Political branding

This chapter demonstrates that the broad scope of branding in politics and government. A political brand is the overarching feeling, impression or image the public has towards a politician, political organisation or nation. Political brands provide a short cut to what a political entity is about: they are the overall perception voters have of a political entity derived from ‘nodes’ individuals receive from a range of sources including behaviours, organisation, communication and visuals. Practitioners draw on many different elements of political marketing – strategy, goals, political market research, product development and communication – to create and improve political brands. F. Guzman et al.’s research on Mexico found that how voters saw themselves affected their perception of political brands: voters support candidates who share similar characteristics to themselves. Political organisations also need to aim for superior brand equity compared to the competition and thus be the organisations voters are most aware of, loyal to, and positively perceive and associate with.