Member Perspective: The Limits of the Shock Brand: What U.S. Politics Just Reminded Every Communicator

For those of us working in communications, this past decade of American politics has been dizzying. The old playbooks were tossed out and new rules applied: mock your opponents, lean hard into grievances, fall back on outrage, and move so fast that accountability can’t catch up. We sat back and wondered: “Is this just how it works now? Are Americans seeing the world through a brand new lens?”

The midterm elections offered a clear answer: No.

It turns out basic human perception hasn’t changed. It was just undergoing a severe stress test. The blue wave that crashed down on Tuesday night wasn't simply a reaction to high gas prices or inflation. Yes, economic pressures made voters very uneasy. But the real breaking point came when those in power pushed past the limits of decency and hit a hard wall of human rejection.

Voters ultimately judged politicians not by their narrative, but by what they actually did with their power. Whether you’re managing a campaign, leading corporate communications, or advising a brand in crisis, this moment offers three clear lessons on building lasting trust.

First, actions always speak louder than words. In modern PR, there is a dangerous temptation to believe that if you control the story, you control reality. But when actions repeatedly contradict stated values, people eventually believe their own eyes.

In America, when voters watched troops deployed in cities without local consent, or saw so-called law enforcement dissolve into tragedy - like the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis - the rhetoric around "law and order" fell apart. It caused collective horror. Here was an ICU nurse who spent his life saving veterans, shot on the street while trying to help a woman in trouble. When what we hear clashes so violently with what we see, no amount of messaging can bridge the gap. In business, the exact same principle applies.

A company can run ad campaigns calling their workforce "family," but if they turn around and execute mass layoffs on a video call, the brand breaks. A corporation might preach sustainability, but if they spend millions lobbying against environmental standards, no amount of PR polish can blur the contradiction. When what you do fails to mirror what you say, public trust disappears.

Second, mean-spiritedness is a toxic brand trait. There is a fine line between being a tough competitor and coming across as unfeeling or cruel. Crossing that line triggers a moral pushback that is disastrous for long-term loyalty.

Consider the governor’s race in Ohio. When Republican Vivek Ramaswamy aired a deeply personal attack ad featuring Dr. Amy Acton’s long-estranged mother, it was intended as a knockout blow. Instead, it repulsed voters across the political spectrum. It didn’t feel like political debate; it felt dirty and gratuitously cruel. The voters of Ohio, a state that has steadily trended conservative, drew a clear line and soundly elected Acton, a Democrat.

Corporations fall into this trap in subtler but equally damaging ways when they bring in an army of lawyers to crush a small competitor or mock a rival over a social media misstep. Audiences will tolerate smart competition, but when a brand demonstrates a lack of basic empathy, people step back and say: "That’s not who we are."

Finally, exhaustion creates a welcome opening for calm. When one side relies on constant conflict and outrage, the most powerful response doesn’t have to be matching their volume. Instead, lower the noise in the room.

Candidates like Jon Ossoff in Georgia and James Talarico in Texas succeeded by refusing to take the bait. They offered a steady contrast to their opponents by focusing on everyday economic realities and human respect. After years of outrage fatigue, voters weren't just looking for policy fixes; they were looking for relief from the bickering.

We see this same dynamic in business. When an industry hits a public storm, such as an airline facing mass cancellations, stonewalling, scapegoating or issuing defensive statements rarely works. The brands that win are the ones that lower the temperature and give customers straightforward answers. In a world full of friction and frayed nerves, steadiness and stability stand out.

It’s easy to look at the last few years and assume shock tactics have won for good. But the midterms proved that audiences are not stupid, and they aren't endless gluttons for chaos.

When a brand relies on division or arrogance, it eventually hits a wall. For anyone trying to build lasting trust, the core rule hasn't changed: human connection and decency will always outlive the noise.

Have a perspective on communication or culture you would like to share? Send it to [email protected] for consideration.