Never in California’s – perhaps United States’ – history has a governor generated as much public and media excitement as has Arnold Schwarzenegger. This pumped-up popular figure is proving to be as formidable a chief executive of the most populace state in America, as he was a body builder, actor or businessman.

Since taking office in late 2003, he has surprised critics and supporters alike with his ability to wield his infectious personality to gain compromise and advance issues important to him. During the recall election of former Governor Gray Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger telegraphed that he would be his own man, and he’s acted as such, frustrating opponents and members of his own Republican party with his independence.

What he does, that no other politician can do, is use his enormous popularity to bludgeon opponents into compromise. When the governor began his effort to pass two referenda that approved bonds to refinance over $22 billion in state debt, approval of the propositions was in question, but through the weight of his personality and with alliances with the Democratic State Controller, he got the referenda approved. After that success, he declared, “I love it when the people go to the polls and flex their muscle.” And as is evident when you meet this larger-than-life figure, there are few politicians who can flex their muscles as Schwarzenegger can. His willingness, in fact eagerness, to sidestep traditional politics and go directly to voters has intimidated old-school backroom politicians.

Governor Schwarzenegger uses his persuasive personality to cajole recalcitrant opponents just by hinting that if they don’t compromise he will go directly to the people with ballot measures. The approach worked, as no politician has succeeded, before. When asked how he was enjoying his new role as Governor, Schwarzenegger said that he’s never had as much fun in his life, and that’s saying a lot, considering his many accomplishments. He is not an administrator; he is an action figure. “I never want to be the governor that hangs (an American expression that means waiting for things to happen),” he is reported to have said before returning from a trip to Germany. “I like to do things. I have the energy and I have the enthusiasm.”

A San Diego Union-Tribune editorial opined that “Some lawmakers may not love it, but they certainly now respect the governor’s ability to connect with voters… The governor has dramatically changed the political landscape by becoming directly involved in advancing his reform agenda. Lawmakers would do well to take seriously his campaign promise to revamp the workers’ compensation system. Some of those who fail to do so could be looking for other jobs after the November (2004) election.â€?

Showman Turned Salesman

Throughout Governor Davis’ recall election, one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s key messages was that he was a natural born salesman and would use his enormous popularity to gain attention and interest in California. He’s been true to his word, having participated in out-of-state trips to New York, Washington, DC, Israel, Jordan, Germany and Japan in his first year as California’s governor. In comparison, Gray Davis – during his entire five-year term of office – only visited Europe, Israel and Mexico. Further, the San Diego Union-Tribune has reported that “aides indicate his (Schwarzenegger’s) overseas travels have just begun.�
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The governor’s eagerness to represent California in other countries is good for importers of California food products and wine and sellers of California travel, because Arnold Schwarzenegger is as popular overseas, as he is at home, perhaps even more so. The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote not long ago that “Schwarzenegger, as an international movie star, is one of the most recognized faces in the world, an asset at a time when celebrities sell everything from prescription drugs to soft drinks.â€?Â

Including a governor in a state’s advertising is usually more valuable to the politician than it is to what’s being promoted. Not so in Arnold’s case. He doesn’t need the exposure, he doesn’t diminish the commercial’s objective and his presence punctuates and lifts any message.  Everywhere he goes, people gather to see him, get a photo with him or an autograph. Because of his widespread recognition, screen persona as a tough guy who’s soft at heart, established talents as an actor, and screen presence, state marketers have asked him to appear in TV commercials for California agricultural products, tourism and economic development.

When a consortium of State agencies and private economic development groups announced a new advertising campaign to encourage business leaders in other states to invest in California, Schwarzenegger made the announcement in Las Vegas, as an “in-your-face� response to Nevada and other states that have “cherry-picked dozens of companies from California in recent years,� according to an Associated Press report. As the personification of “The Terminator,� his most famous motion picture role, this “Governator� does not shy away from conflict.

Selling the state’s business climate at that announcement, the Governor unveiled a billboard campaign in Las Vegas, Nevada that featured a large picture of himself wearing a t-shirt imprinted with the State bear flag on his pumped up chest, as the headline read, “Arnold Says California Wants Your Business.� Michael Blood of the Associated Press wrote that Governor Schwarzenegger told reporters, “he knew his celebrity was an important asset in marketing the state, and that he eagerly filled the role of promoter-in-chief.�

“It’s basically a publicity campaign,” Governor Schwarzenegger was reported as saying. ”That’s what gets the amount of (TV) cameras… Everyone always uses what their assets are… Me, I use my personality, my celebrity status, whatever it is, my knowledge, my vision.”

He is also using his bigger than life persona to promote “California Grown� farm products. At the premiere of a television commercial for the brand (which includes a cameo appearance by Governor Schwarzenegger), the governor arrived in a 1953, GMC, one-ton, flatbed truck loaded with fruits and vegetables. The campaign pokes fun at California stereotypes that include surfing, mud baths and having “my people call your people,� all in an effort to encourage viewers to buy California grown agricultural products. The California Grown commercial is shown only inside California for the moment, though program managers appear to be expanding the effort beyond California, as evidenced by their participation in Governor Schwarzenegger’s trade mission to Japan, last year.

