hope. When hope was too intangible
for the media, it became a message of change. A change from President
Bush. A change from Iraq. A change from economic hardship. A change
for all things bad today. He connects with every unsatisfied American,
regardless of party affiliation. He is pro-everything-you-want and
anti-everything-you-don’t.

Even the actual brand of his campaign is different. It’s new. Clean.
Helvetica instead of Times. His name is phonetically appealing. We
connect with it because it’s familiar, but an update and therefore a
change. He’s young. He connects with everyone.

Hillary Clinton is Coca-Cola. She has been around forever. Her name is
world-famous and even the most desolate areas of the world know the
Clintons. She’s lived in the white house. Her voice was the little
voice in an actual President’s head for eight years, helping the
leader of the free world make tough decisions. Her campaign is over a
decade in the works, but it’s that classic, timelessness of it that
has become its demise. Her campaign stands for all things good since
‘92, but unfortunately, in that timeframe, wars have been fought,
countries have taken new leadership, the economy has peaked and
fallen, and the senate has accomplished a lot of nothing.

The Obama brand is stronger, and despite polls showing Clinton to be
the better candidate (or – for the sake of keeping the analogy – in
blind taste tests) America chooses Obama. His brand has won.

Unfortunately the analogy for the general election is far less
interesting. Why? It’s Pepsi v. Ginger Ale.

Blah.