Political Marketing

FRAMING THE DISCUSSION

Political Marketing on the Internet: Go with the Flow or Create the Current?

The 2008 Obama Campaign has been hailed as the rst to make effective use of the internet. []
Because of the very nature of the web, these [vast volumes of communication in a rapidly evolving
environment] are not easily managed by large corporations, let alone political parties, and success
may be achieved by embracing diversity (or even anarchy) rather to control it (Harris, 2010)
Felix de Jongh

Political Marketing

Lees-Marshments (2012) Shift in Political Marketing

Five general trends:
1. Researching voter demands
2. Market oriented party wins all
3. Ignoring members

4. Short-term sales

5. Campaigning

Co-creation of the political product

Situational strategies
Stakeholders/staff integral part
Long-term relationships
Governing

Communication is generally becoming more relationship-focused;

. Success achieved through: interaction, connectivity, emotions, and authenticity.
However: traditional communication of leadership skills and product offerings remains important

Political Marketing

Barack Obama, President of the US. AMA.

this is an example of how technology and the internet can empower the sorts of conversations that strengthen our democracy over
the long run. (Obama, 2012 on reddit)
AMA posted: 29th April, 2012 at 22:01:36
Question by /u/suzmerk posted at 22:08:03
Reply by Obama posted at 22:42:18; excerpt:
They [super-PACs] fundamentally threaten to overwhelm the
political process over the long run and drown out the voices of
ordinary citizens. We need to start with passing the Disclose Act
[] [and] I think we need to seriously consider mobilizing a
constitutional amendment process to overturn Citizens United
[]

Political Marketing

Case study: /u/suzmerk

Account created on 16-12-2011

First post on 27-01-2012

Total posts: 37 (21 links, 16 comments), with content attacking

lobbyists and super-PACs (x23), attacking the GOP (x20) and
Citizens United (x5)

7 out of 16 comments on discussions started by /u/terran1212

(now highly active on subreddit /r/SandersforPresident)

Last post on 19-09-2012

Why?

Authenticity

Political Marketing

Conclusions
Co-creation of the political product:
The AMA is an excellent opportunity to involve the voters with the political process.
Situational strategies:
Reddit dislikes outsider influence. Create believability through post history.
Stakeholders/staff integral part:
Staff is coordinated to influence topics and incite discussions online.
Long-term relationships:
If done right, reddit as a whole takes liking to the political product.
Traditional communication of leadership skills and product offerings remains important
The account was manufactured in order for Obama to be able to talk about his platform, show
leadership skills and offer the political product. And, people involved before are doing the same for
Sanders controlling the anarchy rather than embracing it. HOWEVER;
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/44r2wf/i_am_bert_koenders_minister_of_foreign_and/