It isn't soap, its the soap story

President Barack Obama called for a new beginning. With nothing new. Except for some rhetorical babble. Which by the way went down well with all those in awe. And didn't go down well with the likes of me. That's because he reminds me of brands that win awards with their advertising but give the consumer a deal that's worth zilch. So there's always the first buy and none after. Just like there's always the first term and none after.

The only lesson Marketers can learn from the American President is the lesson of superlative communication. Its one of the Ps of Marketing, Promotion. The American president can quite hold an audience. Especially if that audience consists of people with a low degree of 'need for cognition'. Its like selling soap to idiots. It isn't soap, stupid, its the way you tell the soap story. You can have them hanging on every word, and then they buy the soap.

Don't believe me? They lapped up every word the messiah spoke. And then they voted him in. What's changed? When you figure that out, do let me know. I am waiting, all ears.

By the way, how can you characterise the Obama babble?

'He talked and talked and talked and talked.

And then kept talking.

Vacillating between a lecture-some professor and a talk show therapist, Obama started out numbering the grave and important issues he wanted to discuss. After a half-dozen, he junked the whole numbering system.

Or, lost count.

The problem with talking so much is that you eventually just start babbling and saying a bunch of stuff that makes no sense.'