The Ministry of Public Input (2015)

  • ‘A novel study which breaks important new ground’; ‘an ambitious work’; a ‘careful and interesting analysis of the different stages of collecting public opinion on policy and converting it into the policy process’; ‘a thoughtful and judicious analysis of the different literatures: leadership, policy-making deliberative democracy, marketing’ (reader report)
  • Book review in Public Administration 94(1): 280-282:
    • ‘it is not only the combination of data sources that provides interesting results. The research approach used to analyse the data also contributes to this…The result is an extensive overview of best practices, frequently supported by examples from the five countries. This makes the book a pleasant and accessible read to a broader audience than scholars alone.’
    • ‘The hypotheses formulated throughout the book – which are useful input for further research – and the concluding recommendations seem to emerge from the data in a logical way.’
    • ‘Lees-Marshment has done a great job in providing more understanding of the mechanisms behind the integration of public input…important answers are delivered’
  • ‘This is a very timely and important contribution to the increasingly urgent debate regarding the revitalisation of democracy. The author demonstrates the all-too-rare academic leadership that not only provides a powerful bridge between theory and practice but also navigates the frustrating divides that mysteriously persist between the fields of political theory, public administration, political leadership and political marketing’ (Endorsement from Professor Brad Jackson, Head of School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand)

 Political marketing in the United States (2014)

  • ‘Underlines the importance of marketing to almost every facet of politics before providing in depth analysis of practically every aspect including: voter targeting, database management, social media practice, celebrity endorsement, fundraising, branding and advertising.’ (Chartered Institute of Public Relations/Benedict Pringle, September 2014)
  • ‘Lees-Marshment, Conley, and Cosgrove have made an enormous contribution to our understanding of political marketing, not just by bringing together prominent scholars all addressing an emerging and critical trend in American politics, but by offering us a coherent definition of how marketing in politics differs from mere campaign communications.’ (endorsement by Christopher Arterton, founder of the Graduate School of Political Management, George Washington University)
  • ‘A very welcome addition to the study of campaigns, elections, political communications, and governance. It provides us with solid writing on a variety of topics critical to how candidates and elected officials cope with the enormous task of reaching out and communicating with like-minded individuals. I commend Jennifer Lees-Marshment, Brian M. Conley, and Kenneth Cosgrove for assembling an experienced and distinguished group of communications and marketing specialists who offer us the latest understanding of the complexities of American politics, including campaigns and elections but also public policy, political leadership, and governance’ (foreword by Dennis W. Johnson, George Washington University)
  • ‘Hits on an increasingly important aspect of politics – both in the United States and beyond – and confronts numerous important dimensions’ (reader reports)
  • ‘A must-have-on-your-shelf volume for scholars who study political marketing, political communications and campaign management’ (reader reports)

Political Marketing: Principles and Applications 2nd edition (2014)

  • ‘A comprehensive, one-stop guide to the discipline of political marketing. The case studies are fresh, covering recent campaigns across the globe, and the scholarship is impeccable.’ (endorsement by Travis N. Ridout, Thomas S. Foley Distinguished Professor of Government and Public Policy, Washington State University, USA)
  • ‘Lees-Marshment’s Political Marketing is authoritative and accessible, combining rich analysis with case studies added by practitioners and academics’ (endorsement by Dr Darren G. Lilleker, Bournemouth University, UK)
  • Political marketing is a must have textbook. It synthesises politics and marketing theory and experience to explain simply and clearly the concept and practice of political marketing’ (endorsement by Dr Nigel Jackson, Reader in Persuasion and Communication, Plymouth University, UK)

Political marketing in Canada (2012)

  • ‘A collection of sophisticated, learned research…The contributors to this book…have charted that trajectory of politics out of academia into the marketplace, and then bounced it back into the ivory tower for rigorous, researched analysis.’ (review in The Literary Review of Canada June 2012 ‘The Shopping Aisles of Democracy: New insights into the consumer approach to campaigning and governance’)
  • ‘Publication is particularly desirable because the political-marketing approach has hardly been represented in the past literature of Canadian politics’ ‘This volume does not position itself as a text on political marketing (i.e. explaining the basic concepts to the reader), but rather as a political marketing analysis of Canadian politics.’ (reader reports)
  • ‘An important and innovative book, especially given that the political marketing approach has hardly been represented in the literature of Canadian politics. It will introduce Canadian political scientists to a valuable new perspective that will spark a new generation of research.” (endorsement by Professor Tom Flanagan, University of Calgary)
  • ‘Accessibly written, it will also have a wider appeal — among journalists, politicians, policy makers, and those working in think tanks.” (endorsement by Professor Walter Wymer, University of Lethbridge)
  • ‘A timely insight into how the modern political realm really works at a number of critical levels. No longer is federal or provincial politicking in this country simply a matter of projecting the right personal image or out-muscling one’s opponents on the issues in a run-up to an election. Nothing in this intensely competitive world is now left to chance as explained in this collection of well-written, research-based, highly-analytical essays.’ (www.amazon.ca 2012)

The Political Marketing Game (2011)

