SOS Candidate Monae Johnson shifts branding, post-convention.

@SoDakCampaigns

I noticed yesterday as I was doing some web updating that Republican Secretary of State Candidate Monae Johnson has apparently made some changes in her branding. And, I hate to be a nit-picker, but iI would argue that it’s not for the better.

Here’s what Johnson was using for her branding pre-convention on her website at monaeforsouthdakota.com:

The website was fairly simple, but it got her message across.  Moving past convention, it looks like some rebranding is going on:

 

Um.. I hate to ask, who decided this? Because this is not better.

When I look at a candidate’s logo, I’m thinking how it’s going to read on a 4×8 highway sign, or a yard sign. First off, candidates should not alter the letters in their name. Dropping the star in the “O” made it more challenging to read, especially with the artsy fonts they’re using. Plus, they shrunk the office to being unreadable in the logo.

A candidate has two basic things they need to get across to a voter – name and office.  While the old logo could have been tweaked or left alone and been just fine, this new one is all over the place.

I’d go back to the drawing board before they spend a lot of money on this. Otherwise, I anticipate they’ll be changing it again down the road.

19 thoughts on “SOS Candidate Monae Johnson shifts branding, post-convention.”

  1. Seems clear to me she’s aligning the branding with one of the state’s most popular brands developed in our shop. I like it. 🙂

  2. Office is less important than your name. I think it would make almost no difference if the name of the office is left off. More space for the name is better. One distinct name much bigger than the other. Not too many in the state running with the name “Monae” so she got the big name right. I would’ve left the star out of the name though. Overall pretty good for an office that can’t afford a several thousand dollar branding.

  3. Typical. Most campaigns I advised for women had this problem. They wanted to add flowers, or flags, or other ornamentation that took away from the message. I told them to keep it simple. Those who didn’t listen, lost. Keep it simple and clear. Monae should be the message, not something that looks like it should be on the side of a Jeep.

  4. Does she REALLY believe our Republican county auditors are corrupt. She’s raising a non issue. Just parroting what Trump told her to say.
    Mindless

  5. Looking forward to future findings, uncoverings, investigations and various conspiracy theories of SOS Johnson & Mr. Dale. Will they have a weekly podcast from the SOS office or in Spearfish?

    1. Will you be working in the SOS office too? You would have to give up the Demon Weed and show up you know.

  8. “[I think she really needs to reverse the A and the E in her name to stay relevant.” — The SD Republican Establishment

    1. Let’s focus on the fact you nuts are seemingly attempting to tone down the conspiracy rhetoric. What gives, John? Aren’t you all proud of it?

  9. Monae will either be fine or a total disaster.

    I fear she makes rash decisions.

  10. Like firing the people who helped her win the convention and hoping an out of state campaign manager?

    She is a disaster and so full of herself

    1. Drama does not help a campaign. Hiring an out of state campaign manager is a poor idea. He or she won’t know anyone in SD. By the time they do the campaign will be over. That person will cost her tens of thousands of dollars. She will easily win regardless of who manages her campaign. And she doesn’t have hundreds of thousands to spend. The manager is like a glorified driver at that point.

  11. At least she has half a clue that she needs to shake the tinfoil hat branding from the primary.

  14. Really enjoying all the people that couldn’t save a 12 year incumbent giving campaign advice here.

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