Will Flawed Media Management Strategy Win Elections?

An election in any part of the world is perhaps the biggest communication activity which involves all the aspects of a promotional campaign ranging from different forms of advertising to versatile public relations strategies. From the choice of a party election slogan to taking people to the polling booth all involve some prudent and smart comms planning. If you remember Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's Roti, Kapra and Makan (bread, clothing and shelter) won him the election and this slogan is still remembered for its effectiveness. So what about Bhutto's legacy as a comms genius? Are his following generations come anyway near him?

If you are a PR/Media Management professional then you will note with interest Bilawal Zardari's Media Management Strategy for Elections 2018. Two "journalists" who have declared themselves as his media managers / strategists are very well known for producing venomous content against #PTI / #ImranKhan and apparently this is their only qualification to grab this post. Journalists becoming media managers is something I have never seen producing good or desired results. Both jobs seem similar but are poles apart. Journalism is about producing solid research based content whereas media

management is more about jotting down sound strategy backed by objectives, key messages, target market / audience analysis, tactics and results measurements. In the above mentioned media management wishful thinking, even if PTI is caused harm, it will be of no utility for PPP and will only benefit #PMLN.

As I have said earlier Media Strategy for any campaign whether it's a product launch or pitching for any election, needs much bigger effort covering many strategic areas. Here PPP should have tried to showcase their strengths based on the good work (if any) that they have done for their people. Criticism alone on political opponents which I have witnessed in recent past will not bring any productive results for them.