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Marketing Scholars and Political Marketing: the Pragmatic and Principled Reasons for Why Marketing Academics Should Research the Use of Marketing in the Political Arena

December 2019
Customer Needs and Solutions

Authors:

https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007/s40547-019-0091-0?author_access_token=EKeerdVz_nzyQlopcfMct_e4RwlQNchNByi7wbcMAY53_XAmHyu7-4RcpasUsMnieoE1NJLqIPXLVFasgQp4LDG5XWF8K4qj_Zquh78Edl9uGxsZDxCgdQ1xDC4wN7VkqcEbqf6vSEtb6FTthVcGGw%3D%3D&fbclid=IwAR2VmCFUbXsWJaaEs2R5y2u8VMlk3Q33P-wfGKgjeUdIAJfg8hSL2mY0UPw The marketing discipline needs to pay more attention to political marketing. Marketing has permeated deeply into the heart of elections and government. Numerous political players, including presidents and prime ministers, politicians, and parties, as well as government departments and councils turn to marketing in their pursuit of political goals. While media coverage of recent issues, such the Trump campaign’s use of big data, has shone a spotlight on commercial marketing techniques in the political and governmental arena, scholars from multiple disciplines (marketing, political science, and communication) have been exploring cross-disciplinary research on political marketing for several decades. This article argues that it is time for the marketing discipline to embrace political marketing more openly than before. This article will make the case by outlining the broad scope of political marketing in practice and research, providing examples of political marketing, and then discussing the significant ethical implications of marketing politics. Finally, it will provide reasons for why marketing scholars should research this dynamic and profoundly impactful area.

Political marketing functional tools. Source: [21], Political marketing: principles and applications, 3rd edition

…

The development of political marketing approaches. Source: [21], Political marketing: principles and applications, 3rd edition

…

of the rationale for marketing scholars to research political marketing. Source: core points identified through a synthesis of comments provided to author by marketing scholars. Acknowledgments due to Professor Paul Baines, School of Business, University of Leicester, UK; Dr. Stephen Dann, Senior Lecturer, Marketing, Research School of Management, ANU College of Business & Economics, UK; Professor Phil Harris, Westminster Chair of Marketing and Public Affairs, University of Chester, UK; Associate Professor Neil Bendle, Ivey Business School, Western University, Canada; Professor Lisa Spiller, Distinguished Professor of Marketing, Joseph W. Luter, III School of Business, Christopher Newport University, UK; Dr. Kobby Mensah, Senior Lecturer, University of Ghana Business School, Ghana; Dr. Chris Pich, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University, UK; Associate Professor Kakhaber Djakeli, Faculty of Business Management, International Black Sea University, Georgia; Dr. Jenny Lloyd, Senior Teaching Fellow, Management, University of Bristol, UK; Dr. Peter Reeves, Lecturer, Salford Business School, UK and Associate Professor Dan Laufer, Associate Professor Department of Marketing, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

…

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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Marketing Scholars and Political Marketing: the Pragmatic

and Principled Reasons for Why Marketing Academics Should Research

the Use of Marketing in the Political Arena

Jennifer Lees-Marshment

#Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019

Abstract

The marketing discipline needs to pay more attention to political marketing. Marketing has permeated deeply into the heart of

elections and government. Numerous political players, including presidents and prime ministers, politicians, and parties, as well

as government departments and councils turn to marketing in their pursuit of political goals. While media coverage of recent

issues, such the Trump campaign’s use of big data, has shone a spotlight on commercial marketing techniques in the political and

governmental arena, scholars from multiple disciplines (marketing, political science, and communication) have been exploring

cross-disciplinary research on political marketing for several decades. This article argues that it is time for the marketing

discipline to embrace political marketing more openly than before. This article will make the case by outlining the broad scope

of political marketing in practice and research, providing examples of political marketing, and then discussing the significant

ethical implications of marketing politics. Finally, it will provide reasons for why marketing scholars should research this

dynamic and profoundly impactful area.

Keywords Marketing scholars .Political marketing .Political arena .Government .Elections .Society .Marketing ethics

1 The Broad Scope of Political Marketing

1.1 Political Marketing in Practice

Politicians, advisors, parties, movements, NGOs, govern-

ments, and even whole nations use marketing strategy, re-

search, branding, communication, and delivery to help

them achieve wide ranging goals from winning elections

to achieving policy change. Marketing also influences pol-

icy development and leadership decisions. Significant gov-

ernment resources are devoted to policy research, market-

ing, and branding. Politicians communicate to build long-

term relationships with voters rather than just selling their

product. Marketing has a profound impact on the way the

political world operates.

