Left, right or center: Can we all agree how REMARKABLE this election truly is?

As we analyze the marketing merits of the candidates' speeches, strategies and platforms...and we tirelessly debate our left vs. right political views with friends, family and colleagues...I hope we all take a moment (or two) and reflect on how truly remarkable this election is.

Because it truly is a historic campaign season of firsts.

(And I fear we'd otherwise miss out on the BIGGEST marketing lesson of all)

Folks, no matter which way you're voting, and how much you may dislike "the other guy," it's remarkable to see what all is being forged on so very many fronts:

• A woman got closer to landing the presidential nomination than ever before.
• A past two-term president was campaigning for his wife to be president--and could have been back in the White House...as first "gentleman."
• A biracial man landed the Democratic presidential nomination (everyone refers to Obama as African-American but that's not correct since he is as white as he is black).
• What's more, the Democratic nominee--that no one had really heard of before the '04 DNC--just filled-up a stadium of 80,000 people for his acceptance speech. And had to turn people away.
• An American presidential candidate "went global" in presenting to and engaging a crowd that can't even vote for him, being they're not American (in having Obama go overseas to Berlin).
• Even on the floor of the DNC, delegates were still splitting their votes between two Democratic candidates.
• The oldest man to ever run for Commander-In-Chief is the GOP's nominee.
• What's more, the GOP has appointed its first female VP nominee (the Dems already had a female VP candidate in Ferraro but the GOP never has).
• On the day of the Democratic acceptance speech, the GOP candidate ran a broadcast TV ad congratulating his opponent on his accomplishments; whether you find this gracious or shrewd it was a first.
• The Democratic nominee text-messaged his VP pick to his supporters before broadcasting it at large to mass media.
• A talk-show host--and arguably the most powerful woman on TV--actively campaigned for a presidential candidate (Oprah didn't just show up at rallies, or wear a t-shirt supporting the cause, she gave speeches during the primaries).
• CNN held YouTube debates where nominees answered videotaped questions uploaded by everyday citizens.
• People whom have never met have been twittering with one another the whole way through.
• And I portend that the ratings for the upcoming VP debates (not just the presidential debates) will be the highest EVER of any VP debate.

Please let me know other firsts that I've missed. I'm sure there's more history being made than I'm recollecting...because there are so many firsts this go 'round. Speaking of remarkable, this 3-minute piece on Hillary's speech is truly apt (email and RSS subscribers, please click through to the blog to view).

Comments

[Andrew Graham]

I have nothing to add -- this is all spot-on. And brilliant.

[CK]

and it looks as thought the MOST people EVER will vote in this election: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/21/early.voting/index.html