AWA: Academic Writing at Auckland

This case study applies Claire Robinson’s theory of market orientation in political advertisements[1] to Barack Obama’s campaign advertisements for the 2012 presidential election. Robinson’s underlying principle is that political advertisements should be voter-oriented.[2] There are five principles within Robinson’s framework, which are: target audience identification; sensing and responding to voter needs; maintenance of relationships with core supporters; offers in exchange for party votes and competitor orientation.[3] This case study applies these principles to two videos from YouTube that are being used as part of Obama’s campaign advertisements for the 2012 election.[4] Obama’s political advertisements are found to effectively demonstrate the aforementioned principles and thus demonstrate strong voter-orientation.

Target audience identification

The first criterion of Robinson’s principle of market-orientated political advertising is that political parties should include images of their core and potential voters and their environment in their political advertisements. [5]

Barack Obama’s advertisement for the 2012 election effectively demonstrates the aforementioned criteria. Obama’s core supporters are African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, women and students.[6] Each of these groups and their environments are featured in Obama’s video advertisements.[7] Their environments (or symbols thereof) include church, the American flag, children playing in their homes with their families, people at work and so on.[8] The advantage of identifying core and potential voters is that it makes the advertisement look authentic. Supporters of Obama need to be able to relate to the people that are featured in the and this advertisement effectively demonstrates this.[9] For example, someone who has children has a good chance of being able to relate to the families in the video. The benefit of this authenticity is that the voters featured in the video might influence other Obama supporters. 

Sense and Response to Voter Needs

The second criterion is that the party senses the needs of and responds to their core voters in their advertising messages.[10] Robinson suggests that a political candidate should, for example, interact with core supporters and when doing so should use words that signify togetherness—words such as ‘we’ and ‘our’[11]. The political party needs to understand and respond to voters concerns and demonstrate that they are in touch with and listening to the voters.[12]

Obama’s advertisement effectively illustrates his sense of what the voters need and addresses their concerns.[13] Firstly, in the video that features only the core voters, one supporter emphasises the shared needs of their community and outlines some concerns.[14] She emphasises that as a community they all want their children to attend school, they want jobs and they want opportunities to be available for them and for their children.[15] Secondly, there is constant use of inclusive language such as ‘we’, which illustrates togetherness.[16] Although Obama is not in this advertisement and Robinson does note that the leader should interact with their core voters[17], it can be argued that this advertisement is as effective without Obama—the implicit message is that Obama is listening to his core target voters and that he would listen to anyone that votes for him. In the advertisement that Obama is in, he effectively demonstrates his sense of voter concerns, he responds to these concerns and he effectively uses words of togetherness.[18] For example, he acknowledged that he understands that his supporters have been frustrated with the slow progress of his promise for change[19]. He responds to this by turning negative frustration into positive frustration, re-encouraging his supporters to keep supporting him as they move forward together.[20]  

Voter relations management

The third criterion is that the political party should use their advertisements to illustrate that they have maintained a loyal relationship with their core voters.[21] The advertisements should show party history and myth and should illustrate consistent leadership—it should reinforce how the leader has kept previous promises.[22]

In the first video, which features the core voters, a woman talks about how no one believed Obama could win in the 2008 election,[23] emphasising the history and myth of Obama. There is also a lot of emphasis put on change and hope, which were themes in the 2008 election—this highlights Obama’s consistent message.[24] Furthermore, Obama’s logo of change and hope from the 2008 election is shown in the advertisement, which is effective as an image that is recognisable to voters.[25] In the video advertisement that features Obama by himself, he illustrates that he has delivered on his promises.[26] For example, he delivered on his promises related to health care and the economy, and he provided jobs.  What makes it effective is that he does not take the credit for these delivered promises; he credits his supporters and says that he could not have delivered on his promises without their support.[27]   

 

Offer in exchange

The fourth criterion is offer in exchange.[28] Robinson notes that ‘voters will exchange their vote for the party or candidate that will offer the most value and best meet their needs’.[29] The party should ask voters to vote for them.[30]

