The relationship of political marketing to political lobbying

Abstract

Notes that political marketing has become the subject of an increasing number of academic publications, but the subject of marketing a business proposition to a political audience such as government ‐ political lobbying ‐ has received less attention in this literature. Marketing business to government is generally evaluated more in the context of impact on legislators and regulators ‐ how to sell a case in political terms ‐ than from the point of view of the wide range of pressures on a business organizing itself to do so. Argues that the principles and ways of analysing the development of a political campaign have direct application to the analysis of lobbying campaigns. Examines in outline the successful 1993 bid by Devonport Management Ltd for the Trident refitting contract, drawing some lessons on the development of a specific lobbying campaign from the point of view of a business, employing concepts recognizable to marketing professionals. Describes the process of development of the Devonport “product”, the formulation and implementation of strategy and the monitoring and control of that strategy. Draws some conclusions about the lessons for successful development of a lobbying campaign to government by business, and proposes a research agenda is. Re‐emphasizing the importance of political marketing to business requires the recognition that Parliament is only one of a number of forums for activity and successful lobbying depends on an understanding of all these forums drawing on a range of analytical business skills. Seeks to illustrate some connections between the disciplines of marketing, political communications and lobbying.