2027: Politicians must build brands early, embrace digital marketing — Mike Dada

Politicians preparing for the 2027 elections should begin building their public image early and embrace data-driven digital marketing to effectively connect with an increasingly young and discerning electorate, according to Mike Dada, Managing Director of PRM Africa Marketing and Communications Limited.

Dada, a marketing and public relations expert, said the era when politicians relied largely on rallies, posters, political structures and traditional media to reach voters was gradually fading.

He noted that technology, artificial intelligence and data analytics were transforming the way political campaigns are planned, executed and evaluated.

Speaking on the future of political marketing, Dada, who is also the Founder and Executive Producer of the All Africa Music Awards, said digital marketing had become a central component of modern election campaigns.

“Digital marketing is no longer an ‘alternative’ channel; it is the primary battlefield. In a world of evolving tech, digital marketing allows for micro-targeting, precision and measurement,” he said.

According to Dada, digital platforms enable campaign teams to tailor messages to different groups while maintaining a consistent political identity.

He said effective political campaigns should be based on a proper understanding of the electorate, including demographic and psychographic analysis, voter segmentation and targeted communication.

Dada also urged politicians to start building their personal brands, records, values and communication strategies well ahead of elections rather than waiting until a few months before voting begins.

He explained that political branding goes beyond producing attractive posters, television commercials or social media content, stressing that candidates must clearly define what they represent and establish credibility over time.

Dada, whose company, PRM Africa, has managed 16 elections from start to finish, said candidates could no longer rely solely on repeatedly addressing the same audiences at political rallies and expect to influence the wider electorate.

“Branding is not a coat of paint you slap on two months before an election. It is a reputation built over time,” he said.

“Define your ‘brand essence’ early. What do you stand for? If you wait until 2027 to tell us who you are, the opposition will tell us who you are first.”

The tech entrepreneur and lawyer also highlighted the importance of data in determining the effectiveness of political campaigns.

According to him, digital tools can help campaign organisations monitor voter sentiment, track engagement and assess how effectively their messages are reaching different groups.

“We no longer guess. We need to count the numbers for it to count. In any case, democracy is a game of numbers,” he said.

Dada said sentiment analysis, digital footprint tracking, evaluation and periodic polling could help campaign teams measure the impact of their strategies and determine when adjustments were necessary.

“We can measure the ‘conversion rate’ of a campaign. We can see how a specific message moved a specific demographic in a specific geopolitical zone. If your marketing isn’t moving the needle in the polls or social sentiment, you know you need to pivot,” he said.

However, Dada warned that digital campaigns could not replace grassroots mobilisation.

He stressed that online communication must be complemented by physical engagement and other forms of on-the-ground mobilisation if campaigns are to achieve their objectives.

“It is important I point out that political marketing needs to be married with push strategy, OTG – on-the-ground work – for success or for the campaign objective to be achieved,” he said.

Dada also called on governments to engage qualified communication professionals to effectively explain their policies and programmes to citizens.

He argued that even well-designed government policies could fail to gain public acceptance when they are not properly communicated.

“Governments often treat public affairs communication as ‘propaganda’ rather than ‘engagement’. They use unqualified civil servants or ‘information officers’ to do the job of brand specialists,” Dada said.

According to him, poor communication can create a disconnect between governments and the people, even when policies are being implemented.

“The result is a disconnect and miscommunication you see everywhere in Africa: a government is performing, but citizens feel neglected and distant,” he said.

Dada maintained that governments must recognise communication as an important part of governance and invest in building intangible assets such as reputation, public perception, mutual understanding and trust.

“Governments must learn that selling a policy is just as important as implementing it. Governments at all levels need to understand the necessity of investing heavily and building intangible assets such as reputation, perception, mutual understanding, and trust for the purpose of legitimacy and policy support from citizens,” he said.