The Growing Sophistication of Political Marketing: Perspectives from an Emerging Economy

Marketing strategies in political campaigns improve candidates’ image and assist sourcing of funds in matured democracies like the UK and the USA. Similarly, the social media serves as an alternative means of communication where candidates reach out to voters during campaign. These coordinated strategies have also been used by candidates to attract voter attention and generate funds in emerging democracies, indicating a shift in the nature of electoral campaigns through the use of social media. Recent developments in political campaigns in developed and emerging democracies suggest strategic use of social media to influence voters’ and influence donations. The recent Nigerian presidential election witnessed such activities with the APC presidential candidate targeted voters and encouraged campaign donations using the social media. This study attempts to understand the use of social media to generate awareness in winning voters and influence financial donations in an emerging democracy. To achieve this, the study will focus on the just concluded Nigerian presidential election where the social media played a key role in generating brand awareness. A single case study approach is used to focus on the Buhari campaign in the Nigerian 2015 presidential election. The content analysis results suggest the target audience are divided into three groups based on their social and financial status. To attract voters’ attention, the campaign developed a theme ‘change is possible’ with other supporting themes consistent with the party policy. This paper extends previous studies on the political marketing activities by showcasing development of political campaigns. It also offers understanding of the development of fundraising and promotion campaign through the social media in a section of the world that is gradually becoming important at the political and economic level. The paper contributes to understanding the influence of alternative media to generate awareness in political marketing. 

“My Great Kaduna Competition”

Five Year Restoration Plan 2016-2021: Marketing, Branding, and Economic Development Plans in Kaduna State

Introduction: Every country, public sector unit, or company is fighting for market access, investment, talent, and stakeholder support. Kaduna state government needs to recognise the nuances among the several components of development and heed the following tips in order to succeed in the restoration plan. This presentation will highlight key areas as ingredients for economic development and why it is so important and rewarding for emerging economies.

Focus on branding as key to economic recovery and overarching approach: Now don’t get me wrong, when I say branding, there is more to it than a name or logo. Branding takes place from the manufacturer to the supply chain to the consumer. The power of branding is eminent in the private sector, however; there are strong indications that suggest adopting private sector branding techniques enhances market effectiveness in the public sector. Before this can be achieved the government needs to put in place the needed infrastructural facilities that will smooth all the interplay aspects. Hence retail will serve as the focal point to this policy. Retailing by focusing on different aspects of the market from the clothing to commodity brands will provide jobs to the people and offer economic boost to Kaduna state.

Different aspects to this strategy can be applied from local brands to international brands. Attracting local brands can be fairly easy with strategic arrangement between the two businesses. On the other hand, getting the international brands to partner with retailers in franchise dealership will need convincing, especially with the difficult nature of doing business in Nigeria due to issues like poor road network, inefficient distribution chain, poor power supply, and mistrust due to persistent fraudulent activities.

With a population of over 6 Million, who by far are the most familiar with international brands population in the northern part of the country, the state will be a bee hive for international brands. The state needs to adopt the strategy used by other emerging economies that also focused on branding to improve and diversify their economies (i.e. south East Asia and the Middle East). Outsourcing has been going on for decades; there is no reason why Nigeria and indeed Kaduna state should not take advantage of this. Especially in areas like clothing line, computer software and hardware components etc.   

Road network: A good and easy access to different locations within the main towns and other areas needs to be enhanced. Areas that have existing road network like Yakubu Gowon way should be made to have walkways with well-maintained scenery rather than the haphazard state they are in. this will help in boosting investor confidence and beautify the state. As it is moving from one place to another is a difficult task because there is no provision of walkways.

Encourage participation of major players in international retailers in the state: As already witnessed in other states of the country. International retailers especially from Western Europe and America should be encouraged to invest in the country rather than the current focus on South African retailers. This will encourage other brand owners who are eager to establish business in Nigeria to establish franchise dealership with business men of the state.

Modernise security: Another aspect worth noting is the adoption of modern security within the metropolis and other towns. Again, as an emerging economy, states in Nigeria need to ‘copy’ aspects of the more matured economies which are quite available and willing to be offered. Careful monitoring of activities is the best way to prevent crime; hence the state needs to assure investors that their safety is important. Different strategies can be used to ensure this security which will be discussed in other forums, if need be.

Reviving moribund companies: As the state already has companies that are doing business, they should be encouraged to function properly by the state government offering support where necessary. Although major offering for this kind of business is more business to business than consumer, this will offer jobs and add revenue to the state. Companies that were well established earlier like Zaria Pharmaceutical, Kachia Ginger Company and Ikara Tomatoes Company can be a source of revenue to the state.

