Politics and political matters have changed drastically with the introduction and progression of the Internet. The Internet has advanced in many ways that allows politicians to communicate their brand and message to a wide, varied crowd and has allowed public figures to establish a brand image on a social feed. An online presence has made it easier for politicians to connect and interact with potential voters, thus expanding the reach of their targeted campaigns. While the Internet has may have positive effects on politics, there are also negative effects that are unavoidable as the Internet continues to advance due to the quickness of news and the potential for leaks.
Hillary Clinton recently damaged her brand by allegedly communicating via her personal email instead of her professional email, deterring from the trusted brand she has created in her political career. Clinton discussed private, classified issues on her personal email account, and now she is facing the blowback from the press, her peers, the legal system, and the entire nation as her pending presidency nears.
Clinton tried to clear her name by calling an impromptu press conference, but it seemed to have the opposite effect when she deleted roughly 30,000 personal emails right before the meeting took place. By sending emails from her personal account, Clinton may have hurt her image in the public eye, which could in turn hurt her future candidacy. At such a crucial time in her political career, Clinton needs to pay careful attention to how her personal brand is viewed by her potential voters. Aside from print advertising, public figures must advertise themselves in the public eye especially in a presidential setting.
According to a poll released by CNN, a majority of American respondents think that Clinton made a mistake by using her personal email for work. The results of the poll show that 51% of the respondents think that this allegation will be a “somewhat serious” problem for Clinton, while the other 48% of respondents think that this will be a “very serious” matter.
Clinton claims that the use of her personal email for work related content was to help make her job a little less hectic. That being said, Clinton is still one of the front-runners for the 2016 election at this point. With election season nearing, American citizens will be continuously exposed to constant controversy. Does this controversy affect Hillary Clinton’s brand image, or is it unrelated to how she is portrayed in the public eye?
– Hannah Rodgers, Kaitlyn Russell, Anna Joy Zima
IMC Hawks Blog 