Why Working On Electoral Campaigns Gives You A Competitive Edge

By Author: Akansh Malik
Total Articles: 67
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With the Narendra Modi electoral campaign in 2014 political advertising and public relations truly came into its own in India. The slogans of ‘Ab ke baar Modi Sarkar’ and ‘ Acche Din Aane Wale Hain’ rung out across the country. Was the campaign effective? The fact that Narendra Modi is now the Prime Minister of India is testament to that fact. But some of the people who probably gained the most were those working on the campaign.

Not in terms of mere revenue of course, but in terms of experience. Working on an election campaign strategy isn’t easy. There seem to be almost limitless factors to take into consideration. Things can and will go wrong. But what you learn is to bounce back really quickly, sniff out potential crises and quell them before they ever see the light of day.

Australian advertising legend Ted Horton claimed that working on an electoral campaign changed the way he approached advertising. He claimed that the stakes are much higher when it comes ...
... to electoral campaigns. That is definitely true. There is no second place. You either win or lose, that is to say – either your campaign brings about a successful change in public perception and behaviour, or it simply doesn’t.

Election campaign management doesn’t only involve hard work, but lots of it. Piyush Pandey, an ad legend of our very own, claimed that there would be hundreds of different creatives produced on a daily basis for Mr. Modi’s election campaign. Keeping a consistent check on the messaging is a monumental task, but one that the public relations or reputation management firm is responsible for. You will be kept on your toes and make sure that you are always on the ball. There is no room for mistakes.

Creating campaigning strategies for elections requires the analysis of public perception towards the political candidate. Once you know the current perception, you can craft a plan to shift it towards a more positive image. In the end what you need to achieve is a change in behaviour. No matter how slick your campaign may be, if it does not translate into more votes, it has failed.

Working on political campaign strategies is a great way to hone your skills, gain invaluable experience, learn how to work hard and work smart. You will be able to handle pressure better and perform even when the stakes are high. It is a great challenge, but the finest steel is tempered in the hottest flame. At the end of it all you will have emerged as a stronger team player, a resourceful individual and have a better understanding of public relations and reputation management than any of your other peers. Simply put, working on electoral campaigns gives you a wonderful edge as a professional in the field of public relations and reputation management.