Joe Biden has launched his 2024 Presidential re-election campaign.
The launch features a new video, slogan, visual identity and website, all of which land Biden’s narrative in a clear, coherent and compelling way.
Biden is deploying a classic incumbent campaign narrative in that he highlights the threat posed by change and sells the benefits of continuity.
Biden’s campaign wants to trigger a sense of fear in the electorate in order to encourage them to seek safety. They do this by making the prospect of an alternative President seem menacing whilst at the same time giving the status quo a reassuring quality.
The campaign’s launch video encourages fear by seeding the notion that individual freedom – the most fundamental American value – is threatened by MAGA extremists.
MAGA is positioned as threatening people’s right to vote (Jan 6), to have an abortion (Roe v. Wade), to love whoever they choose (same sex marriage) and to receive social security (raising retirement age).
Personal liberty is a value that the Republicans have sought to monopolise; Biden’s adoption of it as the cornerstone of his campaign narrative is an exceptional piece of strategic judo. And fitting so many wedge issues under the single umbrella of “freedom” is very clever indeed.
In the video, Biden is made to appear reassuring by showing personal warmth, speaking up for decency and communicating a sense of patriotism.
Another way the campaign has made Biden seem reassuring is through the visual identity. The most dominant recurring motif in the visual identity is a hand-drawn element used to create emphasis. The sketched style conveys honesty and makes communications feel relatable.
The campaign’s slogan, “finish the job”, is a beautiful distillation of the classic incumbent positioning of “it’s not time for a change”. It delivers a call to arms for continuity in a conversational and no-nonsense style.
It’s also clever because it speaks to a prevailing mindset amongst the majority of Americans: don’t let Trump back in!
Polls seem to show that Democrats and independents are desperate to avoid Trump’s return. The slogan “finish the job” could very easily be interpreted as “stop The Donald”.
It’s only Day One of a very long campaign, but Biden has got off to a strong start.
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