  • ‘Lees-Marshment offers sagacious views on, inter alia, the importance of investing in detailed research and acting on the uncomfortable findings, building and maintaining a strong political organisation, providing vision and principle, and offering clear, simple and deliverable pledges…her book provides a wealth of insights into political marketing and merits a place on the bookshelves of political scientists as well as practitioners’ (Political Studies Review 2014 12(1): 133 by Tim Haughton, Reader at Birmingham University)
  • ‘The Political Marketing Game by Jennifer Lees-Marshment is about as thorough an analysis of a discipline, regarded as much an art as it is a science, that one could ever hope for…Lees-Marshment combines 100 interviews (over 5 years of research, across 5 western liberal democracies) of heavy weight political marketing practitioners with her keen understanding of the wealth of existing academic literature on the subject. Undoubtedly, the highlights of the book are the musings of communication directors, political representatives, pollsters and strategists including (amongst many others) Alastair Campbell, Iain Duncan Smith and Philip Gould, on their various electoral battles…This is a hugely informative study on an important field that is changing and developing at an extraordinary rate (Review by Progress magazine, March 2011; http://www.progressonline.org.uk/articles/article.asp?a=7839)
  • ‘Provides an in-depth overview of modern practices and developments in political marketing…utilizes extensive interviews from a wide-range of people involved in political marketing, including important advisors to leaders such as George W. Bush, Tony Blair and Stephen Harper…the partnership democracy theory presented in the final sections is most interesting. The author argues that political marketing, which is essentially deliberative in character, is enhancing democracy….voters are…provided with opportunities to not only express opinions but provide solutions…a viable partnership is being forged, improving the relationship between the public and politicians and advancing democracy in the process’ (Review by the LSE British Politics and Policy blog January 2012)
  • ‘This is a timely and extremely important book and must be published as soon as practical as it will set new standards for the discipline and makes the critically important area of political marketing understandable and accessible to students and academics. This is a great text and the author should be congratulated on the quality and depth of her work. This book is ground breaking…it will be a must have text and markets for it will be wide as its reach is truly international… the potential to be “the book” in the area’ (reader report)

 Global Political Marketing (2010)

  • ‘The chapters offer an interesting overview of how marketing is both a feature of politics across disparate national contexts as well as illustrating how marketing concepts can be used to explain political behavior…In terms of testing the extent to which systemic factors influence political behavior, this offers useful Insights…this is a valuable addition to understanding how marketing is used as a strategic tool, and what systemic factors act as drivers of marketization.’ (Book review by Darren Lilleker, The International Journal of Press/Politics, 2012)
  • ‘This classification provides clean ways of conceptualizing an otherwise complex continuum of political marketing positions’ (Book review by Mark Hannah, International Journal of Communication 7 2013, pp. 648-650)

 Political Marketing: principles and applications (2009)

  • ‘A very solid and concise piece of a much needed work; it comprehensively covers the main issues facing the field…Starting with general theory and then using case studies to explain and support the theory make the content clear and interesting for the reader…the practitioner quotes are excellent…[they] emphasize the practical approach of the discipline’ (reader reports)
  • ‘An exceptional, much-needed study on political marketing.  Its mixture of marketing theory, applied politics, and pithy case studies makes this an invaluable addition to our understanding of campaigns, elections, and politicking.’ (Endorsement by Professor Dennis W. Johnson, George Washington University)
  • ‘The innovative work’ (Review of the political marketing field by Harris, P. and A. Lock 2010. ‘Mind the Gap: the rise of political marketing and a perspective on its future agenda.’ European Journal of Marketing Vol 44).
  • ‘One unique and important feature of the book is that each chapter includes a range of case studies and vignettes that explore the practice of political marketing. These offer a global perspective and so give the book wide application for an international audience.’ (Book review by Darren Lilleker, Journal of Marketing Management 2013 vol 11-12, p- 1432-4)

Political marketing in comparative perspective (2005)

  • ‘The Lees-Marshment model… is concise and very elegant and…convincingly illuminates New Labour’s genesis…. the model…is clearly a valuable heuristic device…the authors are not afraid to address the weaknesses in their model and remain remarkably open as to its general utility or even to the question of whether political marketing can ever provide even partial solutions to key problems for liberal democracies.’ (Party Politics 13 2007)
  • ‘Pioneering collection…shows that the introductory phase of fashionable and loose usage of marketing jargon in political science is over. The key terms – products, market and goals – are tested so as to both broaden understanding of them and to set limits to their utilisation…The book points to substantial questions: the nature of the relationships between voter, party member, party leadership and the government in the sense of responsiveness, effectiveness and the unfolding of politics and policy through time. The way it provokes these questions makes it well worth reading, whether by party politics specialists or other political scientists.’ (Political Studies Review 4/2 2006)

The Political Marketing Revolution (2004)

  • ‘It’s clarity and energy certainly align with real factors in the way politics is now conducted and perceived.’ (Parliamentary Affairs 52/2)

Political Marketing and British Political Parties: The Party’s Just Begun (2001)

  • ‘the author’s clear analysis of New Labour strategy [is]….a genuine contribution to the debate about… convergence of consumer and citizen’ (Parliamentary Affairs, 55/2);
  • ‘dispels the myth that political marketing is merely designer politics. Given the dearth of empirically informed political marketing research…offers a significant contribution to… political marketing’  (Political Studies 50/4)