Developing party identity and messaging
Activity
In this task, you’ll apply the concepts you learnt about in this unit to develop a party identity and messaging strategy for a hypothetical new political party.
As Nebojsa mentions, your party’s identity is essential in distinguishing your party from others and building a loyal following. A cohesive identity and consistent messaging strategy are key to ensuring your party's values and mission are clearly communicated to the public.
Using the scenario below, develop a cohesive party identity and messaging strategy for a new political party.
Your strategy should clearly define the party’s core values, target audience, key messages, visual branding, and communication channels.
Resources:
Template for Party Identity and Messaging Strategy: This downloadable template will guide you step by step through the exercise, helping you to structure your thoughts and ensure all key components of party identity and messaging are covered.
You have been tasked with developing the identity and messaging strategy for a new political party: The People's Progress Party (PPP). This party is being formed in a country where economic inequality, climate change, and corruption are the major concerns among citizens. The political landscape is highly polarised, with traditional parties failing to address the most pressing issues in a meaningful way. This has led to growing dissatisfaction, especially among younger voters and urban populations.
Political context:
The People's Progress Party (PPP) aims to fill the gap between the dominant political forces: one party primarily focused on the elite and big business interests, and the other seen as outdated, with policies that no longer resonate with the younger generation. There is a significant portion of the population—especially among the youth, working-class citizens, and environmental advocates—who feel unrepresented.
Key goals of the PPP:
- Economic reform: The PPP will advocate for economic policies that reduce inequality, such as progressive taxation, affordable housing, and fair wages.
- Climate action: The party will prioritise environmental sustainability and implement policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions, promoting renewable energy, and addressing environmental degradation.
- Anti-corruption: The PPP will push for government transparency, crackdowns on corruption, and stronger democratic accountability.
Target audience:
- Urban youth (18-35 years old): Concerned with economic justice, job opportunities, and climate change. This demographic is also highly engaged with social media.
- Working-class citizens: Seeking fair wages, job security, and policies that address the widening wealth gap.
- Environmental activists: Citizens who prioritise climate action and sustainable policies.
- Disillusioned voters: Voters who have become disengaged with traditional political parties due to corruption and lack of real change.
Challenges:
- Perception of inexperience: As a new party, the PPP is seen as unproven by older generations and those used to traditional parties.
- Distrust of political promises: Voters are sceptical of political parties’ promises due to years of unfulfilled commitments by existing political powers.
- Competition for attention: The media landscape is crowded, and the PPP will need to compete with more established parties for airtime and visibility.
Opportunities:
Digital engagement: The PPP has the opportunity to use digital platforms and social media to connect with younger, tech-savvy voters who are disillusioned by traditional media.
Public desire for change: There is a growing sentiment among citizens for a new political force that addresses their real concerns.
Appeal to youth: The younger generation is increasingly becoming a political force and could be mobilised by a party that speaks to their concerns about the future.