ABSTRACT
Political marketing is a fundamental part of political life. Just as the practical impact of political marketing on governing, policymaking, party politics and electioneering is deep, wide and ongoing, so is its potential democratic impact. Political marketing raises many ethical questions, but its democratic impact is multifaceted, varied and depends on how political practitioners choose to use the tools and concepts that marketing offers. As an area of academic research, practice and teaching, political marketing is a modern and dynamic field seeking to understand, learn from, comment on and even influence practitioner behaviour. Applicable to the real world, political marketing attracts students who want to explore a subject they can use after graduation. Political marketing offers a range of tools and approaches, and how these are used varies depending on the nature of the organisation or practitioner’s goals, market and product. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
