What every marketer can learn from the 2024 election

The 2024 election results will impact the U.S. consumer climate for years. On a national and local level, roughly half of all voter groups were likely disappointed and potentially disenfranchised by outcomes. But those of us in the marketing profession would do well to remember the words of David Ogilvy: “We sell, or else.” As U.S. brands navigate the next few years in a politically divided country, there are fresh lessons and considerations to take away from this campaign season.

Feelings outweigh facts

The first of these lessons is evident in political shifts as well as marketing performance: When it comes to the choices humans make, feelings outweigh facts. During the election, Democrats’ data-based claims about economic recovery proved ineffective. The Republican message — which resulted in a near-clean sweep — focused instead on validating people’s feelings around life’s necessities being too expensive. As a brand, anytime there is a choice between validating what people already feel and trying to prove them wrong, always choose door No. 1. Consumers need to hear brand claims 3 to 7 times before accepting them as true. That amounts to many media impressions to engage someone’s interest. Alternatively, a productive dialogue can be established from the very first impression by starting with something people already believe.

Meet people where they are

Another important lesson — reflected in both the early gains of Vice President Kamala Harris and the homestretch success of President-elect Donald Trump — is that success in modern channels (such as social media and podcasts) relies more on collaborating with creators and addressing their audiences’ needs and less on promoting a brand story through these channels. When the former (and future) president spoke with new media personalities extemporaneously, it humanized him to less-politically engaged audiences.

Consumers will be cautious

Two primary emotional factors influenced the election and will continue to play a role as consumers choose how to spend their money in the foreseeable future: A lack of confidence in the economy and fear stemming from the crisis at the U.S. southern border. Evidence of effective action regarding the economy and immigration may eventually alleviate the concerns of most Americans. Still, for at least the first half of 2025, one can expect consumers to be more cautious than optimistic about spending money. When half the country believes the current economy is weak and the other half thinks that the incoming economic policies are inappropriate, the likely outcome will be a period of careful consumerism as people wait for both the financial indicators and positive sentiments that prove the mandate of the new president and his team. This may result in longer sales cycles for highly considered purchases like homes and cars, and may make people more hesitant when considering upgrades for durable items like electronics and appliances.

Indeed, the upcoming months will teach us a new set of lessons about the current state of U.S. consumerism. Policy shifts regarding health care, energy, banking, investing, media, cryptocurrency and more will significantly contribute to future challenges and opportunities facing the marketing community in the years ahead. That said, the outcome of this election further illustrates that emotions drive 9 out of every 10 decisions. If you don’t clearly understand your customers’ and prospects’ feelings in addition to their targeting and spending data, now is the ideal time to establish emotional connections with your brand's buyers — before someone else does.

This op-ed represents the views and opinions of the author and not of The Current, a division of The Trade Desk, or The Trade Desk. The appearance of the op-ed on The Current does not constitute an endorsement by The Current or The Trade Desk.