Political Marketing of APC and PDP Gubernatorial Candidates in 2016 Edo State Election

Abstract

Marketing scholars have acknowledged the pivotal role of marketing principles in facilitating relationships. To be specific, soliciting and securing electoral votes is an exchange relationship where marketing principles can be applied. This paper sought to investigate the extent of APC and PDP adoption of marketing principles in the 2016 gubernatorial elections in Edo state, Nigeria. This study adapted the Ex post facto as its research design. Primary data were obtained from political parties materials and through semi structured interview. Oral interviews were conducted for two hundred forty (240) conveniently selected respondents. This consist of forty (40) from each political party in the three (3) senatorial districts in the state. Campaign materials, manifestoes among other literature collected were content analysed and oral responses obtained from the respondents were transcribed. This study found that political parties unconsciously organize their activities around the marketing mix variables of product, place, price and promotion. Also this research reports among others vote buying, political behaviour, past and present performance of political parties as critical success factors. However, this study was unable to establish the role of incumbency in electoral victory. This paper recognized that political parties unintentionally embrace marketing tenets in managing their activities. This is evident as majority of their activities incorporates strategic marketing, services marketing and marketing research principles. This paper recommends that political parties should incorporate new product development techniques as well as master the acts of brand management in their quest for electoral success.