Similar to his appearance in the California Grown campaign, the governor narrates part of a California Tourism commercials seen in western states. In it, he is joined by California celebrities Clint Eastwood and Jack Nicholson in encouraging viewers to believe they’ll find their travel dreams or interests in California.Â

Arnold Schwarzenegger is certainly at ease in front of a camera, but he’s proven he also likes pitching California directly to the people. Last May, when the Travel Industry Association held its International Pow Wow in Los Angeles, the Governator’s appearance was electric. Typically, many of the 5,000 U.S. and international buyers and suppliers at the trade show skip the programmed luncheons to attend private lunches or to avoid the often windy and repetitive programs presented by sponsoring airlines, attractions or hotel companies. That didn’t happen when it was announced that Governor Schwarzenegger would speak at one of Los Angeles show luncheons. Private off-site luncheons were cancelled or rearranged because sponsors knew none of the buyers they sought would miss a speech by Governor Schwarzenegger. Delegates left the trading floor early to be first at the banquet room door to get a good seat. When the doors were opened, they stampeded into the room, alarming the Governor’s staff who were settling last-minute details. Chairs were tilted up to reserve seats at tables nearest the stage. Where the banquet room is normally half full, every table in the vast hall was occupied and hardly a chicken salad went uneaten as the breathless crowd anxiously awaited his arrival.

At a theatrical moment, the Governor was introduced and a stunt look-alike wearing dark glasses and leathers like his character, The Terminator, rode a motorcycle into the hall and up to the stage. From a side, Schwarzenegger walked on stage in a highly tailored buttery suit that virtually glowed, dismissed the stunt double and addressed the enraptured and silent audience.

Caroline Beteta who has served under three California governors as state tourism director said she’d “never seen anything like� that at Pow Wow or the response to Governor Schwarzenegger’s trade mission to Japan. Absolutely “everyone in the country knew he was there to sell California,� she said. The media and trade response was overwhelming.

The difference, Ms. Beteta explained was in the interest expressed by top buyers. Typically, when you’re selling something the audience you’re selling it to is in the power position, deciding how much time they’ll give you and whether they’ll meet with you, but when Governor Schwarzenegger visited, that dynamic turned about. “He is truly a cultural icon in Japan,� said Ms. Beteta.  The people California was attempting to impress were “so personally interested in the Governor on a very deeply personal level,� according to Ms. Beteta, that they sought out opportunities to be in his presence and thus could not miss hearing California’s message. Attending the trade presentation were 200 members of the media including every top broadcast station in Japan, representing exposure California tourism and agriculture could never have afforded through advertising. That has proven to be critical to California;s fiscally-stressed agricultural and tourism marketers.

Salesman Turned Statesman

Governor Schwarzenegger gained office by promising to change “business as usual� in the statehouse. Previous runaway entitlements, excessive largesse to classes of government workers, and laws written to guarantee funding to certain government programs contributed to the State’s ballooning deficit. Since taking office, Governor Schwarzenegger reduced that deficit from $48 billion to $5 billion, but to accomplish that, the new governor had to implement cost cutting and borrowing beyond what his predecessor had done. State agencies that market California ag products and tourism overseas, no longer have the resources to promote California that they did in the past. In California Tourism’s case, private assessments approved by travel and tourism businesses in 1997 are the only tourism marketing funds available, as the previous governor had already eliminated the $7.5 million in State funds that operated the California Division of Tourism.

Governor Schwarzenegger made it clear in his “State of the Stateâ€? address in January that further austerity is needed to reduce the state’s deficit, but this lack of funding does not translate into a similar lack of enthusiasm or interest for promoting California on the part of the Governor. Quite the opposite, Governor Schwarzenegger’s actions and statements demonstrate that he is committed to promoting California agriculture and tourism, despite his government’s financial limitations. His comments at Pow Wow established him to the U.S. and world travel industries as California’s new tourism cheerleader, and in introducing his new Secretary of Food and Agriculture, A.G. Kawamura, he expressed similar enthusiasm for California agriculture, describing it as “crucial to California’s economic success,â€? and saying that the industry is “helping to lead the way in our recovery.â€?Â

Arnold Schwarzenegger sees agriculture as “a big part of the California experience.� and as a restaurant owner speaks from personal experience when he says California’s ag industry, “produces the best of everything… The best fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products and let’s not forget the most incredible wines.� Schwarzenegger sees a healthy agricultural industry as essential to other services, stating, “When agriculture is healthy, everyone benefits… law enforcement, firefighters, teachers, everyone.� Speaking to Californians, he continued, “Everyone benefits when we buy California grown products. I say to everyone. Be Californian. Buy California Grown.�

“He’s the best salesman we have,� said Ms. Beteta who credits the Governor’s persona for multiplying the impact of her agency’s advertising and sales efforts. “He’s the quintessential pitch man. He’s spent his entire life promoting things, first himself, then products, then businesses, and now California. It’s where he is most comfortable,� Ms. Beteta explained.

Unlike previous “politicians� who hesitated at putting their personality on stage, for Governor Schwarzenegger it is second nature. “He’s open and willing to do anything. Look how many events he’s done in his first year in office,� said Ms. Beteta, and though California officials won’t say when their governor might travel abroad again, they are hopeful that he will lead a sales mission to Europe before his term ends in two years. These dreams are certainly reinforced by results being partially attributed to the Governor’s Japan trade mission, as travel industry observers say Japanese interest in visiting California in 2005 has risen since the Governor’s visit.

With results like that, the Austrian Oak can take satisfaction in his new role as “California’s Champion,� selling the state, its travel destinations, agricultural goods, wine and business climate as enthusiastically as he sold himself throughout his career.  It’s a performance that may win him something more than an Oscar… the opportunity to be remembered as the nation’s first action hero statesman.