A recent obvious product placement for the Barack Obama campaign has been creating much buzz in the blogsphere. The reason is that it is for non-other than the sexed-up Abercrombie & Fitch brand.
Three young guys, wearing tshirts with big Abercrombie & Fitch logos, stood directly behind the presidential candidate while he made a recent concession speech. The spot is a bulls-eye infront of the camera, and the fact that it is not one or two, but three Abercrombie & Fitch "models" make it a sure endorsement.
While it's a good strategy to appeal to the young voter demographic, it is just too blatant and in-your-face for my taste. What's next, Obama modeling on the next Abercrombie & Fitch billboards and infamous controversial magalog?
FYI, the main image was created by PONTO.
See more Obama related posts in Jeremy's Top 13 Obama trend:
What's Driving This Trend
- Brand Sponsorship
- With political campaigns increasingly relying on donations from corporations, brands sponsoring candidates is a trend that is likely to continue disrupting politics.
- Youth Targeted Marketing
- A key innovation opportunity amidst the overtness of this political product placement is for brands to come up with more subtle and tasteful ways of targeting young voters.
- Celebrity Endorsements
- While brand endorsements by politicians are not uncommon, there is an opportunity for brands to collaborate with influencers to reach broader audiences and showcase their products in impactful ways.
Who This Affects Most
- Politics
- Political campaigns are an industry where brands can sponsor candidates, reach voters, and garner real influence.
- Fashion Retail
- The trend of brands being keenly involved in political marketing creates a niche for the fashion industry to boost their marketing efforts by incrementing their involvement in the political landscape.
- Advertising
- Sponsoring political campaigns and candidates is a growing advertising industry to effectively boost product sales and brand awareness amongst the targeted consumer audience.
