Designing a Political Marketing Management Model
Keywords:
Political marketing management, thematic analysis, indigenous political marketing, political branding, ethical governance, traditional reference networksAbstract
This study aimed to develop a comprehensive, context-sensitive model of political marketing management grounded in the institutional, cultural, communicative, and ethical characteristics of Iran’s political environment. This qualitative study was conducted within an interpretive-constructivist paradigm using an inductive approach. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 10 experts, including university professors, political strategists, and former members of parliament. Participants were selected purposively based on their theoretical knowledge and practical experience in political and electoral affairs. The interview data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis method. Data management and coding were performed in MAXQDA software through open, axial, and selective coding. The analytical process included repeated familiarization with the transcripts, generation of initial codes, categorization of conceptually related codes, review and refinement of themes, definition of organizing and global themes, and development of the final conceptual model. The analysis generated 33 open codes that were integrated into six organizing themes: structural and institutional ecology, voter identity dynamics, social capital and the authority of traditional networks, localized political marketing-mix and brand architecture, organizational agility and media defense, and ethical and normative governance. These themes were subsequently organized into three overarching dimensions. The analytical-cognitive dimension comprised environmental intelligence and indigenous voter analysis; the design-strategic dimension incorporated value architecture, political branding, and strategic configuration; and the executive-normative dimension encompassed agile campaign operations, rapid media response, performance monitoring, and ethical governance. The resulting model indicated that political marketing management is shaped by reciprocal relationships among institutional constraints, identity-based voter behavior, traditional reference networks, localized communication channels, organizational responsiveness, and binding ethical principles. Effective political marketing management requires more than short-term promotional techniques. It depends on indigenous voter segmentation, credible relationships with traditional networks, verifiable political promises, agile campaign structures, rapid responses to misinformation, financial transparency, and strict adherence to ethical standards. Ethics functions as a strategic mechanism for protecting social capital and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the political brand.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Maryam Sayedan Ghaleh Jourtan (Author); Mohammad Reza Dalvi; Zahra Dashtlaali (Author)
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