Consumer Democracy
The Marketing of Politics

This book argues that marketing is inherent in competitive democracy, explaining how we can make the consumer nature of competitive democracy better and more democratic.

Margaret Scammell (Author)

9780521836685, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 10 February 2014

240 pages
21.8 x 14 x 2 cm, 0.39 kg

'Scammell's outstanding book introduces marketing theory, with a particular focus on branding theory, to political researchers who may otherwise be unfamiliar with its concepts and framework. Scammell skillfully lays out the logic behind these theories and applies them to political campaigns, offering valuable insight. She then presents a normative argument encouraging the acceptance of political marketing while acknowledging the misgivings of many observers.' Kyle Mattes, Political Communication

This book argues that marketing is inherent in competitive democracy, explaining how we can make the consumer nature of competitive democracy better and more democratic. Margaret Scammell argues that consumer democracy should not be assumed to be inherently antithetical to 'proper' political discourse and debate about the common good. Instead, Scammell argues that we should seek to understand it - to create marketing-literate criticism that can distinguish between democratically good and bad campaigns, and between shallow, cynical packaging and campaigns that at least aspire to be responsive, engender citizen participation, and enable accountability. Further, we can take important lessons from commercial marketing: enjoyment matters; what citizens think and feel matters; and, just as in commercial markets, structure is key - the type of political marketing will be affected by the conditions of competition.

Preface: the US presidential election of 2012
Introduction
1. Political marketing: why it matters
2. Political marketers: who are they and what do they think they are doing?
3. Political brands: the latest stage of political marketing and the case of Tony Blair
4. George W. Bush: the ultimate brand?
5. Campaigning effects: how do they know what works?
6. Citizen consumers, political marketing and democracy
Conclusion: hope not fear.

Subject Areas: Comparative politics [JPB], Media studies [JFD]