Good article, but it’s not complete.
Part of the marketing was not Obama’s, but of the press, who maligned Bush at every opportunity and non opportunity. Even when he did nothing, they found something to complain about.
This went on for years. Unless Obama’s team was pulling the strings before Emperor Zero was in the US Senate, this was not his team.
This marketing of brand-failue gave the causal politico something to hate: the Bushitlers. No matter who ran against Obama, they were portrayed as part of the problem caused by old politics and old people. This invalidated the wisdom and the vitues of the sages and the founding fathers as well. It is why we needed CHANGE. McCain’s being “old” was his biggest problem; he lost before the gates were opened.
Actually, other than the internet publicity and the credit card manipulation, Obama copied many of the tactics of another successful politician, who also used a unique logo, cashed in on the citizens hope for change, promised that his government would make them proud citizens again, promised that the world would respect the nation again and offered help from the government for virtually every financial problem carried by his backers. Oh, and let us not forget how the nation needed change and how important hatred is as a political tool. Obama copied Adolph Hitler.
The marketing suits missed these similarities. But, in their defense, I must say that it is a malady suffered by all socialists; they have this strange need to compliment their new leader instead of truly measuring his character and the virtues of his new (old) politics.