The election season is upon us and once again politicians who are vying for council, parliamentary, senatorial positions and even the presidential post are trying to woo the electorate through various engagement platforms. I am sure most of you are wondering what these campaigns have to do with marketing, but the focus of this article will be on brand management, which marketers can assist candidates with. This is because most politicians are slowly losing credibility due to their failure to be consistent and authentic.
with CONSTANCE r mAKONI
Branding entails the creation of a promise for a product and infusing every customer interaction with that meaning. Branding is critically important not just in business, but in politics, too. A brand is really the audience’s perception of an entity. Be it a business or political candidate, branding defines who a candidate is, frames the issues in a way that appeals to the audience, in this case, the voters. Branding also helps the audience connect with a particular candidate on an emotional level.
A political brand is the overarching feeling, impression, association or image the public has towards a politician, political organisation, or nation. Political branding helps the party or candidate to change or maintain reputation and support, create a feeling of identity with the party or its candidates, as well as create a trusting relationship between political elites and consumers. It helps political consumers understand more quickly what a party or candidate is about and distinguishes a candidate or party from the competition.
Zimbabwe’s political terrain has always been an interesting one and the 2018 harmonised elections have seen various candidates who range from the established names to little-known political parties, jostling to get the attention of the electorate. Questions that may arise are: Do they recognise themselves as brands? Do they have unique selling propositions that separate them and enunciate their manifestos? This avalanche of political players into the political arena has presented an opportunity for Brand Managers to mould candidates into brands that are authentic and consistent.
Just like celebrities and musicians have managers who take care of their brands, schedule their appearances, advise them on what is expected by their fans, monitor social media on their behalf and help them internalise their speeches and what else they will say in public, it is imperative for progressive politicians to seriously consider hiring brand managers who will advance their cause and ensure that their messages are decoded and encoded in a manner that does not stir controversy or leave people wondering if they are ready for office at all.In the build-up to the July 30 harmonised elections, the state broadcaster has been profiling presidential candidates from the 123 minority parties that are also hoping to garner votes come election time. Listening to some of the candidates, one is left to wonder whether these are serious politicians or a bunch of time wasters who have no idea what the forthcoming elections mean. From the dressing, speech, manifesto and everything associated with them, one can simply tell that no homework was done and they do not take their personal or political brands seriously. For someone can actually tell that they do not even believe in themselves yet they expect the electorate to believe in their messages.
Politicians need to craft a narrative and create elements that support and strengthen that narrative. A poor story told by an ill-prepared politician can be tantamount to political suicide, hence the need for brand managers to assist politicians in crafting messages that are believable, realistic, sensible and will easily win the hearts of voters. A competent brand manager can come up with a detailed strategy that is realistic, tutor the candidate on how to handle themselves when speaking in public, which lines to cross, what to say and how to react when certain questions are asked. Brand managers can help candidates to research thoroughly on the culture, needs, norms and expectations of the people they will be addressing so that they do not speak out of context.
During this campaign period, politicians must sell their brands by repeating messages and framing each talking point within that message. Yes, public speaking is not for everybody and one has to master how to keep the audience engaged. This, however, can only be achieved if there is proper training and coaching from brand management and communications specialists who are well equipped in that area. Currently we have politicians who flipflop and forget what their brands stand for, when they are asked hard-hitting questions.
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With the advent of social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter that has seen followers of politicians analysing messages and mercilessly attacking that which they think lacks probity, this new phenomenon has seen politicians being savagely hung to dry and in some worst cases social media challenges with hashtags being created just to poke fun at their messages. Brand managers, therefore-play a critical role in this social media era as they will prepare politicians for social media engagement, craft a social media strategy and come up with messages that propel and strengthen the politician’s brand. What politicians say during their physical interactions with their followers should be the exact same message that they post on their social media platforms.
Between now and July 30, all eyes will be on the candidates and all sorts of promises will be made. Some candidates will seize the opportunity and become formidable brands while others will expose their shallowness through their failure to brand themselves and their campaigns. For marketers, this is an opportunity to offer branding services to these candidates and use the next few weeks to create authentic brands that will remain consistent pre and post the electoral period. l Constance R Makoni-Thodhlana is a marketing, public relations and communications practitioner based in Harare. She is a member of the Marketers’ Association of Zimbabwe and can be contacted on [email protected]
*This article was contributed on behalf of the Marketers’ Association of Zimbabwe, a leading body of marketing professionals promoting professionalism to the highest standards for the benefit of the industry and the economy at large. For any further information, visit their website on www.maz.co.zw or contact [email protected]
