POLITICAL MARKETING AND ITS ROLE IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

Cilj oziroma namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti, kako pomemben je sam politični marketing na lokalni ravni in njegov vpliv na izid volitev, in posledično, koliko ga kandidati uporabljajo. Dobiti smo želeli smernice, ki odražajo uspešno kampanjo, in odkriti, kdaj smo s samo volilno kampanjo lahko zadovoljni. Predmet raziskovanja je bila študija primerov oziroma primerjava dveh zaporednih volilnih kampanj določene stranke in njenega županskega kandidata na lokalni ravni, ki pa sta ob končanih volitvah prinesli različen rezultat. Da bi lažje izvedli študijo primerov, sem najprej opredelila teoretične osnove političnega marketinga, strategije kampanje in marketinško pripravo kampanje. V praktičnem delu diplomske naloge sem uporabila kombinacije internih raziskavuporabila sem metodo zbiranja sekundarnih podatkov in obdelovanje podatkov iz preteklosti, ki so bili podani v določenih oblikah. Pregledala sem zakonodajo in ustrezno strokovno gradivo na temo političnega marketinga, političnega komuniciranja, izvedbe volilne kampanje, pretekle interne analize volilnih kampanj in same organizacije kampanj. Poleg metode zbiranja sekundarnih podatkov pa sem uporabila tudi metodo primarnih podatkov, do katerih sem prišla z opazovanjem in izpraševanjem ljudi, ki so bili v obe kampanji vključeni, z razgovorom z obema županskima kandidatoma ter z razgovori z vodji volilnih štabov za interesantne volilne kampanje. Raziskava je pokazala, da je politični marketing vedno bolj navzoč tudi na lokalni ravni. Uporaba komunikacijskih orodij prinaša večjo prepoznavnost ter ustvarja imidž kandidata in stranke. V volilni kampanji je, poleg dobro zastavljene strategije in določanja taktik, najbolj pomemben izbor pravega kandidata, saj se volivci na lokalni ravni odločajo predvsem na podlagi osebnih prepričanj in simpatij do kadidata. Z raziskavo smo ugotovili tudi, da se volivci vse bolj nagibajo k neodvisnim kandidatom in listam, kar lahko pripišemo zasičenosti volivcev s politiko, vplivu krize oziroma želji po spremembah. V ospredje prihajajo posamezniki, stranke pa so potisnjene v ozadje. Zato se je v prihodnje treba držati vodila, da je volilno kampanjo treba graditi na posameznikih.The aim of the study was to find out how important political marketing on the local level is, and its effect on the result of elections and consecutively to what extent candidates make use of it. We wanted to get guidelines which reflect a sucessful campaign, and find out when we can be satisfied with the campaign itself. The object of research was a study of cases or rather a comparison of two simultaneous electoral campaigns of a certain political party and its mayoral candidate on the local level, which after elections brought different results. To make the case study easier, I first defined the theoretical basis of political marketing, campaign strategy and campaign marketing preparation. In the practical part of the thesis I made use of a combination of internet research, where I used the method of collecting secondary data and also worked with data from the past, which was given in different forms. I inspected the legislation and relevant literature on the theme of political marketing, political communication, execution of a electoral campaign, past internal analyses of electoral campaigns and the organisation of campaigns themselves. Alongside the method of collecting secondary data I also used the method of primary data, where I accumulated data through observation and questioning of people who were involved in both campaigns, and discussions with both mayoral candidates and the campaign managers of the relevant campaigns. The study showed that political marketing is ever more present even on the local level. The use of communicational tools brings greater recognition and creates the image of the candidate and party. Beside a good strategy and choice of tactics, the most important in an electoral campaign is the choice of the right candidate, since voters on the local level decide above all based on their personal convictions and sympathy towards the candidate. Through the study we also found that voters tend more and more towards indipendent candidates and lists, which can be attributed to the oversaturation of voters with politics, the effects of the crisis and a wish for change. Individuals are stepping into the foreground and parties are being pushed into the background, and this is why, in future, we must be aware that an electoral campaign must be built on individuals