What Did We Learn From the Year of Elections?
Across seventy different countries, more than half of planet Earth’s population took part in elections over the course of 2024. That’s more people than have ever cast their ballot in a single year in the history of the human race before now.
As for the results, they ranged from the expected (a change of government in the UK) to the shocking (a former footballer coming from nowhere to become the new Georgian president), to the downright noisy (do we really need to say who we’re referring to here?).
So as the dust settles on a historic year of democracy, what is there to learn about the state of global consumer sentiment and what it means for brands? To find out, LBB’s Adam Bennett caught up with industry leaders with a finger on the pulse of current affairs…
Josh Dickins
Head of consulting, Modern Citizens
It’s easy to forget that 2024 was, statistically speaking, the best-ever year in the history of democracy. Close to half the world’s entire population had the opportunity to vote in the last 12 months, and a good chunk of them actually did.
What did we learn? Well, based on election results, not much about global sentiment - some countries moved rightwards, some leftwards, some returned governing parties to power, a fair few more kicked them out.
But what I think we need to recognise is a timely reminder: people make decisions. They have agency. As brands and marketers, we spend so much of our time and technology trying to drive desired behaviours, that we forget that ultimately, the power rests with the person at the end of our messages.
When an election result doesn’t go exactly as pollsters have predicted, or when a marginal party unexpectedly surges on election night, or when political big beasts find themselves suddenly without a seat in Parliament, we should remember that other people’s behaviour is not in our control, and their decisions are not a foregone conclusion.
I’d love for us to look back on 2024 and start to reflect on our own practices of how we view our customers. Is fooling someone into an auto-renewal subscription really thinking about them as decision-making people? Is a ‘loyalty’ scheme that artificially inflates and then discounts prices really rewarding people who buy products? Is a blanked email offering a ‘one-time opportunity for valued customers’ truly valuing them as customers?
People consume things, at times, but they’re not consumers. They’re people. We should get to know them better and work harder to act in their best interests. Leave conversion rates to missionaries, and inspire people to make their own decisions. Because they will anyway.
Martin Severs
Head of strategy, Collaborate Global
As a politics geek, watching the 2024 campaigns unfold and following the post election analysis has been fascinating. But three key points for the marketing industry have been reinforced again and again.
Firstly, as citizen/consumer power grows through online communities it’s vital for any party or brand to understand their audience. Fragmentation into subsets and ‘fandoms’ really matters and understanding their needs is vital. If household budget is the biggest worry, perhaps don't roll out endorsements from multi-millionaire celebrities as the Democrats did. And talk to people using their own language. The Democrats’ use of terms like ‘LatinX’, are just not common amongst those very communities.
Secondly, Scott Galloway has observed that elections are often won by the candidate who taps into and weaponizes the media of the moment – Obama through digital, Trump with more intimate podcasts. It’s marketing 101: the right message, to the right people, in the right format, at the right time.
Lastly, the power of being physically present. Trump’s hype rallies drove far more than press coverage engendering a genuine sense of belonging and movement. The enormous gen z-driven protests in Tbilisi may have failed to stop the pro-Putin government, but they’ve certainly created a generation of resistance and intense sense of togetherness. Narendra Modi went as far as using holograms of himself at huge events to create that sense of physical presence in the most remote regions across vast India. The power of an event to seal the deal really can work… but we would say that!
Lisa Hayley-Jones
Policy and government affairs director, the Advertising Association
2024 was a big year in politics, with major elections taking place across the globe. Amidst the evolving political landscape, advertising played an important role by acting as an essential medium for conveying political messages and influencing public discourse.
Politicians used advertising to convey their policies, some brands utilised politically-themed ads highlighting societal issues such as the cost-of-living crisis, whilst Voting Counts, an organisation that helps voters make well-informed choices during elections, launched an integrated campaign ahead of the 2024 UK General Election, urging registered voters not to become part of ‘The Unheard Third’.
This year also saw political advertising under scrutiny particularly when considering preventing misinformation and promoting transparency. In response, Media Smart, along with the Advertising Association, published “What’s the deal with political advertising?”, a 10-point guide aiming to help people – especially young people preparing to vote for the first time.
The guide answers key questions on election advertising rules, how platforms respond to digital and AI-generated content, steps to tackle misinformation and fact-checking, and how young people can improve their political literacy – all backed up with a wide range of online resources.
As the landscape of political advertising continues to develop, 2024 underscored the vital role of education in helping people navigate the complexities of political messaging. This year also highlighted how driving political literacy is vital to support informed decision-making at the ballot box.
Chris Thurling
Chairman, Armadillo
Trump's media strategy is simple: do whatever it takes to dominate the news cycle. He views publicity as a zero-sum game — either you're the story, or your opponent is. The nature of the headlines doesn't matter; capturing attention is all that counts.
In British politics, we call this the “dead cat strategy”. But Trump took this approach to another level: "In Springfield, they're eating the dogs, the people that came in, they're eating the cats. They're…eating the pets of the people that live there.” US presidential debate, September 10th, 2024
Under the old rules of politics, this kind of craziness would have been deemed fatal. However, Trump seems to have rewritten the rules. His strategy proved effective. It underscores the importance of maintaining constant visibility in an always-on, omnichannel world — when you're absent, your competitors fill the void.
Should brands copy Trump’s style? I don’t think so. He gets away with it because it is what voters expect from his brand. It’s all part of the show he’s spent 40 years cultivating. Your sober brand probably doesn’t have a licence to go bonkers. Nevertheless, Trump’s success challenges us to think more creatively about how to stand out.
Samaneh Zamani
Strategy director, Iris
It’s been a fascinating year for global politics, with some election outcomes being far more surprising than others.
