From Mass Propaganda to Political Marketing: The Transformation of Labour Party Election Campaigning

Abstract

The rise and growing importance of political marketing is self-evident in many of the major western democracies. The innovative Conservative party campaign effort of 1979 is sometimes referred to as a major watershed in the development of the phenomenon in Britain. Results of that election proved a vital component in the respective success of both the agency and client organisation. Victory heralded the beginning of three Thatcher led majority governments as well as the start of a period of commercial success for the party's consultants.