Expert: Sean Trapani - 9/23/2006

Question
Hello

It is possible that my question wouldn't be related to your specialty, but certainly your recommendation would be very useful and helpful for me.

As you already know there are several elections in all countries, such as president election and parliament election. And within 3 months, in my country-IRAN- city council election will be held. Of course it is not as important as the president election, but so many people candidate themselves for this election and as it will be held in all of the cities and even villages, it is a very good market for publicity companies.

These companies for candidate propaganda, apply some methods such as poster and brochures printing, but certainly the company will be more successful who applies new methods and designs.

I have a small publicity office in which I design posters, do photography and film taking,.. and I am very keen to get familiar with the propaganda methods in your country which are certainly more modern and attractive and maybe I would have the opportunity to apply those methods in my office.

I would like to ask you to kindly advise me about the methods I can apply in this propaganda for this election .Of course my inquiry is not related to expensive T.V. advertisement, Because I can not afford them .In fact I'm looking for economic but effective methods.

I will be very glad to have the pleasure of hearing your opinions, whatever it would be, I am sure that would be very helpful and useful for me. Besides if you know any related web-site, please kindly introduce it to me.
I appreciate you in advance for your kind consideration.

Regards
Shahram Ashkani


Answer
Hello, Shahram

I am not a political marketing professional. But I can share with you a few of the things I've picked up along the way.


1) MESSAGE: Marketing a person or a product is the same in one respect: people are persuaded by their desires and/or their fears. What does your candidate stand for? Anchor your candidate to stand for ONE, MAIN IDEA...This is especially true when it comes to a person's fear of losing something they already have and value.

2) IMAGE: People are visual creatures - if you have a flattering photograph of your candidate, then use it - if not, keep their photograph off of your marketing materials. The idea they stand for might be more attractive than what your candidate actually looks like (shallow, I know...but that's marketing).

3) WEB: Use the Web. In the USA, the Web is a major (and inexpensive means) of connecting with people. Maybe you could create blog's for your candidates where they can post their thoughts daily and answer questions from potential voters.

4) PUBLIC RELATIONS: Use the local media to get as much "free" publicity as you can. Try and develop a relationship with local news reporters - let them know that your candidate is available to them to answer questions. If your candidate is not a very good writer, hire someone who is to help the candidate form their thoughts in print.

These are a few basic techniques commonly used by political candidates in the country. I am probably not telling you anything you haven't heard before, but I wanted to share the few things from the field that I did know.

Good luck in your local elections. Oh, and by the way..."propaganda," as a word, is not very flattering in this country. It suggests something dishonest. But the key to good marketing/advertising is not deception - it's digging deep to find and celebrate a desireable truth.

Take care,


Sean Trapani