Political Branding Strategies: Campaigning and Governing in Australian Politics

Author: Lorann Downer

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan UK

Book Series : Palgrave Studies in Political Marketing and Management

Part of: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Frontmatter

1. Introduction

Abstract

Political branding is increasingly used as a strategy for campaigning and governing in western democracies. This book tells the story of branding by the Australian Labor Party across seven years, three general elections and two leaders. Labor’s branding campaign ahead of the 2007 federal election was sophisticated and successful. But just six years later, Labor was again abandoned by voters. In between, two personal brands had been created and destroyed, and the party brand had been severely damaged. This is a story of skilful use of comprehensive branding strategies and costly disregard of basic branding principles. Using a new framework, it weaves together insider insight and independent evaluation to offer an account of the creation and management of political brands.

Lorann Downer

2. Understanding and Evaluating Political Branding

Abstract

In brand-saturated western societies, parties and politicians increasingly present as brands and voters increasingly treat them as brands. This chapter considers why political branding is attractive. It offers a new framework to understand and evaluate political branding, including the Brand-Oriented Party Model. The framework guides the discussion as six senior campaigners talk about Australian Labor’s federal election campaigns of 2007 and 2010. Together, their insights and the framework will be used to study selected communications to evaluate how, and how well, Labor undertook branding between 2007 and 2013.

Lorann Downer

3. Crafting and Crashing Kevin07

Abstract

Australian Labor and Kevin Rudd ran a sophisticated and disciplined co-branding campaign, featuring the charismatic Kevin07, which carried them into office in November 2007. Drawing on campaigner insights, a new evaluation framework and selected communications, this chapter considers the brand strategy and some of the key tactics used by Labor. It finds that both the leader and party brands were carefully evolved and presented throughout the year, but that brand discipline dissolved during Rudd’s first term in office. The deal-breaker was when Rudd effectively walked away from action on the brand-defining issue of climate change, leaving voters with a serious case of post-purchase dissonance. Labor’s brand also suffered because it was closely linked to Rudd’s. Labor failed to maintain a branding campaign throughout the electoral cycle and failed to retain voter support; Rudd paid the price with his leadership.

Lorann Downer

4. Desperately Seeking The Real Julia

Abstract

Australian Labor and Julia Gillard sought a branding approach for the 2010 election campaign, but struggled with fall-out from the removal of Rudd, the rush to the polls, a hostile environment and some own goals. Drawing on campaigner insights, a new evaluation framework and selected communications, this chapter considers the brand approach and some of the key tactics used by Labor. The campaign had strategic intent but was unevenly executed, most notably when Gillard declared she was unleashing ‘the real Julia’. In Gillard’s second term, brand discipline quickly declined. The leader and party brands suffered severe damage and, facing dire polls, Labor restored Rudd to the leadership in mid-2013. Rudd Redux had some of the echoes but little of the discipline of the Kevin07 campaign. At the 2013 election, Labor was dumped from office.

Lorann Downer

5. The Lessons of Branded Politics

Abstract

The story of Australian Labor’s political branding strategies, while campaigning and governing has insights for practitioners, researchers and citizens in every democracy. This chapter offers some specific conclusions from the case studies of the Kevin07 and The Real Julia campaigns. It also offers several broader lessons for other similar political systems. Overall, it urges practitioners, researchers and citizens alike to engage with political branding.

Lorann Downer

6. Afterword

Abstract

The book concludes with perspectives on the current and future practice of political branding from former Australian Labor Party campaign practitioner, Mike Kaiser. Drawing on 30 years’ experience, Kaiser argues branding will more overtly influence politics because of the great advantages it offers. But first, he says, practitioners must overcome distrust about the use of branding, and consciously develop and apply branding skills.

Mike Kaiser

Backmatter

Title: Political Branding Strategies: Campaigning and Governing in Australian Politics
Author: Lorann Downer
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan UK
Electronic ISBN: 978-1-137-58029-0
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-84558-3
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137580290

Springer Professional

Political Branding Strategies: Campaigning and Governing in Australian Politics

Table of Contents

Frontmatter

1. Introduction

2. Understanding and Evaluating Political Branding

3. Crafting and Crashing Kevin07

4. Desperately Seeking The Real Julia

5. The Lessons of Branded Politics

6. Afterword

Backmatter

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