In the first video, his supporters explicitly say that Obama is the best candidate and will offer the best value, meeting their needs. [31] One supporter says that there are a lot more issues that need to be addressed and they want Obama to address them.[32] This suggests that Obama is the only candidate that is equipped to address the issues. Furthermore, Obama is offering to continue his leadership and in exchange, he promises to continue following through on his promise of change in Washington politics. Moreover, the party vote is explicitly asked for. The first video starts by asking the question, ‘Are you in?’ and Obama echoes this in his video, saying that he hopes to reengage with all his supporters.[33]    

Competition Orientation

The final criterion is that the political party should address the threat the opposition party presents.[34] A market leader should show that they want to increase their market; they should introduce new polices, for example, to attract new voters. They should also defend their market share.[35]

Obama’s advertisements implicitly demonstrate that the Republican party are a threat to Obama. For example, one supporter says that he has to be involved in the campaign 'because there is just too much that is fundamentally important right now'; another says this is an election that they have to win.[36] There is clear evidence that Obama and the Democratic Party want to increase their market share. The Democratic Party’s goal is to 'reconnect with long-time supporters and inspire new ones to join...', suggesting that they aim to appeal to new voters.[37]

Lessons for Political Marketing

Claire Robinson claims that a Party that shows a strong voter orientation in their political advertisements will achieve their election goal.[38] However, this may not be the case for Obama—the evidence suggests that whether or not Obama gets a second term will be dependent on whether the economy improves.[39] If the economy does not improve, Obama may not be re-elected, despite illustrating his strong voter orientation in his political advertisements.[40] However, this in itself does not raise any serious concerns. What does raise serious concerns is the impact political advertisements can have on democracy.

Firstly, political parties/candidates use market intelligence to identify the needs and concerns of voters; they then position themselves based on this.[41] This makes it difficult to know if the political candidate is genuinely concerned about the needs of the voters.   

Secondly, political advertisements appeal to voters’ emotions.[42] Both of Obama’s advertisements attempt to connect with voters emotionally.[43] Appealing to emotions can be manipulative[44] and can limit voters ability to think rationally about serious policy issues.

Thirdly, political advertisements tend to be negative. [45] Although Obama’s advertisements were not negative, the Republican Party’s advertisements are purely negative.[46] Their focus is on undermining Obama’s leadership and their ultimate goal is to ensure that Obama does not get re-elected.[47] This undermines the voter’s ability to make reasonable judgments about Obama and it fosters a distrust of Obama.

However, political advertisements can have some positive effects on democracy. Although it raises some concerns, the market orientation aspect of advertising can be positive if the political party’s advertisements are honest, credible and genuine and not manipulative. [48]

 

 

 

References

 

Alexander Braun, Anna Matuskova "Czech Republic: Social Democrats Strike Back ". In Political Marketing : Principles and Applications by Jennifer Lees- Marshment. London and New York Routledge 2009.

"Democrats ".  http://www.democrats.org/about/our_leaders (accessed 30 May, 2011).

Marshment, Jennifer Lees-. "Marketing Communications and Campaigns ". Chap. 7 In Political Marketing: Principles and Applications 162-78. London and New York Routledge 2009.

"Nearly Half of Us Think New Recession Is Coming: Poll." CNBC 2011.

Obama, Barack. "Obama 2012 Strategy Briefing "  http://www.youtube.com/user/BarackObamadotcom#p/u/4/PH0fiMGvW2k  (accessed 30 May, 2011).

Phillippe De Vries, Christ'l De Landtsheer, Soetkin Kesteloot. "Image Supremacy? Lifting the Veil in Belgium ". In Political Marketing: Principles and Applications  by Jennifer Lees- Marshment. 179-85 London and New York Routledge 2009.

Robinson, Claire. "Market-Oriented Politcal Advertising in the 2005 New Zealand Election." In Political Marketing: Principles and Applications edited by Jennifer Lees- Marshment. 192-93. London and New York Routledge, 2009.

