of the entire market , like only the young or the price-conscious , whereas the latter must convince the entire voting population , young and old , rich and poor , educated and not-so educated , to get elected .
Unique Selling Proposition
Another key principle of effective marketing is that ; the message should be focused on only one benefit i . e . the most important one to the target market segment . Basically , at this point a unique / key selling proposition ( USP ), is the one thing that makes candidate A , better than candidate , B , C or D . Whereas this may not be applicable to presidential candidates marketing efforts , the rest of the aspirants should aspire to meet this criterion . Out of necessity , presidential candidates must make multiple promises .
Forming a relatable and striking USP helps focus the marketing strategy , ultimately positively influencing : messaging , branding , copywriting , and many other marketing decisions . At its core , the USP should quickly answer a potential customer ’ s most immediate question when they encounter the brand . Key to note , the USP should importantly be : assertive , but defensible , focused on what the voters currently value most and equally be more than just a slogan . While a catchy slogan is definitely a great way to communicate the USP and create massive awareness , interest and desire , attention is to be made to ensure that it ’ s something that can be embodied in other aspects of the campaign and drive action .
Making every communication opportunity work for the candidate ought to be the main goal of having a clear , succinct and powerful message .
Promotion
After the good work of ensuring the above cogs are in good working condition , the task of how to get the message out there then beckons . Promotion is all about marketing channels . What conduits do we employ to get our brand ’ s message to would be voters ? When to use traditional marketing like : television , radio , print advertising , and when to employ digital marketing channels like : email marketing , social media , influencer marketing and payper-click ( PPC ) ad campaigns stands as the decision to be made .
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Promotions are great for political campaigns . In fact , they remain the oldest form of marketing . A good marketing plan should ensure that all its promotional activities are either geared at : acquiring new supporters , converting more , growing the support base and retaining existing support base .
A good marketing mix remains the sure , tried and tested way to achieve optimum reach and success . A blend of different channels that draws from both traditional and digital marketing conduits . Multichannel marketing gives room for more ways to showcase our brand , build brand awareness and connect with different targets . Even if a potential voter does not engage with certain marketing channels , we open doors for them to discover our brand and messaging ’ through other channels .
In political marketing , good workmanship dictates that we first understand that promotion isn ’ t a sales gimmick here . Promotion is all about connection . It ’ s connecting our candidate ( brand ) with the people-mentally and emotionally . Promotion here only comes in after the other 3Ps have been clearly defined and understood . Those other 3P ’ s ( price , product , place ) make up the brand positioning and they determine who , what , where , when and how to connect .
Focus on promotion here should remain how do we connect with our target when our target isn ’ t actually interacting with our brand ? The goal therefore should remain to keep the brand well positioned by taking on human characteristics which resonate with the target ; remember , it ’ s always easier to communicate with someone who shares the same values , beliefs and perspective .
All in all , promotions are great for political campaigns . In fact , they remain the oldest form of marketing . At this stage , a good marketing plan should ensure that all its promotional activities are either geared at : acquiring new supporters , converting more , growing the support base and retaining existing support base .
Consumers Final Choice
Eventually , consumers always make a choice . Now , Kenya ’ s election period is in its final stretch . On August 9 , 2022 , voters across the country and members of the diaspora will head to the polls to make a choice . Nationally , two brands are headto-head : Deputy President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga . Question remains , after all the marketing employed , what brand are Kenyans going to choose ?
Truth be told , never in the history of electoral politics in Kenya has political branding assumed greater significance than in this year ’ s contest . Both the two front-runner candidates have invested heavily in human , financial and material capital to boost their brand image . Will Kenyans be putting to scale the sum of these overarching feelings , impressions and associations these brands have created within them on the material day ? Will all the marketing effort count for something in making that brand choice ?
I put the case forward that , as we mature as a democracy ; branding should not only be the new form of political marketing but also a key metric voters ’ use in making their choice . The brands ( candidates ) must speak to and address market needs and the market ( voters ), must remain vigilant to political actors holding them accountable to their past , current and promised brands . If spin and advertising were the key signifiers of candidates in the 1990s , let ’ s make “ branding ” the hallmark now .
Chabala Walter , is the Executive Director , Ugatuzi Pride Initiative . You can commune with him via LinkedIn on his page Chabala Walter or drop a line on mail at : Chabalawalter @ gmail . com .