In a city like San Francisco, where every voter’s mailbox is stuffed with political mailers and the ballot can feel like a choose-your-own-adventure novel, cutting through the noise takes more than good policy. It takes brand clarity.
That’s what we learned on Yes on D in November 2024.
Prop D was about reforming San Francisco’s bloated system of over 130 city commissions. Important? Absolutely. Sexy? Not at first glance. But with the right messaging, it became a rallying cry for people across the political spectrum.
We didn’t lead with bureaucracy. We led with a feeling: City Hall is broken—and Prop D is how we fix it.
Here’s how branding and social media turned a complex government reform into an effective campaign:
1. Start With a Gut Check Message
“Government reform” sounds dry. “Do Better” felt honest. “City Hall is broken” made people nod. We treated the campaign like a consumer brand launch: What’s the emotional hook? What’s the one thing you want people to remember while they’re filling out their ballot?
Lesson: Your brand is the emotional shortcut to your campaign’s purpose.
2. Design for the Feed, Not the Flier
Our visuals looked like they belonged on Instagram, not in a policy brief. Big bold fonts. No jargon. Colors that popped. We made content that could live on a lawn sign and get reposted to someone’s Stories.
Lesson: If your post looks like homework, it won’t get shared.
3. Use Relatable Messengers
We didn’t just rely on elected officials. We brought in small business owners, young professionals, and everyday San Franciscans who were sick of dysfunction. When someone says “this just makes sense” on camera—especially someone who doesn’t talk like a politician—it resonates.
Lesson: A peer-to-peer share > a press release.
4. Keep the Message Tight, Then Repeat It
Every TikTok, Reel, tweet, and newsletter pointed back to the same idea: Prop D = Fixing a broken system. That consistency paid off. By the final week, people were echoing our tagline back to us—unprompted.
Lesson: The more you say it, the more it sticks. Be the chorus, not the encyclopedia.
Final Thought
Political campaigns often overcomplicate their pitch. Voters don’t have time for a policy seminar—they want to know why it matters and what it means for them. Good branding answers both.
Prop D taught us that even the most technical policy can win hearts and minds—if you treat your campaign like a movement, not a memo.