Political marketing in Pakistan: Exaggerated promises, delusive claims, marketable development projects and change advocacy

Abstract

The present study discusses the intricacies of the political landscape in Pakistan and its compatibility with the modern political marketing theory. The election campaigns of the three largest political parties Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, Pakistan People's Party, and Pakistan Tehreek‐e‐Insaf in the general elections 2013 were critically analyzed in the print media to comprehend the political marketing trends in Pakistan. It was found out that that the three parties largely employed mutually exclusive strategies in order to garner the support of the electorate. The success ratio of the political parties in the general elections 2013 signifies the importance of certain advertising appeals, advertising themes, and aggressively attacking the opponents. The study also questioned the veracity of the exaggerated and delusive claims made in the advertisements. The findings have implications not only for future electioneering in Pakistan, but also other countries with similar demographics and socioeconomic setups. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.