Communicator of the Week

The sub-prime mortgage scandal that rocked America, and then helped to result in a global credit-crunch, should still be sending aftershocks to remind corporate and political America of the enormity of this crisis. As the months tick over some may feel that, even in election year, politicians might need reminding about what went wrong and who is to blame. Those who see no need to reform capitalism more so.

That was the feeling of Bruce Springsteen, the American singer-song writer, as he penned his 17th album which has resulted in 'Wrecking Ball' - an anger filled record about in his words, 'measuring the distance between the American Dream and American reality'.

Springsteen has frequently been misunderstood as being an evangelical promoter of the American Dream. If you think that is the case then take a closer look at the lyrics to his most well known anthem 'Born in the USA'. There is plenty on this new record which could also be misinterpreted but, when he sings about anger 'Hold tight to your anger and don’t fall to your fears' or even has one song on the album titled 'This Depression', it would be naive not to see where Springsteen is coming from.

A supporter of the Democrat party, the title song from this album is already being used as a warm-up song to President Obama's stump speeches. His message is clear and his delivery equally unambiguous when he attacks 'fat cats', refers to 'banker's hill' or sings "the banker man grows fat, the working man grows thin".
He is looking for maximum impact for this record having previewed each song by streaming them for one day only over a two week period. Access to the songs has also been limited via radio and the internet to build anticipation. This month he begins a world tour to take the message far and wide but focussed particularly on America.

With Mitt Romney the most likely opponent to President Obama, America's blue-collar poet is doing his utmost to make sure the working man doesn't forget how Wall Street let them down. That is why Bruce Springsteen is my Communicator of the Week.