Can good branding make a political outsider with the nickname “The Madman” become President of a Nation in only 2 years?
Javier Milei, a man with no political experience, with a rock star appearance, has been elected President of Argentina with an overwhelming result. From his signature hairstyle to his casual yet striking style, every detail contributes to building an image.
Another key aspect of Milei’s branding is his bold and disruptive approach. He has clearly differentiated himself by adopting a direct and challenging tone, moving away from traditional forms of political communication. Differentiation in discourse is essential to stand out in a crowded marketplace of messages. As in the political arena, in the business world, those who dare to challenge the established and communicate in a unique way are the ones who capture attention and build distinctive value propositions.
This result has been achieved with a surgically austere and precise brand and communication management, with a political branding that has catapulted this economist to the highest position as a Nation’s ruler.
With a speech that connects with people, a clear and direct language and a singular style, Milei has revolutionized the political landscape of Argentina.
We see here a clear example where not only politics, but a fusion of concepts within branding that include positioning, value proposition, emotional connection, use of social networks, mobilization of young people, generated the inspiration for millions of people to support Javier Milei’s proposal.
At TOTEM Branding, we are very clear that branding in politics is a powerful and fundamental tool to help any candidate build a loyal base of followers. Political branding is not unrelated to branding in general, it is just another way of branding, which follows the same guidelines as any other brand building. But to be effective, it must be authentic, consistent and well-defined.
Whether in politics or business, those who understand and strategically apply the principles of branding are better positioned to stand out in an increasingly competitive world.
Let’s finally recall that mythical Apple advertisement “To the crazies. The rebels. The troublemakers. Those who see things differently. They don’t like the rules and don’t respect the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify them or vilify them. But the one thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. Some people see them as crazy. The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who change it.”
