There was a significant New Coke advertising strategy a decade ago. The issue was that the battle became one of the biggest advertising flops ever because of how well-liked people were to it. Today’s 81- season- aged leader looks a lot like New Coke.
Biden is proving you can advertise a bad product, but you ca n’t sell one. Despite a large March advertising campaign, Biden hardly moved his numbers. Arguably, this is as good as it gets for Biden, and good does n’t look to be good enough.
March marked a “month of activity” for Biden’s election plan. It began with his , State of the Union , target. It was created specifically for Biden and acted upon as a scripted set piece in a controlled environment before a federal television viewers. Following it, Biden and his government secretaries , fanned , out across the nation. Simultaneously, Biden ‘s , campaign was spending ,$ 29.2 million — almost five times the previous month’s$ 6.3 million — predominantly on advertising.
Biden’s March work played to his abilities. Incumbency has its advantages, and some are as significant as a SOTU. The same applies to having a commission’s worth of proxy politicians. And of course, there’s the money: Biden looks to have about$ 100 million more in his campaign chest. Trump faced months worth of court hearings in New York that may require his attendance, seriously limiting his ability to respond. Not only did he not have any of these.
But, what did Biden getting from his strengths? According to , RealClearPolitics ‘ , national average of Biden’s job , approval polling, the president’s approval stood at 40.6 percent and his disapproval at 56 percent on March 1. On April 2, the two figures were 40.7 percentage and 55.9 percentage — a 0.1 percent place swing in Biden’s prefer. On May 1, the two figures were 40 percent and 56.2 percent — both worse than they had been before Biden’s “month of action” . ,
Biden’s surveys numbers in a complement- up against Trump were much, but not by much. According to , RealClearPolitics. on March 1, Biden trailed Trump 47.1- 45.1 percentage in a , two- way , competition. On April 1, he trailed 45.5- 46.5 percentage, on May 1, he trailed 45.1- 46.6 percentage.  ,
In a , five- way , culture, Biden fared a much better. On March 1, Biden trailed Trump 37.7- 41.2 percentage, on April 1, he trailed 39.6- 42.1 percentage and on May 1, he trailed 39.2- 41.4 percentage.
But, in the all- important , battleground , condition polling, Biden repeatedly dropped back in the next month. On March 1, Biden trailed Trump 43.04- 47.21 cent. On April 1, he trailed 45.3- 48.49 cent, and on May 1, he trailed 44.67- 47.91 percentage.  ,
Overall, Biden’s “month of action” did n’t get him much, certainly no momentum, and it did n’t last long. In just the next month, Biden started giving up gains in both a two-way culture and state polls.
Biden should be very concerned about these outcomes. Second, he was forced to pay a sizable sum for a contest that was taking place just eight months prior. Next, he got very little for it.  ,
Reelections are a vote on the incumbent. Biden’s amounts are inadequate. In both the two-way and frontier races, he is about in his mid-forties. In a five- way race, he does n’t break 40.  ,
Given the low voter turnout, Biden will obviously attempt to organize a November vote on Trump. But, in trying to do so, he is swimming against the traditional sea. He’s even swimming against Trump’s. According to , Gallup, Biden’s approval standing in the 13th , third of his presidency is only 38.7 percent ( the lowest of any leader since Truman ), while Trump’s at the same place was 46.8 cent and that came with America in the midst of a crisis.
Nor is Gallup an exception. According to , RealClearPolitics ‘ , May 7 , average , of national polls gives Biden just a 39.2 percent approval rating. Trump’s, at the same place in his administration, was 44.6 percentage.
Biden’s most upsetting thought is that this might be his best chance ever. Biden basically has the industry to himself, a huge money advantage, numerous surrogates, plus additional incumbency assets. But with all this, he hardly moved the needle. What little he did could be undone with a single gaffe—and Biden has  , called himself , a “gaffe machine” . ,
Biden may include a lot of opportunities to make them as well as he did four years ago. Finally he held dual- digit leads in the , polls , and a pandemic’s pass to be off the trail and apart from possible gaffes. Now, he does n’t. What’s more, it’s hard to see what topic you save him from himself. According to , RealClearPolitics , statistics on specific , problems, Biden’s below 40 percent on his management of the economy, international policy, emigration, inflation, crime, and the Jewish- Palestinian conflict.
The advertising campaign demonstrated that advertising can only go so far rather than establish New Coke. Ultimately, publicity cannot overcome the product, or packaging its contents. Biden has presided over the organization for more than three years. His problem is, as demonstrated by his polling numbers, not that he’s not well known, but that he’s not well- regarded. More money, more ads, and more exposure are n’t going to change that.  ,
J. T. Young held the position of director of government relations for a Fortune 20 company from 2004 to 2023, having worked in the House and Senate between 1987 and 2000.
