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2027: Politicians must embrace digital marketing
Politicians preparing for the 2027 elections have been advised to start building their public brands early and embrace data-driven digital marketing to connect effectively with an increasingly young and discerning electorate.
The Managing Director of PRM Africa Marketing and Communications Limited, Mike Dada, gave the advice while speaking on the future of political marketing and election campaigns in a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Sunday.
Dada, who is also the Founder and Executive Producer of the All Africa Music Awards, said the era when politicians relied mainly on rallies, posters, political structures and traditional media to reach voters was gradually fading.
He said technology, artificial intelligence and data analytics were transforming political marketing, making digital platforms central to modern electioneering.
“Digital marketing is no longer an ‘alternative’ channel; it is the primary battlefield. In a world of evolving tech, digital marketing allows for micro-targeting, precision, and measurement,” Dada said.
He explained that digital platforms enabled campaigns to tailor messages to different voter groups while retaining a candidate’s core identity.
“We can send one message to a farmer in the North and a different, tailored message to a tech enthusiast in Lagos, while maintaining the core brand essence. It provides the feedback loop that traditional media lacks. It is not the future; it is now,” he said.
Dada urged politicians to approach their campaigns through proper assessment of the electorate, demographic and psychographic analysis, voter segmentation and targeted communication.
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He also advised prospective candidates to treat their personal brand, records, values and communication as components of a political brand rather than waiting until a few months before an election to reshape their image.
According to him, political branding goes beyond attractive posters, television commercials and social media content, stressing that candidates must establish what they represent and build credibility over time.
“Branding is not a coat of paint you slap on two months before an election. It is a reputation built over time,” he said.
“Define your ‘Brand Essence’ early. What do you stand for? If you wait until 2027 to tell us who you are, the opposition will tell us who you are first.”
Dada, whose company he said had managed 16 elections end-to-end, added that candidates could no longer depend solely on repeatedly addressing the same crowds at rallies and expect to influence the wider electorate.
The lawyer and technology entrepreneur also said data would be critical to measuring the effectiveness of political campaigns, as digital tools could help campaign organisations monitor voter sentiment and assess the impact of their messages.
“We no longer guess. We need to count the numbers for it to count. In any case, democracy is a game of numbers,” he said.
Dada said sentiment analysis, digital footprint tracking, periodic polling and other digital tools could help campaigns determine whether their messages were resonating with specific voter groups and geographical areas.
“If your marketing isn’t moving the needle in the polls or social sentiment, you know you need to pivot,” he said.
However, Dada cautioned that digital campaigns could not replace grassroots mobilisation, stressing the need to combine online communication with on-the-ground engagement.
“It is important I point out that political marketing needs to be married with push strategy, OTG – on-the-ground work – for success or for the campaign objective to be achieved,” he said.
Dada also urged governments to engage communication professionals in explaining their policies and programmes, arguing that effective implementation without proper communication could create a disconnect between governments and citizens.
“Governments often treat public affairs communication as ‘propaganda’ rather than ‘engagement’. They use unqualified civil servants or ‘information officers’ to do the job of brand specialists,” he said.
He added that governments needed to invest in reputation, perception, mutual understanding and trust to strengthen public support for their policies.
“The result is a disconnect and miscommunication you see everywhere in Africa: a government is performing, but citizens feel neglected and distant,” Dada said.
“Governments must learn that selling a policy is just as important as implementing it. Governments at all levels need to understand the necessity of investing heavily and building intangible assets such as reputation, perception, mutual understanding, and trust for the purpose of legitimacy and policy support from citizens.”
Olugbenga Ige is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over nine years of professional reporting experience. He is known for his sharp eye for compelling stories and a strong instinct for identifying newsworthy developments. Over the years, Olugbenga has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
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