Conclusion: As emphasized earlier, Kaduna restoration plan (or rather Nigeria as a whole) brings a new set of challenges but also far more opportunities for long-term success. With a population size of over 180 million, the country is a fast-growing market and consumers will only become more brand savvy as time goes on. As brand owners are gradually realising the country’s huge potential, it’s important for states to individually invest in attracting and welcoming brands now to have it pay off in the long run. With these above mentioned points, coupled with success of such strategies in other emerging economies (i.e. south East Asia and the Middle East), branding (i.e. manufacturing, distribution, and wholesale coupled with agents, with robust retail focus and marketing promotions) will push infrastructure, human and economic development in Kaduna State.     

Promoting Low Involvement Products

The question remains, how do marketers promote brands regarded as "low involvement"? These are brands that are very difficult to promote such as milk, stationaries and motor oil to name a few. It is the responsibility of the marketer to create an image of the brand likely to be accepted by consumers in a target market.

The creativity and expertise of marketers in promoting a brand in a convincing way during advertisement messages has been regarded as very impressive. Slogans like "I got milk", "Liquid engineering" have succeeded in drawing consumer interest in those brands regarded as difficult to market. Creativity, a strong spokes person and carefull selection of media if harnessed very well can built a strong brand in markets where differentiation is difficult to achieve.

Advertisement are designed with messages targeting a specific audience. These messages far often than not are desirned to shape or change consumer attitudes, induce action either short term or long term and remembrance of the brand especially at the point of purchase. The choice of medium in which to channel the message is very important. Impersonal medium can reach far wider audience with alot of success, but may not lead to the desired result. Advertisers or rather marketers may have to use personal messages in communicating the positive side (added values) of the brand. 

MOTOR OIL AS A PRODUCT IN DEVELOPING MARKETS FROM B2B TO CONSUMER MARKETS AND ITS IMPACT TO ADVERTISING

MOTOR OIL AS A PRODUCT IN DEVELOPING MARKETS FROM B2B TO CONSUMER MARKETS AND ITS IMPACT TO ADVERTISING.

Motor oil regarded as low involvement products have continued to create consumer interest on the best choice for engine use in the now ever expanding developing economies. Economic, political, and regulatory forces are reshaping the dynamics of lubricants supply and demand throughout the world; hence opportunities to grow this business continue to emerge. Among the developing economies, South Asia, and India are regarded as a key growth market as well as a source of competitively priced lubricants that could eventually affect mature markets. Growing awareness of vehicle emissions as a source of air pollution is driving environmental regulation, which will force commercial fleets across the region to modernize. This in turn will create a small but growing market for higher-performance engine oils, . klinegroupThe use of modern cars with engines that have low carbon emission are constantly been put to use in these economies thereby the need for more improved motor oils to suet new technology.

The motor oil market is divided into three different parts, namely consumer automobile, commercial automobile and industrial automobile, Klinegroup . The passenger car market is subdivided into retail which includes high street accessory shops, forecourts, DIY and supermarkets and workshops which further splits into fast fit operations franchise and non franchise dealers. Each of these segments has a unique role in terms of consumption, consumer behaviour and the type of promotion strategy to apply in each case.

The global outcry for cleaner environment caused by vehicle emissions necessitates the need to improve on the poor fuel quality and vehicles. Vehicle and lubricant manufacturers are continuously improving the design of their engines and quality of their oil to meet these new challenges.

Product marketers within the marketing department must ensure that they meet consumer tastes either in the B2B market or the consumer market. Effective use of brand marketing will enable differentiation from other products and extend it from becoming a commodity.

It is widely believed brand equity plays a big role in customer loyalty due to the customer’s perception, on the contrary, studies have shown that it is brand image that leads to loyalty. The more customers regard a particular brand the better they will stick to it over a long period of time. Brand equity creates brand recognition over a long period of time. Brand equity is subdivided into categories such as brand awareness, brand loyalty, brand association, other proprietary brand associations and perceived quality. To differentiate a brand from competitors, a reliable and strong corporate brand needs to be developed. When customers judge a brand as unique, desirable and strong, they rate it as high brand equity.

Some might argue that advertising is deceptive and a waste of shareholders money, but studies have shown advertising can induce sales to a large extent especially in established brands. The need to beat competitors in a similar product line necessitates the need for advertising. Organisations undertake advertising mainly for brand maintenance, loyalty and ensure an existing level of sales.

A popular notion is that advertising persuades people to buy things such as the theory of awareness, interest, desire and desire (AIDA), this might seem true in new entry brands but it seems highly unlikely in established brands where consumers must have already used the brand before seeing the advert.

In any economy, whether developed or developing, product innovation has always been copied by competitors hence this always seems to be a cause of concern to manufacturers. However to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage advertising is used through branding and differentiation. Branding values are constantly promoted in the media distinguishing one product from another making it easier for consumers to distinguish differences between competitors.