But no matter the latest gadgets, social media platforms, hashtags, Facebook Likes or cool flashy logos any candidate uses, experts say it's the return on investment that matters.
"It's not about how many followers you have or how many text messages you send out or how many emails -- it's about motivating people on Election Day to get out the vote," or of course, how much money you raise, says Almacy.
What will it take to craft a successful political brand in 2012?
For one, voters want the experience, not just the expression. Candidates need to find ways to not only engage potential voters, but to use them to help round up more support. Candidates need to remember that product still matters and need to consistently offer on-brand experiences. That can be anything from encouraging voters to wear the brand (t-shirts or other memorabilia) to holding a virtual town hall to offering supporters a chance to win a ride on the Romney/Ryan campaign plane (with a $3 campaign donation).
"The brands that are getting an edge in the marketplace [know] how to have customers experience a brand, not just tell them a story," says Adamson. The best brands know "how to create experiences that are so positive that they travel virally, contagiously. Brands on the edge are unlocking much more word-of-mouth ... they're creating customer experiences that people can't wait to tell their friends about."
"People want to feel like they're part of a movement, and Obama in 2008 made them think they were part of a movement, and I think JFK did the same thing in the 1960s," adds Millman.
Good brands also exude confidence all the way from the corporate offices down to the end product. They don't try to pander to the entire public. Politicians need to do the same, as to not dilute their brands.
"There needs to be a sort of pride and brand stewardship and passion in your own beliefs, and certainty in your own beliefs -- you don't need everybody to like you," says Millman. Great brands "know who their target market is ... and they know if they're successful in reaching that market, that people will aspire to be in that market, too."
No Branding Home Run Yet
But neither candidate has really "sold" the populace when it comes to recognized branding.
"It's unfortunate because in 2008, everyone saw what it could do," says Millman. "The fact no one leveraged that knowledge is quite astonishing to me."
For example, Obama's theme this year is "Forward," meaning, "the road ahead is going to be tough, but I'm going to help us get through it if you put me in the White House for another four years." But it's not quite as clear a message as the 2008 branding of "hope" and "change." Millman says she was hoping to see an evolution of Obama's 2008 identity into something "fresher," although it's to his credit his campaign is still using a red path logo in the zero of 2012.
"That's smart to keep that as a centerpiece of his campaign," she says. "But I would have liked to have seen a clever augmentation or secondary device to give him some more momentum with it."
She also suggests someone get out of the traditional red, white and blue color palette. "Is that what makes them American? Get a little more creative."
"Every [election] cycle is the most integrated campaign in history because the tools continue to evolve."
As for Romney, even with his "Believe in America" and "We Built It" themes, his brand is even more obscure.
"I don't get that bumper sticker idea yet -- other than 'I know business' and 'I'm going to fix the economy,'" says Adamson. "From a brand point of view, you need a theme to be a strong brand. Most consumers don't want to be confused. Ultimately, Romney might have the right stand on 100 issues, but if he doesn't theme it together, it's going to be hard" to sell it.
But others say slogans and logos won't matter much for the history books, anyway. Do you remember Abraham Lincoln's 1860 campaign slogan? Most likely, you don't -- and he was one of the most recognized, historic, yet divisive politicians of his day. The answer? "Vote Yourself a Farm," which referred to the Republican Party's promise to support a new law granting free homesteads to western settlers.
"From a messaging perspective, that [good branding] only goes so far because, ultimately, it comes down to a product," says Almacy. "Ultimately, it comes down to: What do people feel more comfortable with? And when they think of the person sitting in the Oval Office, who is the most competent person?"
Illustration by Bob Al-Greene. Photos courtesy iStockphoto, casenbina, manley009