Theoretical Framework for Designing and Delivering the Political Brand Promise as a Pre- and Post-election Branding Strategy
摘要
The brand promisebrand promise is a critical component of political brandingpolitical branding. Political branding scholars have argued that the brand promise connects at a functional level with the political marketpolitical market, so when deliverydelivery happens as promised the market’s needs are met and may continue to support the party and government. On the one hand, when government fails to deliver, or delivery does not offer maximum satisfaction, the political market may react negatively and may vote the party out. In the 2024 election in Ghana for instance, the NPP, a party that won the 2016 election convincingly on the basis of transforming Ghana based on the promises offered, lost the 2024 elections with over 1.7 million votes because, among other factors, the government’s delivery failed to meet the expectations raised. Similarly, in the US and UK, economic conditions of these countries to a large extent contributed to the defeats of the incumbents. Knitting these together, it is evident that political elites need to pay attention to the design and delivery of the brand promise. The chapter, thus, offers an empirically valid theoretical frameworktheoretical framework that provides six systematic and strategic ways to guide the design of resonating and valuable brand promise and ensure that delivery happens. It is a novel theoretical framework that basically argues that promises should not just be made, but it must be made with delivery in mind. It thus offers political elites and practitioners’ tactical ways to design a promise with delivery in mind.