Dorie Clark, an expert on branding and author of Re-inventing You: Define Your Brand, Re-Imagine Your Future, recently spoke to me about the importance of branding. “Branding,” she said, “is a way for companies or individuals to distinguish themselves in the marketplace and ensure that when consumers think about them, there’s a specific set of qualities that come to mind.”

We see the power of branding everywhere we look, from the movies (with sequels and known franchises dominating the theaters) to television (where Law and Order and CSI have spawned countless spinoffs) to political coverage itself (with reporters with famous last names like Luke Russert and Megan McCain receiving prominent attention). The same is true in politics. What else explains the proliferation of so many flawed candidates?

“Having an established brand,” Clark said, “is an easy shortcut for consumers who are pressed for time and may not want to spend forever researching things.” Both Spitzer and Weiner have established brands. Liberals might argue that they were successful politicians in their respective positions of power, but those successes were easily overshadowed when they were both forced to resign. But despite how their terms in office ended, it’s still much easier to latch on to them than their opponents or other candidates who are less known nationally.