What do colors say about your campaign?

There’s a lot to think about on the campaign trail. From GOTV to voter registration to fundraising, campaigns have enough on their plate, especially those running for state and local offices. In all likelihood, the color scheme of your campaign logo, yard signs, etc. won’t be the most important choice you make. But color can be a crucial element in how your campaign is perceived by others. Picking something out of the ordinary can be interpreted as bringing new, fresh ideas to government, or even being out of touch with the community you’re trying to reach.

Axios recently published an interesting graphic breaking down the use of color among 2020 presidential candidates. Right off the bat, you can make some interesting observations.

First, it’s red, white, and blue all over! No matter the party, just about every candidate is using these American colors in some form or another, save for O’Rourke, Gillibrand, and Williamson. This isn’t terribly surprising. By using colors further outside the norm, their logos, yard signs, and branding material are likely to stand out from the crowd. However, it might also suggest to voters that you’re eschewing American traditions.

Then-candidate Trump’s branding was often derided for it’s simplicity, white text on a red hat, basic fonts, colors “straight out of the tube” so to speak, but these choices resonated in voters as they were also reflected in his policies. They wanted someone that stood for traditional values, that returned America to its roots.

But, your campaigns design doesn’t have to stick to these basic color palettes. Consider Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s color and branding toolkit as an interesting alternative. Buttigieg’s campaign expands on their color choices, trying to even use the choice of color to demonstrate the candidate’s policies, personal history, and campaign promises.  

Their consistent use of color demonstrates a deep understanding of branding across platforms and events. Of course, good branding won’t win you a campaign all by itself. After it’s all said and done, only one of the candidates on the graphic above will end up in the White House. Branding won’t get you there, but it can help to tell the story to voters of who you are and what your campaign represents.