We asked a marketing expert to grade classic presidential campaign slogans, and 'MAGA' got a solid A
Dwight Eisenhower (1952): "I like Ike"
Tejerina's grade: B
This classic slogan helped propel Dwight Eisenhower into the White House in 1952, as did his follow-up slogan for his second term in office, "I still like Ike." Tejerina found the slogan both memorable and appealing, but not particularly meaningful.
"It rhymes, it's simple, if you like Ike you agree with it," he said. "It's not inspiring a social movement."
According to Tejerina, this may be because times were simpler in the 1950s, and slogans may not have mattered much as long as they were catchy.
Adlai Stevenson (1952): "All the way with Adlai"
Tejerina's grade: B-/C
Democrat Adlai Stevenson ran against republican Eisenhower and lost. His slogan, said Tejerina, followed the same pattern as Ike's: it was memorable and appealing, but not meaningful. And like Ike's, it rhymed.
"Don't underestimate the power of rhyme as a way to be an ear worm and be memorable," Tejerina said. "I guess he lost. Maybe he was a little too optimistic about the 'all the way' part."
Lyndon B. Johnson (1964): "All the way with LBJ"
Tejerina's grade: C
After John F. Kennedy's assassination, Lyndon Johnson was sworn into office. For his first presidential election campaign one year later, he went with a familiar slogan — Adlai Stevenson's from 12 years before. Tejerina deducted points for lack of originality.
"He also had the bar set real low, because he was already the interim president," said Tejerina. "He didn't really need something that inspiring, he just stayed the course. Average student."
Richard Nixon (1968): "This time, vote like your whole world depended on it"
Tejerina's grade: B+
A departure in the typical presidential slogan came with Richard Nixon's first successful presidential campaign. Tejerina cited the length and the heavier meaning as unique factors. Nixon was appealing to the "silent majority" of voters uneasy about counterculture movements and the threat of nuclear war.
"Unlike the short, quippy, memorable but appealing slogans, this was deep on meaning," said Tejerina. "He pulled an emotional chord there, which I think was smart, but it could have gone through a couple of copy edits to shorten it."
Tejerina said the slogan could have been a little "quippier."
"I don't know if you really need 'this time,'" he said. "If you say 'Vote like your whole world depended on it,' I don't know if you need that little preamble."
Ronald Reagan (1980): "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"
Tejerina's grade: B+
Ronald Reagan secured his first term in office while the Democratic party was in a slump after a single term for Jimmy Carter. Americans were dissatisfied with the economy, which made Reagan's slogan all the more powerful. The clear answer from voters was "no."
"That's an interesting one," said Tejerina. "When you talk about branding a lot, you talk about creating an enemy brand."
Tejerina likened the "enemy brand" strategy to Apple's "Get a Mac" TV commercials featuring Justin Long as a Mac and John Hodgman as a PC.
The implicit question, Tejerina said, is "'Are you better off than this incumbent that I'm running against?' Strong on the strategy, but a bit rambling."
Ronald Reagan (1980): "Let's make America great again"
Tejerina's grade: A
Another Reagan slogan from the 1980 campaign was later used by Donald Trump for his 2016 campaign. Despite the slogan being revived by Trump, Tejerina said Reagan earns a near-perfect grade for this slogan.
"I had no idea it was a retread," he said. "It appeals on a lot of different levels: People who think America was great, but also people who want to see the future brightening. It makes sure not to undercut our existing greatness, or our past greatness, while still inspiring for the future."
Ronald Reagan (1984): "It's morning again in America"
Tejerina's grade: B+
Tejerina was a fan of Reagan's follow-up slogan, which helped put him in office for a second term. While the slogan got a relatively high grade, it was too long for Tejerina.
"It's very emotive," he said. "You can see the sunrise in your head, that extended metaphor of morning and hope. It's the only one that really uses a metaphor."
George W. Bush (2000): "Compassionate conservatism"
Tejerina's grade: A-
This slogan helped define Texas governor George W. Bush's political stance. While it may not be the most memorable slogan, said Tejerina, it became a pillar of conservative thinking in the 2000s — and many voters identified with it.
"It's a really good balancing of opposites," he said. "A lot of people think of conservatism as cold and it acknowledges that. Can't knock a good alliteration here and there."
