Political marketing versus propaganda: Dilemmas of political persuasión

Abstract

Introduction: political communication plays a crucial role in the access to and exercise of power. Politicians use communication strategies to inform, persuade and mobilize people, as well as to build the image of their political party or themselves. Political marketing and political propaganda are two approaches used in this process. Objective: to analyze the differences between political marketing and political propaganda and to explore their use in various political settings. Methods: the study was based on a documentary review that analyzed bibliographic sources and previous studies related to the topic. Cases of political marketing and political propaganda at the national and international levels were examined. Results: political marketing and political propaganda seek to persuade, but differ in their approaches. Political marketing focuses on building a positive image and generating confidence in a political option, while political propaganda uses more aggressive techniques, distorting facts and appealing to emotions. Both strategies pose ethical and social challenges, such as manipulation of information and misinformation. It is essential for citizens to be critical and alert to political communication to counter these risks. Conclusions: there is a need to foster a culture of responsible participation in democratic life, where citizens are informed and possess skills to critically evaluate information. This implies understanding the mechanisms of persuasive communication, identifying intentionality in rhetoric and narrative, and participating in public debate in an informed and constructive manner