Robinson, Claire. "Political Advertising and the Demonstration of Market Orientation ". European Journal of Marketing 44, no. 3/4 (2010): 451-59.

Robinson, Claire. "'Vote for Me': Political Advertising ". Chap. 5 In Informing Voters? Parties, Media and the New Zealand Election 2008 edited by Janine Hayward Chris Rudd, Groffrey Craig 74-89 New Zealand Pearson, 2009.

YouTube. "Barack Obama 2012 Campaign Launch Video- "It Begins with Us" ", 2011.

YouTube. "Message from Barack Obama: "Time to  Begin Again' ", 2011.

YouTube. "President Barack Obama's First Ad of 2012 ", 2011.

 

 

Bibliography

Alexander Braun, Anna Matuskova "Czech Republic: Social Democrats Strike Back ". In Political Marketing : Principles and Applications  by Jennifer Lees- Marshment. London and New York Routledge 2009.

"Democrats ".  http://www.democrats.org/about/our_leaders (accessed 30 May,2011)

Edwards, Bryce. "Political Advertising in the 2008 Nz Election "  http://www.liberation.org.nz/ (accessed 30 May, 2011)

"Election Results 2008." CNN 2008.

Kaye, Kate. "Obama's 2012 Web Campaign Aims to Re-Energize and Retarget."  http://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/2040788/obamas-2012-web-campaign-aims-energize-retarget  (accessed 30 May, 2011)

Lloyd, Jenny. "Keeping Both the Baby and the Bathwater: Scoping a New Model of Political Marketing Communication." International Review on Public and non- Profit  Marketing 6, no. 2 (2009): 119-35

Marshment, Jennifer Lees-. "Marketing Communications and Campaigns ". Chap. 7 In Political Marketing: Principles and Applications 162-78. London and New York Routledge 2009.

"Nearly Half of Us Think New Recession Is Coming: Poll." CNBC 2011.

Obama, Barack. "Obama 2012 Strategy Briefing "  http://www.youtube.com/user/BarackObamadotcom#p/u/4/PH0fiMGvW2k (accessed 16 May, 2011)

Phillippe De Vries, Christ'l De Landtsheer, Soetkin Kesteloot. "Image Supremacy? Lifting the Veil in Belgium ". In Political Marketing: Principles and Applications edited by Jennifer Lees- Marshment. 179-85 London and New York Routledge 2009.

Robinson, Claire. "Market-Oriented Politcal Advertising in the 2005 New Zealand Election." In Political Marketing: Principles and Applications edited by Jennifer Lees- Marshment. 192-93. London and New York Routledge, 2009.

Robinson, Claire. "Political Advertising and the Demonstration of Market Orientation ". European Journal of Marketing 44, no. 3/4 (2010): 451-59

Robinson, Claire. "'Vote for Me': Political Advertising ". Chap. 5 In Informing Voters? Parties, Media and the New Zealand Election 2008 edited by Janine Hayward Chris Rudd, Groffrey Craig 74-89 New Zealand Pearson, 2009.

Tapper, Jake. "Third Party Groups under Fire for Big Spending in Mid-Term Elections " ABC News, 2010.

YouTube. "Barack Obama 2012 Campaign Launch Video- "It Begins with Us" ", 2011.

YouTube. "Message from Barack Obama: "Time to  Begin Again' ", 2011.

YouTube. "President Barack Obama's First Ad of 2012 ", 2011.

 

 

 

 

[1] Claire Robinson, "'Vote for Me': Political Advertising " in Informing Voters? Parties, Media and the New Zealand Election 2008 ed. Janine Hayward Chris Rudd, Groffrey Craig (New Zealand Pearson, 2009); ibid; Claire Robinson, "Political Advertising and the demonstration of Market Orientation " European Journal of Marketing 44, no. 3/4 (2010). 

[2] Claire Robinson, "Market-Oriented Politcal Advertising in the 2005 New Zealand Election," in Political Marketing: Principles and Applications ed. Jennifer Lees- Marshment (London and New York Routledge, 2009).

