The governor who danced to victory: Some social marketing and branding lessons — by Lolu Akinwunmi

Let me begin with two disclosures.

I am not a supporter of Governor Ademola Adeleke or his political party. In truth, I am completely apolitical. Secondly, I am from Osun State and therefore naturally interested in what happens there.

But my interest in Adeleke today is professional.

Yesterday, August 15, Governor Adeleke won his re-election convincingly. INEC declared him winner with 511,067 votes, defeating his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the APC, who polled 444,811 votes. Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas. (The Whistler Newspaper⁠)

For students and practitioners of Marketing Communication, there is an interesting case study here.

How did a man derisively labelled the “Dancing Governor” turn that very characterisation into one of the most distinctive assets of his political brand?

Perceived weakness simply became a brand asset.

For years, Adeleke’s dancing has been mocked. Some people find it irritating. Others consider it unbecoming of the serious business of governing a state. (I confess that sometimes I also find the endless dancing rather unusual).

But perhaps we have been looking at it only from one perspective.

From a branding point of view, the dancing has become an enormously powerful distinctive asset.

Adeleke has never really been positioned as the cerebral, policy-wonk politician who mesmerises audiences with complex economic and political theories.

Perhaps he understands this.

Rather than pretend to be what he is not, he has built his public personality around qualities that come more naturally to him: warmth, accessibility, informality, entertainment, humour and an ability to connect with ordinary people.

And, of course, dancing.

What started almost as a caricature has gradually become a recognisable part of the brand.

There is an important lesson here:

Sometimes the marketplace gives a brand a positioning it did not deliberately create. The smart brand asks whether that perception can be owned, shaped and converted into an advantage.

And in this case ADELEKE’s distinctiveness also made a difference.

One of the great challenges in branding is simply being remembered.

Adeleke has little difficulty with that.

Put 20 Nigerian governors in a room and ask the average Nigerian to describe something distinctive about each one. Many may struggle.

Mention Adeleke and somebody will probably start dancing!

That is mental availability at work.

You may like the dancing or dislike it, but you recognise the man and remember the brand.

Great brands build distinctive assets: colours, sounds, symbols, characters, slogans, shapes and behaviours, that make them immediately recognisable.

For Adeleke, dancing has become one of those assets.

Plus the man has demonstrated a key attribute of branding: he has remained consistent.

Adeleke does not dance occasionally.

He dances consistently.

At rallies, he dances. At celebrations, he dances. Among supporters, he dances. At private events he dances. In his church he dances. Even as yesterday’s votes were being counted, contemporary coverage continued to associate his campaign with that familiar public persona. (Punch Newspapers⁠)

In branding, consistency builds memory.

Do something once and people may notice it.

Do it repeatedly and distinctively over time and people begin to associate it with you.

Eventually, the behaviour becomes part of the brand.

How about the Social Marketing dimension?

Strictly speaking, political marketing and social marketing are not the same discipline. But political campaigns employ many of the behavioural principles familiar to social marketing.

Social marketing is essentially the application of marketing principles to influence behaviour for individual or societal benefit.

And politics, ultimately, also seeks behaviour.

Will people listen to you?

Will they identify with you?

Will they believe you?

Will they come to your rally?

Will they advocate for you?

And, ultimately, will they go out and vote for you?

Adeleke’s political communication appears to understand something important: human beings do not respond only to rational arguments. We also respond to emotion, familiarity, identity, symbolism, belonging and personal connection.

His dancing communicates something without requiring a speech. It says: I am one of you. I am happy among you. I am accessible. Come and celebrate with me. And later, come vote for me.

Whether deliberately designed by political strategists or simply arising naturally from his personality, it has become communication. And don’t be surprised if soon you begin to see various me too!

I also must add that being authentic is a strong brand asset.

There is another important lesson. Adeleke does not appear to be trying desperately to become somebody else.

Imagine packaging him overnight in a severe dark suit, putting him behind a lectern and asking him to deliver a 45-minute lecture on macroeconomic modelling.

Perhaps it would look more “gubernatorial” to some people. But would it look like Adeleke?

Successful brands understand this:

You cannot sustainably build a brand around a personality that the product itself cannot credibly deliver.

Whatever else one may say about Adeleke, the public persona appears authentic to the man people believe they know.

And authenticity is powerful.

But there is an important caveat for us:

Dancing alone did not win yesterday’s election. That would be far too simplistic and untrue.

Political victories are influenced by many factors: party structures, alliances, incumbency, campaign organisation, local politics, performance as governor, voter perceptions and, critically, citizens’ assessment of a government’s performance.

Branding can help people notice you, remember you, understand you and perhaps like you. But eventually, the product must deliver.

In politics, that product is governance.

Roads must be built. Salaries must be paid. Schools and hospitals must function. Infrastructure must improve. Citizens must believe that their lives are progressing and their standard of living improving.

No amount of brilliant communication can permanently compensate for a product that consistently disappoints. And our politicians must learn this. No matter what some opinions say about your performance, if the people are not being impacted, you have a problem.

As Marcom practitioners and students, what’s our take out?

The Adeleke phenomenon offers some simple but powerful lessons:

1• Know yourself.
2• Accept who you are
3• Know your audience.
4• Find your distinctiveness.
5• Own it.
6• Be consistent.
7• Create emotional connection.
8• Remain authentic, and
9• Make sure (you the product) delivers.

Yesterday, the “Dancing Governor” danced his way into a second term.

But for those of us who study brands and communication, perhaps we should look beyond the dance. Because behind it is an interesting lesson in brand distinctiveness, consistency, emotional connection, authenticity and behavioural influence.

You don’t have to like the dancing.

But as a practitioner and student of brands, you should understand what the dancing has done for the brand.

Congrats Ademola Adeleke and all the best.

–Akinwunmi is the CEO of Prima Garnet Advertising