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Senator Obama: A ladies man 

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According to the US polls, women are the most important and difficult voter to win over. Not only are they in the majority (53%), they are more likely to be undecided in the run up to the election. Recent events show that Obama has been successful with women, particularly young women (Senator Obama won 35 percent of women, while Senator Clinton won 30 percent).

 

Why is women are drawn to Obama in a way they are not drawn to McCain or Hilary Clinton? What is that Obama has that is appealing to women that McCain does not have?

 

Obama has already been voted marketer of the year by Time magazine. His "organising idea" is focused on a clear and consistent message: Change. And he delivers it in an inspirational way through the media women use (youtube, blogs, facebook etc). But more fundamentally, the reason Obama is successful is because he focuses on what women care about.

 
Terrorism, the main theme of McCain's messaging, is the kind of distant threat that only very wealthy, comfortable people can afford to worry about. Terrorism now occupies a lower rung in the heirarchy of fears suggests that people really are worried about more fundamental things, such as whether they can afford food, petrol or christmas presents. This is even more the case for women, particularly as most women are in charge of the day to day managing of the household expenses.

 

Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, states:

 

Women see themselves as more economically vulnerable than men, more likely recipients of the social safety net at some point in their lives, and they see a larger role for government."

 

As a working mum of two, I often find myself cooking the tea, washing up, shoving in some washing, on the phone paying a bill and doing the shopping online- all at the same time. Its me, not my husband, who thinks about the cost of food and energy going up. Its me who thinks about how to cut back this Christmas on presents. And its me who thinks that we should eat in rather than get a take out.

 

With women as the Chief Household Officer, Obama is making a relevant connection that brands could learn from. With Oprah behind him, Obama appears to be a ladies man.

Comments

November 4, 2008 3:01 PM
 

He's won me over and I don't even live in his country!

 
 
November 4, 2008 3:15 PM
 

That's a little unfair, Hillary was very popular with a large tract of the female vote and always was for a large part of the campaign.  this post story underscores that

Clinton Owes Lead in Poll To Support From Women

The consistent lead that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York has maintained over Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and others in the race for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination is due largely to one factor: her support from women.

www.washingtonpost.com/.../AR2007061102216.html

 
 
November 4, 2008 5:26 PM
 

I am not saying Hillary was not popular, just that Obama is appeared to be more popular but the article raises a good point about the type of women that each appeals to.  However, until the anaylsis has been done post tomorrow, its hard to say for sure.  I was always a big supporter of Hillary and wish she had been Obama's VP.  That would have been a powerful combination.

 
 
November 5, 2008 2:12 AM
 

As a foreigner,I just care about M or O's policy.U.S. should be a giant not only its economy but also behaviors in international affairs.

 
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Lady Geek

Lady Geek is about women and technology and explores the failings of many tech and gaming brands to connect to women.
 

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Belinda Parmar

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Member since: 17 Aug 2008

Last login: 18 Nov 2009

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