Ultimately what election results across the world are signalling is a demand for change, and a lack of faith in the systems which guide us. Trump’s shock election victory in the US showed that socialist agendas are a ‘nice-to-have’ in times of economic turmoil. Americans were swayed by the promise of stability, more jobs, and lower inflation, while in the UK, Brits voted for the promise of nation over party.
What all this signals to brands is that trust is at an all-time low. Politics is letting everyday people down, people are worried about finances and seeking stability. So, to connect with audiences, brands should ask themselves: are we showing up consistently? Can people trust us to provide consistently good service, and good quality products, at fair prices? Can they trust us to always be there when they need us? No one needs brands to promise a better world, we simply need reliability.
Julie Ross
Director of cultural fluency, LERMA/
After a divisive US election and close victory by president-elect Trump, most Americans are skeptical that the nation will become unified. A recent study shows only 41% of Americans feel Trump would bring the country closer together. As in 2024, we discovered through the process of drafting our own whitepaper that brands must skillfully respond to the clash in cultural values and an increasingly diverse, politically polarized world. But how?
Take the political pulse. Research and weigh the political leanings of core consumers against the sentiments of broader audiences and the loudest voices. Check the political weather and consider the mood/tone of the present moment for every campaign.
Activate the imagination. Many marketers are planning for how the next administration’s policy proposals affect trade, economics, immigration, and more. Consider the emotional and practical ramifications of trade tariffs and mass deportations on consumers, employees, partners, suppliers, and industries – both within and beyond US borders. Imagine what actions and responses may be necessary.
As marketers, we are adept at holding a mirror up to culture to reflect what we see. But given the current political environment, we can’t afford to be reactive. If we’ve learned anything from 2024, it’s that we must imagine the unexpected and be prepared, agile, and intentional.
Lauren Castagni Mote
Founder and CEO, Sage7
The first thing we did after the UK general election was analyse each constituency's data. We wanted to map not just who won in each, but who came in second - and how close behind they were. This helped us get a clearer view of not just the division across the country, but also within locales and communities.
Voters on both sides of the pond made it clear they feel worse off than they did four or five years ago, and this drove the hunger for change. The fact that change - at least in leadership - has been delivered should bode well for consumer confidence and hopefully kickstart higher discretionary spending in 2025.
Despite Elon Musk seemingly coming out the biggest 'winner' in global politics, it will be interesting to see how his choices impact the Tesla brand - both positively and negatively. In almost every market EV drivers tend to lean left, and many democrat voting Tesla drivers are now desperate to get rid of their vehicles for fear of being associated with Musk and MAGA. On the flip side, in 2023 71% of Republicans said they would not consider buying an EV - but perhaps now they might.
Veronica Diaferia
Founder and EP, Tinygiant
I hope this year has taught brands to trust data and polls a little less, and instead try to connect with people again. Not with the measurable side of people, or the aspirational side of people, but just with people the way they are, with their flaws and shortcomings. We saw how looking down on people, whether expressed as telling what’s good for them or how dumb it is to buy or vote against their interest, isn’t a winning strategy.
The disconnect between politics, markets, and regular folks is real. Those who can (or pretend to) connect with people’s needs and concerns will stay in power and dominate sectors of the economy. There is a new reality that seems hard to understand for CEOs living in gated communities, Hollywood celebrities, Ivy-league-educated economists, and highly-paid data crunchers: when people are fed up and desperate, everything goes, logic and market rules no longer apply.
While these are certainly trying times, I see this as a great opportunity to go back to simple basics in the business. Let’s listen to consumers, let’s give them stories and products that are the result of walking a mile or two in their shoes. As a production company owner, I think directors equipped with empathy and willingness to understand the other are needed now more than ever and will be the ones succeeding, with nothing to fear for AI. The answer to dark tendencies is always more dialogue and more soul, not less.
Calvin Innes
Creative director, JvM NERD London
2024 will go down in history as (another) year of political drama, polarisation, and participation. That seems to be the norm in recent times. With more than 50 elections affecting over half of the planet’s population, from USA to Taiwan to Russia to India and more, these presidential and legislative contests have huge implications for human rights, international relations, the economy, and prospects for peace in what seem to be increasingly volatile times. The sheer volume of political discourse was at times overwhelming. For brands and strategists, navigating this turbulent landscape required equal measures of caution and courage.
The importance of community-focused messaging was evident, and can’t really be understated. Brands that stayed relevant, like Patagonia or Ben & Jerry’s, leaned into issues that really resonated with their audience’s core values, without overtly aligning with any particular political factions. Consumers increasingly expect companies to have a social conscience, but they also demand authenticity. Disingenuous gestures or vague platitudes no longer suffice in a landscape where real accountability is just a social media post away.
Brands potentially face huge difficulties when taking political stances. A recent GWI survey found that 22% of US consumers stopped using or purchasing a product due to a brand’s political opinions. On social media, 18% of those surveyed unfollowed a brand or influencer for the same reason.
An important lesson from this ‘mega election year’ is the power of real-time engagement. Social platforms were more hectic and more chaotic than ever before, with commentary, fact-checking, and memes, offering brands opportunities to connect authentically with their audiences. But, as Bud Light learned the hard way with its mishandled cultural moment last year, timing and tone are everything. Brands seriously need to read the room. They need to understand when to jump in, and when to just shut up and stay silent.
Finally, 2024 showed once again that elections can, and usually do, have profound effects on consumer sentiment. Economic instability in post-election periods tends to prompt shifts in spending behaviour across the board. Savvy brands were ready for this, pivoting strategies to address growing concerns like affordability and sustainability.
As we approach 2025, the key will be for brands to double down. Double down on trust, double down on transparency, and double down on community-driven purpose. Navigating political terrain is really tricky, but it’s clear that sitting on the sidelines just isn’t really an option anymore.
