Are you losing voters by making too much sense? In politics, logic isn’t always your friend.

The Insight:

Rory Sutherland warns, “When you demand logic, you pay a hidden price: you destroy magic.” Political campaigns that focus too heavily on logic and reason often fail to connect emotionally with voters.

Take Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign. It relied on detailed policy proposals and logical arguments but lacked the emotional storytelling that voters crave. By contrast, Barack Obama’s campaign leaned into optimism and hope, connecting with voters on a visceral level. The result? Emotion triumphed over logic.

Internationally, Boris Johnson’s 2019 campaign promised to “Get Brexit Done.” The phrase was not a detailed policy—it was a simple, emotional call to action that appealed to voters frustrated by years of gridlock. Meanwhile, his opponents bogged themselves down in logical arguments and lost the narrative.

The Behavioral Science Angle:

Behavioral science shows that humans make decisions emotionally first and rationalize them later. A purely logical campaign misses this emotional connection, leaving voters disengaged or apathetic. Successful campaigns balance logic with emotional resonance to inspire action.

NextGen’s Take:

At NextGen, we believe in the power of emotional storytelling to complement rational arguments. We help campaigns strike the perfect balance, ensuring that voters not only understand your message but feel it, too.

Call to Action:

Don’t let logic alone guide your campaign. Let NextGen help you inject emotion and inspiration into your messaging. Contact us today to create a campaign that voters can’t ignore.