Your favorite political strategists are back to give empirical insights on elections brands. Yes, that’s right. We can’t be the only ones who are obsessed with political consumer guessing games (partisan fridges, cuisines, clothing, and our favorite–parenting). 

Now that we’ve established that 10% of Americans are truly Independent and poked holes in the median voter theory, what does all of this mean for consumer brands? 

Here’s the BLUF (bottom-line up-front for you not in the acronym know): being ‘political’ or ‘partisan’ isn’t an automatic pathway to losing customers. While the Tesla, Bud Light, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and M&M controversies might loom large in brand strategists’ memories, being political can predictably boost sales—so long as you know your audience. For example, compare the customer reactions [boycotts], quarterly earnings, and revenue changes for Costco, Target, and Walmart after all three major retailers made headlines when they made it clear where they stand on DEI. 

Similar to how candidates have focused their efforts on turning out their base rather than persuading moderates, aligning your brand with a group that half of Americans fiercely identify with can be beneficial. The strategy isn’t a panacea. Starbucks isn’t likely to buttress their holiday sales with MAGA hat-themed coffee toppers. It only works if a large majority of your customers are already supporters of that group. 

In fact, when we asked Americans with differing levels of loyalty to political parties about how they think about brands and politics, strong partisans on both sides— comprising 52% of the American electorate—had some…gasp…strong thoughts. 

Releasing a “Liberal Line”?

While about half of Weak Democrats and Democratic Leaners reported that they would stop purchasing from a brand if it endorsed Trump during the 2024 election, 69% of Strong Democrats shared that they would boycott a brand should the CEO endorse Trump. 

So brands should avoid endorsing presidents at all costs? Not exactly. 

Regardless of whether a brand takes an outward political stance, consumers are still prone to perceive a brand to be political depending upon the demographic characteristics of its audience. Around four in ten Strong Democrats and one-third of Democratic Leaners disclosed that they infer others’ political identities based on their brand preferences. Nearly 30% of Democratic Leaners and 44% of Strong Democrats also publicly admitted they avoid using brands that conservatives use. 

Even more shocking, among Strong Democrats (30% of the electorate), roughly four in ten attested to perceiving someone to be ‘less of a Democrat’ for using a brand that conservatives like. 

Repping Republican Attire

A somewhat similar proportion of Republicans root their consumer preferences in partisan politics: 53% of Strong Republicans, 21% of Weak Republicans, and 33% of Republican Leaners claimed that they would be more likely to purchase from a brand if it endorsed Trump in 2024. On the other hand though, Democrats were more likely than Republicans to be turned off from a brand whose CEO endorses the top of the opposing ticket.

The story is the same for strong Republican partisans, who compose 22% of all registered voters. Similar to Democratic counterparts, Strong Republicans care more about brands’ perceived or real participation in partisan politics than Weak Republicans or Leaners. Strong Republicans are so motivated by politics that roughly four in ten avoid using products liberals use, become more interested in brands after they see other conservatives using their products, and are willing to pay a bit more for a product if the brand shares their political beliefs. 

Independents Pay Attention to Politics…just like we all Read those ‘Terms and Conditions’

But what about upsetting the 10% of True Independents in the electorate? What’s the risk of a backlash from less politically engaged weak* partisans? (* Emphasis for the sake of clarity, not a comment on anyone's bench max).

Here’s the thing: being partisan is generally advantageous when it comes to gaining loyalty from strong partisans and independent leaners because they exhibit more loyalty at the voting booth and show more interest in politics. While partisan branding might turn off some partisans from the opposing aisle, weak partisans and true Independents are usually already too checked out to care in the first place. 

Americans are known to be disengaged from (some might say avoid) news and current political events. Finding Americans who understand and appreciate political-memes such as JD Vance’s face or Bernie Sander’s mittens are really hard to find (like the end of the tape roll, pens that actually work, parking spots near the entrance, or the appropriately sized tupperware lid). Nearly one-quarter of True Independents are willing to admit that they rarely or never follow what’s going on in government and public affairs. 

Making Waves: How Brands Can Navigate Political Waters and Win Loyalty

Bringing politics into the consumer space isn’t a fast track to decreasing profits. It’s quite the contrary: it has the potential to be foundational to a brand’s growth strategy. As long as a brand knows its audience before they engage with social movements, there’s potential for purpose-driven profits.

Our research consistently shows that there are few truly Independent voters in the United States and partisans of both flavors prefer brands that share their political values.

That’s a wrap, folks

Curious about how Americans with differing partisan loyalties perceive your brand? Don't hesitate to Get in touch.  PS. We’ve already tested some! 

About Gradient

In a continuously changing world, intuition isn't enough. We are decision science partners who equip our clients with evidence-based clarity to answer their most challenging strategy questions and achieve their growth goals. We uncover critical objective realities for our partners with bespoke, consultative research programs that push the boundaries of custom statistical methodologies. We’ve partnered with Fortune 100 brands like Nike, Bacardi, and Brooks, startups, consulting firms, and political campaigns. Want to learn more? Visit our website!