Lolu Akinwunmi writes: Communicating the human side of the candidate

Political campaigns naturally deal in facts. Policies. Manifestos. Statistics. Budgets. Programmes. Achievements. All important. But voters are human beings, not spreadsheets. They respond not only to facts but also to stories, values, character, experiences, hopes and emotions. Effective political communication must therefore answer two questions:

 1. Who is this person asking to lead or represent us?

2. What does this candidate propose to do?

 The first requires humanity. The second requires policies.

PEOPLE LOVE AND REMEMBER STORIES

Stories make abstract ideas understandable, and gives a soft explanation to hard policies. A candidate may speak extensively about educational reform, but a genuine account of how education transformed his or her life can communicate the proposition more powerfully. The important word is genuine. Political storytelling should reveal the candidate, not manufacture the candidate. Authentic experiences should illuminate the values behind the political proposition, not create a fictional personality for electoral advantage.

• BIOGRAPHY AS PART OF THE BRAND

Barack Obama's 2008 campaign offers a useful illustration. His multiracial background, experiences across different cultures, community organising in Chicago and unconventional political journey reinforced the campaign's central themes of hope, possibility and change. His biography was not simply an interesting personal history. It helped explain why he could credibly represent the larger political proposition. The lesson: Personal stories become strategically powerful when they reinforce the candidate’s positioning.

• THE POWER OF A STRONG PERSONALITY

Margaret Thatcher presents another example. Her political identity became associated with conviction, determination and toughness. The description Iron Lady, originally used critically by a Soviet newspaper, was subsequently embraced and became central to her public persona. Whatever one's political assessment of Thatcher, her example demonstrates how a recognisable character trait can become shorthand for an entire political brand. Character itself communicates.

SHOW VOTERS YOU UNDERSTAND THEM

Empathy. Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign demonstrated the communication value of empathy. His ability to listen, engage individual voters and respond to personal circumstances became an important part of his political identity. The expression commonly associated with him, "I feel your pain," captured that perception. Citizens do not merely want leaders who understand economic statistics. They want leaders who understand what those statistics mean for their everyday lives.

USE EMOTION, BUT DON’T MANIPULATE OR MISLEAD VOTERS

Emotion belongs naturally in political communication. Manipulation does not. Fear can be exploited. Anger manufactured. Communities divided. False stories invented to generate sympathy. These approaches may attract attention, but they undermine trust and democratic communication. Responsible storytelling should connect citizens to genuine issues through authentic experiences. The objective must be emotional truth supported by factual truth.

BE READY TO DEMONSTRATE WHATEVER YOU SAY

Campaigns frequently describe candidates as compassionate, courageous, competent or decisive. But where is the evidence? If compassion is claimed, what genuine experiences demonstrate it? If courage is central to the brand, when has it been displayed? If competence is promised, what has the candidate successfully managed? Demonstrated character is more persuasive than flattering adjectives on campaign posters.

MAKE THE CANDIDATE LOOK AUTHENTIC

Modern political campaigns sometimes stage practically everything. The candidate visits a market. Cameras are conveniently waiting. Someone produces a baby. Food is eaten theatrically. An ordinary citizen delivers a perfectly timed emotional testimonial. The problem is that voters increasingly recognise these acted performances. Authenticity cannot simply be manufactured by a production crew. Sometimes an unscripted, imperfect moment communicates more humanity than an elaborately produced advertisement.

DO NOT MAKE THE CANDIDATE THE ONLY HERO

Political campaigns also make the mistake of turning every story into a celebration of the candidate. The candidate arrives. Speaks. Promises. Solves. Saves. But effective citizen-centred storytelling recognises ordinary people as protagonists too. The entrepreneur creating jobs. The teacher transforming lives. The farmer improving productivity. The young graduate building a business. Instead of presenting leadership as a one-person rescue mission, the campaign should explain how its policies will enable millions of citizens to succeed. That is a more meaningful political proposition.

FACTS GIVE CREDIBILITY; STORIES GIVE MEANING.

The strongest political communication combines reason with emotion:

• Policy explains what you intend to do.
• Evidence establishes why people should believe you.
• Stories demonstrate why it matters.
• Character reveals who you are.

Together, these create something far more meaningful than a campaign slogan. Ultimately, voters are not electing manifestos. They are electing human beings who will exercise authority over other human beings. So present the policies. Explain the programmes. Provide the evidence. But allow citizens to encounter the person behind the political proposition.

Because political brands need more than promises. They need humanity.

NEXT: MSS SPECIAL 08.9: How do you manage attacks, misinformation and crises without losing the campaign's strategic narrative, and avoiding your opponents from defining you Please join me and feel free to comment, share and invite others to subscribe to The MarCom Strategic Series. Thank you.

‘Lolu Akinwunmi

Publisher, The MarCom Strategic Series (MSS)

lakinwunmi@primagarnetafrica.com