Just like marketing, political marketing is about how polit-

ical organizations and practitioners—including candidates,

politicians, leaders, parties, governments, and NGOs—use

marketing tools and concepts. They do this to understand,

develop products for, to involve as well as to communicate,

and interact with their political market in order to achieve their

goals. Such goals of course are not about making money, but

are also not just about winning elections, and include creating

policy change, representing minorities, changing behavior,

and increasing participation.

The issues that practitioners in the political market worry

about include not just voters but members and volunteers within

a political party or campaign, other politicians, lobbyists, interest

groups, donors, the media, professional associations or unions,

electoral commissions, and party or government staff. As mar-

keting academics Hughes and Dann (2009, p. 252) [12]argue,

once in government politicians need to meet Bthe broader stake-

holder needs of society,^not just their own target markets.

The political product is also constantly evolving—it is not

like an iPhone that is manufactured and can be picked up from

a shop. The product includes the entire behavior of a political

organization including political figures and volunteers, not all

of which are controllable. Policies are important where parties

and governments are concerned, but so too is the leadership,

members of the organization (e.g., politicians), staff, unpaid

volunteers, and events.

*Jennifer Lees-Marshment

j.lees-marshment@auckland.ac.nz

University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40547-019-0091-0

Customer Needs and Solutions (2019) 6:41–48

Published online: 8 February 2019

Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.

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Book

Feb 2017

This Handbook provides the most comprehensive overview of the role of electoral advertising on television and new forms of advertising in countries from all parts of the world currently available. Thematic chapters address advertising effects, negative ads, the perspective of practitioners and gender role. Country chapters summarize research on issues including political and electoral systems; history of ads; the content of ads; reception and effects of ads; regulation of political advertising on television and the Internet; financing political advertising; and prospects for the future. The Handbook confirms that candidates spend the major part of their campaign budget on television advertising. The US enjoys a special situation with almost no restrictions on electoral advertising whereas other countries have regulation for the time, amount and sometimes even the content of electoral advertising or they do not allow television advertising at all. The role that television advertising plays in elections is dependent on the political, the electoral and the media context and can generally be regarded as a reflection of the political culture of a country. The Internet is relatively unregulated and is the channel of the future for political advertising in many countries.

Marketing Leadership in Government

Article

Jan 2016

Edward Elder

‘A very interesting study of the communication strategies of John Key and Barack Obama, showing both their similarities and their differences. It covers the need for politicians to acknowledge opposing views and show they have listened to the public, even if not ultimately agreeing with them. “ – David Farrar, Former Political Advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand ‘The book has two excellent comparative case studies that it uses throughout in Barack Obama and John Key. It's insightful, thoroughly up to date, and suitable for use in classes on comparative politics, political marketing, political management and political communication. Additionally, there are a host of useful insights for practitioners. It's easy to read and engaging, meaning you want to keep reading it until the end. I couldn't put it down. I thought it was fascinating. Highly recommended for general audiences, students, scholars and practitioners. There's truly something for everyone in this wonderful book by this promising scholar.’ – Ken Cosgrove, Associate Professor of Government, Suffolk University, USA This book explores how contemporary governing leaders can overcome the typical trend of losing a public support in power by following more effective communication strategies. It shows how new forms of communication that emphasise acknowledgement and respect for public criticisms and concerns can be used by governing leaders to show the public that they still have the leadership qualities they entered office with, despite the extra challenges that political office presents. The book outlines a new model, The Contemporary Governing Leaders' Communication Model, through which leaders can communicate their positive personal and professional qualities in government. The book illustrates this model in use through the communication of United States President Barack Obama and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key during their first terms in political office. Edward Elder is a recent PhD graduate from Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, whose research focuses on political marketing communication. He published a chapter in Political Marketing in the United States (2014) and an article in the Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing.

Political Marketing: Principles and Applications

Article

Jan 2014

Jennifer Lees-Marshment

Substantially revised throughout, Political Marketing second edition continues to offer students the most comprehensive introduction to this rapidly growing field. It provides an accessible but in-depth guide to what political marketing is and how it is used in practice, and encourages reflection on how it should be used in the future. Features and benefits of the second edition: New chapters on political branding and delivery marketing; Expanded discussion of political public relations, crisis management, marketing in the lower levels of government and volunteer-friendly organizations; Examination of the new research on emerging practices in the field, such as interactive and responsive leadership communication, mobile marketing, co-creation market research, experimental and analytic marketing, celebrity marketing and integrated marketing communications; and Extensive pedagogical features, including 21 detailed case studies from around the world, practitioner profiles, best practice guides, class discussion points, an online resource site and both applied and traditional assessment questions Written by a leading expert in the field, this textbook is essential reading for all students of political marketing, parties and elections and comparative politics.

Marketing Scholars and Political Marketing: the Pragmatic and Principled Reasons for Why Marketing Academics Should Research the Use of Marketing in the Political Arena

Abstract and Figures

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