In the last Ontario election, the Liberal brand was toxic. The party wound up with seven seats -- not enough for official party status. This election will be a real test of that brand. Bob Hepburn writes:
Political branding is about how a party is perceived by the public. It’s a feeling or image that voters have of a party.
Importantly, it plays a major role in a party’s efforts to generate a feeling of identity, of being part of a “like-minded community,” for voters. It also helps voters to determine quickly what a party is all about, how it differs from other parties and whether a party’s major positions are generally in line with theirs.
Indeed, political branding is arguably more important in an election than a party’s detailed campaign platform, given that a candidate’s stands on various issues have only a limited impact on whether a person will vote for them or not.
But over the last half dozen years, the brand has taken a hit. And, as this election starts, it's not looking very strong:
Greg Lyle, president of the polling firm Innovative Research, says the current Ontario election is significantly different from previous provincial contests when it comes to branding.
"For the past 20 years, the Ontario Liberals typically enjoyed at least a 10-per-cent lead in brand affinity. Voters felt closer to the Liberals than the PCs,” Lyle said Wednesday in a tweet about his firm’s latest poll. “This election is a virtual tie, thanks to backlash to the federal election.”
Lyle’s polling, conducted between April 27 and May 2, asked people how they think of themselves when it comes to Ontario politics. The survey indicated 29 per cent think of themselves as Liberals, 27 per cent as Conservatives, 17 per cent as independents or as supporting no party, and 13 per cent as New Democrats.
For the Liberals, that’s a sharp drop from before the 2021 federal election, when up to 40 per cent of Ontarians said they thought of themselves as Liberals.
The harsh fact is that the Liberal “brand” has suffered terribly for generations in many parts of Ontario, especially in rural areas. But in recent elections, it has faded even in regions where it was once strong, such as Windsor and Hamilton.
On June 2nd, we'll have a much better idea of how the brand is doing.
Image: The Toronto Star
