Political Campaigns that Won Over the People

This week, the US midterm results have been trending across every platform and news medium. It goes without saying that the internet is a-buzz whenever anything significant happens in the political sphere. But has it ever occurred to you that political campaigns are one of the ultimate forms of marketing??

Think about it: political campaigns are essentially the process of marketing a brand to a target audience to drive 'sales' – i.e. votes! In the last decade, this has particularly extended to the digital realm, where political parties have shifted their focus to additionally appeal to younger demographics, in order to secure their support in upcoming elections.?

Over the years, numerous successful marketing strategies have been implemented in political campaigns. Join us as we 'rally' some of the standout examples!

7 Political Marketing Strategies that Worked??

"Don't Vote" – or Do?

There is a good reason why businesses fork out for online adverts. Ads are one of the most effective ways of delivering your brand message to a wider audience. Also, we can all agree that certain adverts stand out from the crowd – namely, those which are communicative, thought-provoking and memorable.?

One particular advert which caught our attention recently is the 'Don't Vote' ad. This was originally released in the lead-up to the 2018 USA midterms, in response to the shocking statistic that only 46% of people aged 18 - 34 had voted in the previous election. This video has recently been recirculating on Tiktok – quite aptly in time for the most recent midterm vote! It is safe to say that the content of this advert is digital marketing at its shrewdest: the reverse psychology within the ad provides the ultimate encouragement for young people to vote – as attested by the comments on the recent Tiktok repost!??

Biden & Obama: Ad Kings??

We thought it was worth addressing the Democrats' favourite duo together – particularly as their political campaigns have significant similarities (as one would expect from two best friends!). Despite their campaigns occurring a decade apart, both Obama and Biden utilised powerful adverts which won over the American public. Biden, in particular, spent more on advertising than any candidate in US history – but clearly, this paid off. Here are some examples of five effective ad campaigns which led Biden to his 2020 victory. Not only did Biden's campaign have a clear and consistent message, but his emotive, thought-provoking adverts set to unify, embolden and inspire his voters.?

Similarly, Barack Obama was renowned for his direct, heartfelt TV ads, which many viewers claimed felt like a personal, one-on-one conversation. His slogan, "Yes, We Can", again emphasises the personalised nature of his campaign, and inspired people to vote as a unified 'We'. Also, we're sure you're aware of the importance of email marketing within any campaign – and we could all take a few tips from Obama!?

"Get Brexit Done"

The sound of these three words alone is enough to teleport us back to 2019, to a pre-Covid, post-referendum UK. And it was these three words which prompted Boris Johnson to win the general election by a landslide, gaining the most Conservative seats since the 1980s.?

There is a lot to be said about the power of words – in particular, the power of a catchy slogan. "Get Brexit Done" was the Tories' tagline, delivering a clear, concise message that appealed to a large proportion of their target audience: the British public. As Professor of Politics Tim Bale stated, the slogan was central to Johnson's victory "partly because it appealed to Leavers and also because it appealed to some Remainers who are sick to the back teeth of Brexit and want to get it over with."

Now, Bojo's marketing strategies may have fallen flat ever since, but there is no denying the effectiveness of his initial campaign. As with any form of marketing, the results speak for themselves!?

Singh's Canvassing Campaign?

?Next, let's jet off to Canada and reflect on Jagmeet Singh's campaign for NDP leadership, back in 2017. This campaign was well-structured and split into three main phases – very much akin to the Marketing Funnel, which ensures that you interact with your target audience according to the current stage of your business's journey, to maximise your following.

Much like the 'Brand Awareness' stage, the first phase of Singh's campaign focussed on onboarding new members of NDP, primarily through face-to-face interaction, such as canvassing. Jagmeet recruited volunteer campaigners from local communities, who established a personal, face-to-face connection with potential voters – which is a successful marketing strategy in itself. The second and third phases of the campaign involved following up with phone calls and emails, first determining whether individuals were supporters or non-supporters, and then encouraging supporters to go out and vote! At Social Chameleon, we would similarly recommend an omnichannel approach to marketing, to cut through the digital noise, and ensure that your message is delivered and received. Jagmeet Singh's personalised, omnichannel approach led to an increased turnout of voters – and, ultimately, his victory!?

Glastonbury ft. Jezza??

Five years ago, Jeremy Corbyn stood centre stage in the UK's political landscape – to the extent that he even stood centre stage at Glastonbury Music Festival 2017. Regardless of varying political opinions, there is no denying that Jeremy sparked young people's interest in the election and inspired mass support through his personable, 'one of the people' brand. This brand was further enhanced by celebrity endorsements, which even extended to the 2019 election.?

?PR stunts, such as his cameo appearance at Glastonbury and numerous other music festivals, led to the birth of the iconic 'Oh, Jeremy Corbyn!' chant: a public-generated form of marketing in itself. In the run-up to this election, Jeremy showed awareness of who his target audience was, and how best to reach them – while making the biggest, headline-hitting impression possible! Whilst Jezza may not have won the election, he certainly made his mark.?

The Twitter Trump Card?

?Whilst Donald Trump hasn't exactly been thriving in the world of social media as of late (did somebody say #TwitterBan?), his 2016 win in the US elections – which left the entire world agape – was primarily a result of social media marketing. Interestingly, Trump didn't spend excessively on advertising, but more so honed in on the power of social media and content marketing – even branding social media as being responsible for his election success.

Professor of Marketing Tim Calkins spoke of the importance of Trump's brand identity: "Trump capitalised on the power of the Trump brand, which people associate with and aspire to luxury, wealth and celebrity." This strong brand identity was paired with the iconic yet infamous slogan: "Make America Great Again", which became a central part of Trump's campaign. Pre-Twitter ban, the former President had amassed millions of followers. His social media strategy predominantly consisted of direct engagement with his supporters: starting conversations amid his controversial tweets – which only inspired more press coverage.?

While we certainly wouldn't advise engineering online smear campaigns against your competitors (we're looking at you, Donald), there is something to be said about the power of social media and forging personalised connections in the online space.?

Ardern-tly Adored on Insta?

Last but not least, we're heading to New Zealand to meet current Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. When she was first elected back in 2017, Jacinda also implemented a successful social media strategy – with a key focus on Instagram.?

Ardern currently has 1.7 million followers on the platform, and if you take a look at her feed, she's been steadily documenting her positive interactions with the public. Not only this, but she also brands herself as an ‘ordinary person', with regular snaps of her day-to-day working life featuring on her feed, along with injections of relatable humour. Her socials also don't shy away from the fact that she is a working mother: another aspect of her personable brand which allows her to connect with the general public.?

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It is clear to see that political campaigns are, indeed, all about digital marketing – and can even teach us a thing or two about reaching our own target audiences! However you may choose to vote, we hope you've enjoyed our lowdown of some of the most successful marketing campaigns from global leaders – and ex-leaders – alike. We'll certainly be on the lookout for the innovative political campaigns of the future!?