ETHICS LIMITS IN POLITICAL MARKETING

Abstract

This article deals with theoretical aspects regarding ethical and unethical elements that can be found in the political marketing field, which could influence electoral behavior during electoral campaigns. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

Headnote

Abstract: This article deals with theoretical aspects regarding ethical and unethical elements that can be found in the political marketing field, which could influence electoral behavior during electoral campaigns.

Key words: electoral campaign, ethics, electorate, manipulation.

1. General aspects regarding the behavior of the electorate

Consumer behavior is a multidimensional concept generally designating the ensemble of decisional acts achieved both at individual level and at the group level, directly connected to obtaining and using goods and services, in order to satisfy the current and future needs, also including the decisional processes preceding and determining these acts [4].

The consumer's buying behavior is defined as the buying behavior of the final consumer who purchases goods and services for individual use [7].

The purpose of marketing is to meet the needs and desires of the target-clients, with a view to satisfying them. The subject matter of consumer behavior deals with the way individuals, groups and organizations select, buy, use and dispose of the goods, services, ideas or experiences satisfying their needs and desires [8].

The consumer concept has an obvious multidimensional nature, referring not only to the existence of goods, but extending the ego of the economic subject over the cognitive processes and premises leading to the awareness of the buying act. Thus, the consumer concept can only be understood by its interdependence with the fellow beings, emphasizing the social nature of this category [12].

Political marketing is a concept referring to one of the extensions of marketing in the social and political field, designating the preparation, implementation and control of the programs, and focusing on the increase in the adherence to a party, candidate or political program within one or several target electoral groups [2].

The main attributes of electoral marketing recommend it as the science used by politicians in order to obtain electoral success, as the electoral marketing is the preparation, implementation and control of the programs focusing on the increase in the adherence to a party, candidate or political program within one or several target electoral groups [9].

Political marketing implies two important application directions: studying the electorate and political communication. Studying the electorate is equivalent, in political marketing, to studying the market in the economic field marketing, and aims at knowing and predicting the attitudes and behavior of the electorate. Political communication is the implementation of an electoral campaign including: methods of preparing an electoral strategy, using mass-media, and the problems occurred in organizing a good electoral campaign [11].

However, electoral marketing should not be mistaken for the electoral campaign, although it starts a few months before the official campaign, and it is exclusively dedicated to it. During the period prior to the campaign, the strategy to be followed by the candidate and his electoral staff is conceived.

The features of electoral marketing as compared to political marketing are the following:

1. the objectives are more concrete and more clearly expressed;

2. the activity has a discontinuous nature;

3. more action is involved.

Public relations represent a distinct part of management and focus on establishing and maintaining communication, understanding, acceptance and cooperation relations between organizations and the public.

Advertising and publicity are part of the instruments used in political and electoral marketing.

Advertising is the process of placing advertisements which can be identified by the media, in exchange of known costs. Advertising has been considered the science, business or profession of creating and disseminating the messages of the advertisements, a social institution affecting the everyday life of each individual, a force shaping the mass culture, a component of the marketing activity, or a source of information on products, services, events or organizations [7]. An organization uses advertising when intending to support a cause, when considering that it does not enjoy an objective media promotion, or when a message sent is not understood by the public opinion. Advertising is sometimes considered a side of marketing, a way of selling goods and services. The limitation to this aspect is improper, since advertising allows one to reach segments of the public opinion which marketing cannot reach.

Publicity consists in offering information standing for news supplied by a public relations agency, and taken over by the media. The information can be completely or partially used, depending on its degree of novelty and relevance to the public; practically, there is no control of the way it is used. Several published pieces of news are supplied by public relations agencies under the form of official press releases and materials in the press portfolios, and aim at informing the public opinion on certain events.

The difference between publicity and advertising is given by the financial aspect of taking over the information. The information delivered by means of an official press release is not paid for, while having an advertisement issued implies buying a certain publicity space in the media. Events such as ceremonies, prize awarding, press conferences, protests, reunions etc. shall always constitute subjects of interest and shall be covered by the media.

Public businesses represent the activity of establishing and maintaining relations between state institutions - governmental and parliamentary institutions, military services etc. - and local communities in order to influence public life. The term of "public businesses" strictly refers to the efforts of institutions to make the public opinion familiar with the community programs, to develop civic attitude and encourage political activism.

Ethics in political marketing

Marketing ethics combines two issues: the norms which have to be fulfilled and the values which have to be achieved within the performance of all partners in market acts, in order for them to develop within a moral environment. It also considers the claims of the social groups affected by the consequences of the supply of goods, services and ideas, on short, medium and long term. Marketing ethics has crystallized during the post-war period, against the background of the debates regarding the social responsibility of the commercial society in its relations with the suppliers and clients. The development of the demander's critical spirit and the entrepreneur's social responsibility regarding his acts represent the background of the challenges which marketing must cope with in the contemporary society [6].

The term political ethics broadly refers to the expression of moral judgments on political actions, without assuming that the conflict between ethics and politics could completely be eliminated. Ethics in politics explains the fact that the actual politics is not judged only by its own norms (power, rationality, efficiency etc.), but also by means of principles, norms and moral values, such as: freedom, justice, equality, honesty, tolerance, love, mercy, prudence, courage, wisdom etc. Thus, importance should be given to the way the people involved in politics observe or do not observe norms and imperatives such as: "Be honest!", "Do not lie!", "Do not steal!", "Respect your fellow men!", "Keep your promises!" etc. [5].

