Political marketing
Political marketing implies the usage of advertising and other marketing techniques by political parties, members, government officials and other political figures in order to gain popularity, to win votes, positions and trust.Compared to commercial advertising, the political advertising maintains the typical structure featuring the political candidate as the product, the citizens as consumers and employing the same marketing methods.
Political marketing functions:
- Product function : the product advertised is more than just the candidate, it is also the promises of change, good government and success.
- Distribution function : delivering the right message to the right target market is crucial. The marketers have to make sure that the message suits the distribution channel and the target audience.
- Result function : just as commercial product is advertised to achieve customers buying the product for a certain amount of money, the political candidate is advertised to gain positive perception, attitude and approval from the public, the public not needing to pay anything for the promotional materials received.
- Information function : the political marketing should provide the voters with the needed information for their decision. Party's and candidate's history, intentions and programmes should be made public.
- Financial function : political advertising also focuses on calling the audience to action such as making donations, volunteering.
The main events in which political marketing is involved are political campaigns. These are the most important techniques used in campaign advertising:
- Target market segmentation – the campaign addresses different market segments with specific, targeted messages depending on peoples' culture, preferences, expectations.
- Competition research – very popular nowadays are the negative messages focused on opposition, comparative advertising, even ironic attacks. In order for these methods to be effective, a opposition research is required so that the facts and affirmations employed are pertinent.
- Internet marketing – politicians can use the continually expanding opportunity of e-marketing to advertise their person, campaign, party, using conventional e-mail marketing, banners and pay-per-click advertising or social media( Facebook, Twitter), blogs.
- Direct marketing – the classic marketing methods should also be employed. The candidate can deliver his message through direct mail, telephone, fliers, speeches, concerts, tours, banners.
- Product development – the citizens are more and more interested in knowing their options, in political marketing's case, in knowing more about the candidate. So an efficient technique in this area is creating an extensive image of the candidate, beginning with his history and life, continuing with his family and personal opinions and preferences.
- Branding – associating the candidate with a visual image, or a positive social symbol leads to wider awareness and recognition of the politician.
- Marketing surveys – represented in politics by public opinion polls can provide useful information about citizens' approval of the candidate or political opinion ans choice.
Political marketing has become a flourishing business and some think that the status of consumer-citizens it attaches to people minimizes their ability to make correct political decisions.