The power of personal branding in political marketing

Abstract

Introduction: Political marketing plays a pivotal role in contemporary society by serving as a bridge between political leaders and the public, shaping opinions on political, social, and economic issues. The importance of authenticity in political communication is emphasized, with the alignment of a political identity to the values of the electorate being deemed essential. The advent of the internet and social media has introduced innovative tools for political marketing, ranging from social media management to public policy formulation, making it a multidisciplinary field that integrates knowledge from diverse disciplines. In this context, Human Branding has emerged as a significant marketing strategy, particularly relevant in politics, where it focuses on promoting the image of an individual as a core component of the message conveyed. Within the political sphere, this strategy seeks to foster emotional and personal connections with the audience by foregrounding the personality and image of the candidate in campaigns. By accentuating candidates' personal traits, values, and life experiences, Human Branding effectively enhances public perception, a process further magnified by its application on digital platforms. This strategy, frequently employed in the campaigns of populist figures, also facilitates the establishment of enduring and influential relationships between political leaders and their electorate. Beyond electoral cycles, it reinforces the concept of a perpetual campaign, maintaining continuous engagement with the public. Methodology: Building upon this premise, the objective of this study is to examine the impact of digital political marketing strategies, evaluate whether the political content provided aligns with the expectations and needs of the electoral consumer, and assess how political marketing influences the political and social behavior of society. The methodology employed in this research involves exploratory analysis of secondary information sources, including scientific articles, manuals, reports, and other relevant materials. Additionally, a descriptive research approach of a mixed nature (qualitative and quantitative) was adopted, utilizing primary data collected through an online questionnaire administered to a sample (n=200) of the voting population from the most recent national election in their respective country (Portugal/Brazil). Results and main conclusions: This empirical research, grounded in theoretical foundations, yielded significant findings, including the observation that most voters recognize the importance of social networks as a key source for accessing political information and content. Irrespective of their political affiliations, respondents also appear to acknowledge the influence that online political content exerts on voting decisions and their perception of political leadership. The Human Branding approach proves particularly effective in populist campaigns, as it prioritizes the personal image of candidates while relegating the roles of political parties, proposals, and facts to a secondary position. Additionally, it is noteworthy that despite the growing prevalence of misinformation within political content on social networks, respondents exhibit a moderate degree of trust in the information they consume. Nevertheless, they are also aware of the impact that such content and external influences, including the opinions of friends, family members, and digital influencers, have on their perception of political reality.