ABSTRACT
The growth of advertising during election campaigns is a global phenomenon and is used widely to promote party policy, issues and candidate images (Dermody and Scullion 2001; Newman and Sheth 1985). There is little doubt that the use of paid advertising by political parties has grown to be a potent weapon in their campaign arsenal. In terms of dollars spent, advertising has become a major budget component in election campaigns and a dominant force in the political marketplace. At a practical level, the electoral outcomes for parties and their candidates can hinge on understanding voters’ needs and wants (O’Cass 1996) and communicating with them through political advertising in an effective manner. However, political advertising has both substantial economic and social costs associated with its use.
