Ahead of the December General Election, the brand positioning of each political party must act as a shortcut to its ultimate purpose. With so many voters feeling an overwhelming detachment from the dominant political parties in Parliament, this opens the door for the likes of The Green Party, Change UK, The Independent Group, and The Brexit Party, who must communicate multiple messages at once, while maintaining one consistent value proposition.
The overwhelming detachment a large proportion of voters are feeling is just one obstacle facing both new and established groups. However, this can also be regarded as an opportunity to snap up dissatisfied swing voters who are more willing to support a new or unconventional political party through strategic brand positioning.
One approach we believe each of the new groups needs to take is to treat themselves like a start-up business and to utilise disruptive tactics to take advantage of the detachment voters are feeling towards the established political parties.
Just like the launch of any new brand, it’s crucial that every member of these new political groups remains aware of what their value proposition is, following the core narrative across the correct medium to communicate their message to the right audience, find their ‘Hero’ storyline. However, given the current political disillusionment in the UK, it is just as important for the established parties to reset their brand positioning as well: to go back to basics, learn from their mistakes and understand who their key voters are.
While companies are expected to develop a business plan, political parties also need to assess this vision and their strategy, making it clear where they want to go. Once developed, this needs to be communicated in a succinct and accessible way that resonates with key voters and appears both trustworthy and sincere.
Not having a clear strategy in place puts parties at risk of appearing to be sitting on the fence at a time when politics is more divisive than ever – this creates apathy among voters, who do not feel adequately represented. A key example of this is the loss of votes in the recent European elections from the Labour Party to the Liberal Democrats in key remain constituencies, largely due to their weak stance on Brexit. Parties with a clear line on these issues, such as the Brexit party, that have identified their audience and used the right communication channels to reach out to them, have been rewarded with electoral success.
In the current climate, the overarching message that these brands need to provide is one of direction and trust, and that also needs to be reflected in their content, both of which must tell a deep and meaningful story. UK politics finds itself at a crucial position and the direction in which each of the parties take their brand will determine whether they sink or swim.
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Could your company use some guidance ahead of a new product launch or brand repositioning? Get in touch with Philip Martin to discover how DMA Partners can help: philip.martin@dma-partners.com.
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