Political marketing implies identifying a segment of population which one would address to, sending an adequate message, as well as adequate means of sending this message.

An electoral campaign must be led with an "iron fist", everything must be very well conceived and planned to appear spontaneous, natural and normal. The directing of the message sent implies that the message should be conceived considering the public; that is why it is essential to know the consumer, which the electoral "product" aims at. The culture of the public to which we address must also be known. In order to succeed, an attractive political profile has to be devised, as well as techniques providing the motivation and de-motivation of the voter, a list of slogans; furthermore, sociological research must be conducted in order to prepare the electoral hymn and the visual identity of the respective party needs to be defined.

The party or politician becomes a product for which a "brand image" is created and which is then imposed on the market. [1].

An electoral campaign is [15] the most complex combination of all the promotion techniques in the entire contemporary communication area. It is the period officially established before a poll, during which the political players are developing their electoral political marketing strategy. The actions performed during this period are legally restricted. Its duration is previously established, it varies from one country to another and it ends a day before the elections.

Legal stipulations legitimate the electoral campaign as a method of selecting political leaders, as it imposes the requirement to participate in the selection and the requirement of majority as a selection validation criterion.

The campaigns aimed at promoting and developing certain programs imply significant costs, that is why it has become imperative to find effective ways of obtaining financing. The funds obtained in this way represent revenue which is not to be neglected by organizations. However, the association with a certain financer can negatively impinge on the applicant. For example, obtaining funds from organizations involved in scandals, blamed for actions against the public interest, can cause the extension of the negative image on those who received the respective financing. The philanthropic aspect has great significance, as noble causes provide significant support both in money and equipment, consultancy, assistance.

Within the electoral campaign, the most important part is played by the electorate. It is made up of all the citizens who have the right to vote in a country, territorial area or party. The electorate is considered:

1. a formal resource: a collective interlocutor, an institution legitimating the candidate's action;

2. an accumulated resource: the electorate as an interlocutor who already has a pre-electoral image of the candidate and evaluation criteria for him;

3. a created resource: the electorate as an interlocutor who must be maintained or convinced.

The electorate does not possess legal and logistical resources in order to directly participate in the electoral debate. The identity of the electorate is however mediated by the intervention of the candidates and mass media.

The political actors also play an important part in the electoral campaign. They are considered to be those persons, social groups or socio-professional categories that play an active political part within the structures of a society, at a certain moment. More precisely, they designate the professionals of the political life, tending to occupy powerful positions.

The political strategy is a term used in military practice, defining an action plan intended to obtain success in the political competition. A strategic plan concerns: the action method, the purposes and objectives to be achieved, the execution period, means and resources to be used, main action directions.

An accusation brought to political marketing is that it is an instrument to manipulate the electorate. This has been considered as regards two aspects:

1. surveys having a negative influence, i.e. being published during the electoral campaign only to change the voting intentions of the electorate;

2. excessive use of persuasive methods and techniques by the political marketing.

Famous authors in the field of Romanian political marketing [3] believe that the pluralism of the political formations and the actual possibility of all parties and candidates to use the methods and techniques specific to political marketing are a guarantee against dangers and abuses which could occur at a certain point in the political life of any country.

However, we wonder whether this diversity of political formations and candidates is enough to determine the insertion of ethics as normality in leading an electoral campaign.

We also wonder whether the use of methods and techniques specific to political marketing are a "brake" in the way of unethical expressions which can be adopted when leading a political campaign.

It is interesting to notice the fact that in 2007, the Parties in the Republic of Moldova adopted a conduct code regarding the development and reflection of the electoral campaign at the local and general elections of 2007 [10].

This electoral conduct code regulates the conduct norms among parties, other social and political organizations, electoral blocks, independent candidates and massmedia representatives involved in the development and reflection of the electoral campaign (Art. 1). The conduct code regarding the development and reflection of the electoral campaign at the local and general elections of 2007 in the Republic of Moldova reflect the need for ethics in the electoral campaign [4].

Given the tendency to manipulate the electorate, the lobby plays an important part and can be considered a public relations activity through which several associations, unions, interest groups aim at influencing the legislative and political decision-making. The lobby activity implies: being familiar with the legislative process and activities related to it; actions through which analysis information and information based on which several studies are prepared; direct contacts with the representatives of the legislative in order to obtain information; participating in the Parliament meetings; press contact; counseling the involved parties. A lobbyist is a person who acts on behalf of an interest group, and tries to influence the vote in favor or against a legislative measure or certain governmental decisions. However, lobby should not be mistaken by the traffic of influence, although in Romania we cannot speak about lobby in the true sense of the word, because there is no clear legislative basis regulating and favoring the development of this action.

Conclusions:

The purpose of an electoral campaign organized while observing the ethical principles overlaps over priority 4 of the National Development Plan of Romania 2007-2013, a priority regarding the improvement of the administrative capacity, because a correct electoral campaign determines the choice of capable political actors, who will perform an effective administrative and legislative activity. This priority concerns the development and effectiveness of public services. The institutional transparency, credibility of the regulation and decrease of regulation and administration costs are a fundamental determinant of the competitiveness of an economy.

References

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