STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Editor's note: Bruce Newman is a professor of marketing at DePaul University in Chicago. He co-authored "Political Marketing" (M.E. Sharpe Publishing Co.), due out next month. He was a communications adviser to the senior staff of the Clinton White House in 1995 and 1996; is the author of several books on political marketing, including "The Marketing of the President"; and is editor of the Journal of Political Marketing.
(CNN) -- Last night, we heard President Barack Obama as chief salesman of hope in the country -- and also job applicant for 2012.
His State of the Union address could be viewed not only as his report on the country, but as the beginning of Obama's positioning himself for the 2012 presidential race.
His marketing task? To convince the American people that he will improve their quality of life -- that they can trust him to move the country forward through innovation and education
In a way, his appeal was Reagan-like: He leaned on the strength of his personality and asked the American people to look to the future with rose-colored glasses, because America has always been great and will continue to be. His reference to the country as an "American family" was a good start at redefining his image as a unifier -- an idea that's been sorely tested over the past two years, but was a campaign appeal that proved very effective in 2008.
Using the tragic Tucson, Arizona, shootings as a backdrop, he effectively claimed common cause with citizens, reminding Americans that we all come together during times of crisis, regardless of who we are.
Seeing Republicans and Democrats sitting together as they listened to the president's speech played well visually with this position as unifier in chief: He said, "It is not whether we can sit together tonight, but whether we can work together tomorrow."
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He also returned to themes of 2008 with promises to drive the economy with renewable and clean energy programs -- his successful "high-tech" and "high-touch" strategy from the earlier campaign.
But without the support of much of the country, this will not be a slam-dunk draw in 2012. This is why Obama and the Democratic Party are "repositioning" Obama's image and brand toward the center of the political spectrum to attract more conservative voters.
To this end, he invoked core American values, strategically re-branding the "American Dream" and himself as its new agent. He acknowledged that times have changed for many Americans who are out of work and harkened back to a time when a worker didn't need a degree to get a good job, only the desire to work hard -- and when that job-for-life would come with a good paycheck and benefits.
To win in the future, he made his case for taking on challenges to re-create that American Dream. He even quoted Robert Kennedy, emblem of a can-do time, who said, "The future is not a gift. It is an achievement" and himself added, "sustaining the American Dream has never been about standing pat. It has required each generation to sacrifice, and struggle, and meet the demands of a new age."
Next steps? Now that he's laid out the plan for the second half of his presidency, Obama must make some key marketing moves to encourage voters for 2012. These include:
• Market segmentation. He must continue to reach out to the center of the political spectrum with olive branches that appeal to important market segments like small businesses, members of the Tea Party movement and others with distaste for the partisanship displayed during Obama's first two years in office. For example, it was a grand gesture for Obama to reach out to Republicans with his offer to reconsider changes to his signature health care program, even though it has already been passed.
• Message targeting. He must continue with the references to preserving the American Dream for the children of America. Voters want to know that Obama will pave the way for future generations as the country struggles to get out of its economic malaise.
The emphasis on education to help prepare both young and old Americans for the future gives hope to all Americans. Last night, Obama invoked startling numbers to illustrate where America lags in this area. But engaging parents in his discussion -- playing to their ultimate authority in the home -- was a canny flourish.
He emphasized the importance of turning off the television and creating an environment of a love for learning that can only come from hard work and discipline -- a strong message, and one that goes to American pride in family and achievement.
• Brand repositioning. Keep the "high-tech" but continue to move toward the "high-touch" by reaching out to Americans on an emotional level. Let the Democratic Party leaders sell the policies; the president must continue to sell his brand, which is the perception of him as a leader with the brains and heart to bring people together for the betterment of the nation.
When the president spoke about the story of a small-business owner, Brandon Fisher, he illustrated how America can succeed with people who have a heart and at the same the technological know-how to make a difference. Fisher's drilling company was responsible for helping rescue the 33 trapped Chilean miners with a new kind of drilling technology.
This is the kind of story Obama needs to tell over and over again, reminding Americans of his brand -- strong on technology, but with a heart.
• Strategic consistency. Now that he's offered a glimpse of his plan for the 2012 presidential campaign, he must let policy decisions highlight the consistency between his promises and actions. He should point out any achievements that hook into reform of schools; energy use; deficit reduction. And he should remind often of his promise to "win" for Americans in the future, but only after long and hard discussions about the cost and detail of every program that accomplishes this.
• Flexibility. He must accept the fact that there is a new movement in the country today, and to be successful, he must broaden the boundaries of his original movement to include an increasingly fragmented electorate dissatisfied with politics as usual: left-wing vs. right-wing; big government vs. small government; Democrats vs. Republicans; and those looking for a leader who can bring Americans together as a unifier.
Remember, that is a big part of why Obama won in 2008.
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