It’s not often that you get to witness the destruction of an important brand in real time. We saw it earlier this year with Tesla’s gigantic tank. At the same time we saw the once mighty Brand USA fall from grace. And then, just over one week ago, the Liberal Party of Australia’s brand blew up.
A brand is a story. A story that has authenticity and repeatability. A story that is not made up. A brand is the result of an evolution of experiences and beliefs and values, shared by its owner and its stakeholders. It doesn’t have to be tested by a market research machine. It’s real.
Tesla tanked because a pact that had been built between its innovative founder Elon Musk and millions of future-thinking drivers all over the world was broken. In his new economically rational DOGE role he revealed his true conservative colours, an about-face on the progressive values his supporters bought.
Brand USA has also been diminished because Trump has flipped the bird at millions of its trading partners, military allies and neighbours. Its brand story of being the world’s protector of democracy since WWII has been trashed and it will take decades to rebuild the same level of global trust.
The Liberal Party has been a well respected and long standing political brand, providing a competitive point of difference in Australian society since it was founded by Robert Menzies in 1944. To understand how it managed to self-destruct last Saturday, it’s important to look beyond a poor two month campaign. Campaigns put lipstick on the pig. It’s more important to understand the breed of the pig.
In branding terms what is the Liberal Party’s purpose? John Howard has often been cited by the Liberal Party during this election as the keeper of the Liberal brand. His most common promise, that the party is a “broad church” may well be the brand essence. Like him or hate him Howard remained true to the Menzies vision of a party for everyone – big and small business, workers, mums and dads, families. It was an aspirational party that promoted the notion of free enterprise and small government, that provided gentle support rather than regulation, not getting in the way of the Aussie battler’s ambition to get a job, have a family, buy a Holden and own their own home.
But John Howard is now 85 years old and his long reign as Prime Minister finished in 2007. That was the year the oldest Gen Z’s – who cast their first important and transformative votes on Saturday – were born. To them John Howard is as influential in their political thinking as their great grandparents. To them he seems to come from an era of 4:3 aspect ratio TV, V8 cars and nylon shirts – irrelevant.
What they may remember, however, is their parents talking about the Liberal Party’s gradual swing away from Howard’s Centre Right perspective to the Far Right over the last ten years. The Liberal Party moved from its position as a “broad church” for the battlers to a neo-conservative, anti-progress party, opposing everything from climate change and electric cars to skilled migration.
On the other hand Albanese’s recent election campaign of optimism, positivity and inclusivity was summed up in a mantra that Menzies and Howard could have written themselves: “No-one held back, no-one left behind.” That now neatly encapsulates a Labor brand that has evolved towards the centre, embracing free enterprise and “have a go”, while ensuring that we have a strong social democracy with safety nets, affordable childcare and public education. Labor understood the importance of a rock solid brand story and delivered.
So what happened to the Liberal’s story? Admittedly it is hard to remain true to your brand when you are in business with a partner who has different brand values. The conservative agenda driven by the Nationals suits their electorate – they know what their brand story is, which is why they didn’t lose one seat in this bloodbath election.
The Liberals lost this election because like Musk and Trump, they lost sight of their brand purpose, and didn’t fulfil their promise to customers. After a generation of claiming to be the party of lower taxes, strong financial management, and a term of opposing all social democratic initiatives set by the ALP, Dutton then tried to outspend them. A move straight from the Labors brand book.
It would be like Aldi, Coles and Woolworths trumpeting higher prices. Apple discounting its Macs. Nike quitting shoes. Or Guide Dogs getting out of dogs.
The Libs could have stayed on-brand and avoided such a bloodbath (but probably still not won government) by taking Labor’s spend-a-thon to task and asking a simple question – how will we afford this?
But instead the electorate finally exercised its confusion about and distrust of its rudderless messaging.
And the rest is now history.
For the benefits of the Australian political system we need an effective Opposition. It’s important for the Liberal Party to not simply see this election disaster as a short term campaign failure that can be put down to poor poll management, poor research, or a poor leader. That’s what it did after Scott Morrison’s defeat in 2022 and look where it got them.
It now has to go through a rebranding process, and by that I don’t mean a new logo. It needs to ask what are its core values in a rapidly modernising electorate? What is its story?
If it is to be the most conservative, right wing party in Australia then so be it. At least everyone knows and it will attract more Alex Antics and fewer Simon Birminghams and win over more Pauline Hanson supporters.
But if it does choose to return to its “broad church” brand then it needs to firstly define it, then find out whether that is what Gen Z, X and Y customers want…not just sell them what it’s got.
The good thing at least, is that it has more than six years to think about it.