Barack Obama (2008): "Hope" and "Change we can believe in"
Tejerina's grade for both: A
Another standout for Tejerina was this pair of slogans from Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.
"These are super strong," he said. "I think for years to come, every time someone hears 'Hope' they picture that poster with the tri-tone Obama on it."
Tejerina pointed out the difficulty of making a single word out of a slogan. "I think just the fact that we still think of Obama and the word 'Hope' together is indicative of how successful that slogan was," he said.
Barack Obama (2012): "Forward"
Tejerina's grade: B+/A-
For his second campaign in 2012, Obama hoped to recreate the magic of 2008 with "Forward." While he won the race, Tejerina was less impressed with the slogan that kept him in office.
"It feels less strong, maybe because 'Hope' was such a big winner," he said. "It is nice to see the cycle of first we're hoping, then we're actually moving forward."
Mitt Romney (2012): "Believe in America"
Tejerina's grade: B
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney ran against Obama in 2012 and lost. According to Tejerina, his slogan didn't do him any favors.
"Separating it from context, it seems like a pretty good, generic slogan. But clearly it was too generic," he said. "If there was a movie about a presidential run, I feel like this would be the slogan for anybody. It wasn't tied to anything own-able. "
Hillary Clinton (2016): "Stronger together"
Tejerina's grade: B/B+
Hillary Clinton's 2016 slogan, "Stronger together," was one of the most inclusive in recent history. According to Tejerina, that strategy doesn't work as well as giving voters a common enemy.
"It is unified, which is funny," he said. "Slogans that unify versus factional things tend to be a little bit less successful, which is maybe sad."
Tejerina noted that wanting a common enemy is human instinct. "I think there's a fundamental tribalism that people are very well defined by their opposites, having an enemy or having an other makes your own personal definition stronger. Sometimes people gravitate towards it."
Donald Trump (2016): "Make America great again!"
Tejerina's grade: A
Tejerina gave this slogan such a high grade in part because of its impact on American culture. The phrase became iconic after it was put on red baseball hats, and abbreviated to "MAGA" on social media. It was sometimes followed by an exclamation point, which Tejerina was not a fan of.
"I thought after 'Jeb!' people would have retired the exclamation point," he said, referring to Jeb Bush's 2016 campaign slogan.
Many people, including Tejerina himself, didn't know the slogan was Reagan's (but without the "let's") for some time.
"Nobody knew. He totally owned it. It's become such a part of the cultural zeitgeist. In the era of memes, this is the ultimate meme," Tejerina said.
For those who remembered Reagan's 1980 run, the slogan was seen as a return to America's glory days. "People a generation older than us, perhaps — Reagan is this Republican hero — they knew more than just implicitly."
Joe Biden (2020): "Our best days still lie ahead"
Tejerina's grade: B-
For the 2020 presidential election, former vice president Joe Biden's slogan isn't nearly as good as Barack Obama's "Hope." According to Tejerina, it's not hopeful — it's "placating."
"It's a recognized phrase, memorable, but not very appealing," he said. "It rings pessimistic. It's the kind of thing you say to comfort someone, without actually believing things will improve."
Kamala Harris (2020): "For the people"
Tejerina's grade: B
Tejerina preferred Kamala Harris' slogan, "For the people," which calls to mind the preamble to the Constitution and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. While he liked the similarity, he wasn't completely won over by the slogan.
"Not to be a grammarian, it feels a little odd to start with 'for,' he said. "It's a preposition. It's definitely something that appears in the middle, which makes it feel a little incomplete."
Next Story
I quit McKinsey after 1.5 years. I was making over $200k but my mental health was shattered.
Some Tesla factory workers realized they were laid off when security scanned their badges and sent them back on shuttles, sources say
I tutor the children of some of Dubai's richest people. One of them paid me $3,000 to do his homework.
Why are so many elite coaches moving to Western countries?
Global GDP to face a 19% decline by 2050 due to climate change, study projects
5 things to keep in mind before taking a personal loan
Markets face heavy fluctuations; settle lower taking downtrend to 4th day
Move over Bollywood, audio shows are starting to enter the coveted ‘100 Crores Club’
