Election Campaigning: The New Marketing of Politics

The advent of new technology and the importation of "professional communicators" has transformed the nature of British election campaigning. In this book, Dennis Kavanagh explores this so-called process of "Americanization", characterized by the increasing importance of the media in elections and the rise of adverti2Zing agencies, pollsters, public relations advisers and speechwriters. He examines how the "professional communicators" function within British politics, and assesses the reaction of the politicians themselves to the changing environment of election campaigns.

Identifying the three key groups of actors in the electoral process - the voters; the press and television journalists; the politicians, campaign managers and advisers - Kavanagh explores how campaign communications in Britain have changed in the course of the century. By drawing on interviews with some of the major players in recent British elections, he differentiates between the styles of the present-day political camps, and provides an insightful overview of the dynamics of campaigning today. Throughout the book, changes in British campaigns are set in a global context, with particular attention given to America. Kavanagh examines just how far British political institutions and cultures have created a distinctive response to "Americanization". He considers, finally, claims that the professionalization is part of a larger political agenda, in particular the downgrading of distinctive party ideologies.