Poli%cal Marke%ng Workshop sponsored by McGill s Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship Welcome! The opportuni-es and fallibili-es of poli-cal marke-ng: A Canadian perspec-ve Alex Marland, Memorial University Thierry Giasson, Université Laval 1
Context Limited research on poli%cal marke%ng in Canada i.e., poli%cal actors changing in response to market intelligence data Canadian studies usually about poli%cal communica%ons Canadian Research 2000 elec%on Chré%en s Liberals market oriented others: sales, product most recent: Paré & Berger (2008) conclude Harper s Conserva%ves were market oriented in 2006 2
Research Problem Were Harper s Conserva%ves s%ll marketoriented in 2008? What about the other par%es orienta%on: market? sales? product? Conserva%ves in 2008 Market oriented: YES centrist, brokerage policies Afghanistan end date added cultural policies imagery: families, ethnic groups, sweater vest Harper: decisive leader candidates quiet cons%tuent informa%on management system 3
Market oriented: NO threadbare pla]orm ideological: low taxes Conserva%ves, Harper: not likeable, meanspirited too many le^ of centre cri%ques truncated party (e.g., BC, Quebec, NL) Not only do we want to pull Canadians towards conservatism, [but] also Conservatives have to move towards Canadians if they want to continue to govern the country. Source: CBC, Canadians more conservative these days, Harper says. September 13, 2008. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadavotes/story/2008/09/13/harper-nbconservatives.html 4
Sales oriented Green Shi^ defensive posi%oning policies that undo Conserva%ve changes This is Dion website strategy change to feature Liberal team confederal party Liberals in 2008 NDP in 2008 Sales oriented, but more market oriented than before ideological and populist policies but shi^ed to no deficit financing Layton ran to be PM integrated party 5
Bloc québécois in 2008 Sales oriented, but also more market oriented than before na%onalism rather than separa%sm Quebec values Green in 2008 Sales oriented 2000: product oriented sales achievements: cross Canada train tour par%cipa%on in leaders debates 6
Fringe Par%es in 2008 Product oriented very weak product very lidle exposure Opinion Research Spending: Conserva%ves $ Advantage Party Jan Sept 2008 $ raised # contributors Bloc Québécois $524 thousand 6,301 Conservative $14.8 million 125,493 Green $1.1 million 14,256 Liberal $3.6 million 34,752 NDP $3.7 million 43,900 Source: Calculated from parties Quarterly Financial Transaction Returns filed with Elections Canada. Available at www.elections.ca 7
Opinion Research Spending: Conserva%ves Down in 2008 Spending as a % of Expenditure Limit Party 2006 2008 Research Sales Research Sales Bloc Québécois 1.2% 61.4% 3.3% 66.3% Conservative 3.8 66.7 1.4 65.3 Green >0.0 1.3 0.4 9.7 Liberal 5.8 70.3 4.1 52.5 NDP 6.7 52.0 6.5 62.2 Other parties 0.3 0.5 Research: Elections surveys or other surveys or research Sales: radio/tv advertising, other advertising and the leader s tour Source: Calculated from Elections surveys or other surveys or research figures in Part 2 Statement of General Election Expenses filed with Elections Canada. Available at www.elections.ca Poli%cal Marke%ng: Opportuni%es Strong return on investment (ROI) minority governments marginal seats swing voters Value for money: strategic messages via efficient mediums to a segmented electorate 8
Poli%cal Marke%ng: Fallibili%es Marke%ng is just a mechanical form of mass party / pluralism / brokerage poli%cs Dumb to ignore non supporters in close races don t want to ac%vate/mobilize opponents, but: can ac%vate by s%mula%ng anger business model doesn t work Governing par%es have difficulty developing elec%on pla]orms Conclusion 2008 a missed opportunity for Conserva%ves Insufficient change to appeal to some markets (e.g., Quebec) s%ll more market oriented than other par%es, but with ideological undertones 9
Next elec%on: Conserva%ves: Harper s growth poten%al limited Liberals: more market oriented under Igna%eff NDP, Bloc, Green: mostly salesoriented Poli%cal Marke%ng 101 Product oriented: assump%on that quali%es of poli%cal product will sell itself Sales oriented: poli%cal product is promoted, regardless of whether electors like it Marke%ng oriented: market intelligence data used to adjust poli%cal product and communica%ons 10