Political marketing and British political parties 1st edition is internationally renowned for showing the true nature of how parties win elections; acting like businesses to develop a product. However political marketing is not an easy exercise. The 2nd edition provides an updated and more in-depth exploration of the pros and cons of the marketing approach, utilizing fresh analysis of the recent 2001 and 2005 elections to provide further illustration of the practical reality of marketing politics. It re-presents the influential theory of market, sales and product-oriented parties, discussing the potential and the limits of consumerism and the need to blend business concepts with traditional understanding of politics. Blair’s New Labour Government provides lessons on what to avoid as well as what to copy in terms of delivery, maintaining market intelligence and the effect of changing to a leadership approach going against not just country but party. The Conservatives in opposition shows how the best intentions of party leaders to implement a market-orientation can be thwarted by internal resistance and traditional party elites. Current leaders would be wise to heed these new lessons as well as revisit past successes and failure to appreciate that whilst political marketing has potential, it will only be realized if they truly understand the full complexity of the market-oriented approach. Providing a more reflective and critical analysis, the 2nd edition offers a more nuanced discussion on how parties the world over can not only win elections but govern successfully.

The book was published in August 2008, see: http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/catalogue/book.asp?id=2637

Contents

 
1. The Political Market and Political Marketing
2. Thatcher the Marketing Pioneer
3. The death of political conviction: how voters rejected product-oriented parties
4. You can’t sell politicians like soap powder
5. Mis-Marketing the Conservatives in 2005
6. Blair and the New Labour design: a classic market-oriented party?
7. Marketing in opposition: the importance of leadership, internal marketing and management
8. Marketing in government: New Labour 1997-2005
9. A Political Marketing democracy?