[3] Robinson, "'Vote for Me': Political Advertising " 78-79.

[4] YouTube, "Message from Barack Obama: "Time to  begin again' " (2011); YouTube, "Barack Obama 2012 Campaign Launch Video- "It Begins with Us" " (2011).

[5] Robinson, "Political Advertising and the demonstration of Market Orientation " 453.

[6] "Democrats ",  http://www.democrats.org/about/our_leaders (accessed May 30, 2011).

[7] YouTube, "Barack Obama 2012 Campaign Launch Video- "It Begins with Us" ".

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Robinson, "'Vote for Me': Political Advertising " 78.

[11] Ibid., 78.

[12] Robinson, "Political Advertising and the demonstration of Market Orientation " 453.

[13] YouTube, "Barack Obama 2012 Campaign Launch Video- "It Begins with Us" "; YouTube, "Message from Barack Obama: "Time to  begin again' ".

[14] YouTube, "Barack Obama 2012 Campaign Launch Video- "It Begins with Us" ".

[15] Ibid.

[16] Robinson, "Political Advertising and the demonstration of Market Orientation " 454.

[17] Ibid., 454.

[18] YouTube, "Message from Barack Obama: "Time to  begin again' ".

[19] Ibid.

[20] Ibid.

[21] Robinson, "'Vote for Me': Political Advertising " 79.

[22] ‘ibid., 79.

[23] YouTube, "Barack Obama 2012 Campaign Launch Video- "It Begins with Us" ".

[24] Ibid.

[25] Ibid.

[26] Ibid.

[27] YouTube, "Message from Barack Obama: "Time to  begin again' ".

[28] Robinson, "Political Advertising and the demonstration of Market Orientation " 454.

[29] Robinson, "Market-Oriented Politcal Advertising in the 2005 New Zealand Election," 454.

[30] Ibid., 454.

[31] YouTube, "Message from Barack Obama: "Time to  begin again' ".

[32] YouTube, "Barack Obama 2012 Campaign Launch Video- "It Begins with Us" ".

[33] YouTube, "Message from Barack Obama: "Time to  begin again' ".

[34] Robinson, "Market-Oriented Politcal Advertising in the 2005 New Zealand Election," 455.

[35] Robinson, "Political Advertising and the demonstration of Market Orientation " 452.

[36] YouTube, "Barack Obama 2012 Campaign Launch Video- "It Begins with Us" ".

[37] Barack Obama, "Obama 2012 Strategy Briefing "  http://www.youtube.com/user/BarackObamadotcom#p/u/4/PH0fiMGvW2k (accessed 30 May, 2011).

[38] Robinson, "Market-Oriented Politcal Advertising in the 2005 New Zealand Election."; Robinson, "'Vote for Me': Political Advertising ".

[39] "Nearly half of US think new recession is coming: Poll," CNBC 2011.

[40] Ibid.

[41] Christ'l De Landtsheer Phillippe De Vries, Soetkin Kesteloot, "Image Supremacy? Lifting the Veil in Belgium " in Political Marketing: Principles and Applications ed. Jennifer Lees- Marshment (London and New York Routledge 2009), 179; Anna Matuskova  Alexander Braun, "Czech Republic: Social Democrats strike back " in Political Marketing : Principles and Applications ed. Jennifer Lees- Marshment (London and New York Routledge 2009).

[42] Jennifer Lees- Marshment, "Marketing Communications and Campaigns " in Political Marketing: Principles and Applications (London and New York Routledge 2009), 164.

[43] YouTube, "Message from Barack Obama: "Time to  begin again' "; YouTube, "Barack Obama 2012 Campaign Launch Video- "It Begins with Us" ".

[44] Marshment, "Marketing Communications and Campaigns " 175.

[45] YouTube, "President Barack Obama's First Ad of 2012 " (2011). –  Republican negative Advertisement

[46] Ibid.

[47] Ibid.

[48] Marshment, "Marketing Communications and Campaigns " 175.