module specification

This module will explore Political Marketing in the digital age. You will develop the skills and knowledge to pursue a career in political consultancy, political marketing, policy, strategic communications, research, and organisational strategy. You will encounter a range of topics, such as Public Affairs, digital marketing, target audience analysis, consumer behaviour analysis.

You will also learn how to construct a political marketing campaign using a range of tools, methods, and strategies, such as Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). You will learn the human side of political marketing, which will include stakeholder and client management. You will also look at ways to successfully formulate initiatives that address issues impacting an organisation or society, such as the Covid crisis.

To this end, you will develop a range of skills, including critical thinking, communication skills, interpersonal empathy, teamwork, digital/IT, research, presentation and writing skills. The module is interdisciplinary, with a focus on developing communications specialists that can holistically address global issues.

The module assessment takes a group learning approach. You will work as a team to develop a communications campaign of your choice and present it to the module team.

None; Available for Study Abroad Students

Fundamentals of Political Marketing: Students will begin with the basics of marketing and communications, Strategic Communications, and target audience analysis. Each of these will be taught consecutively and will build on each other. Students will also encounter consumer behaviour analysis, strategic empathy, utilising marketing methods (e.g., anthropomorphic marketing), and using digital marketing tools. Lastly, students will approach aspects of working with political clients and developing political marketing campaigns from the ground up, such as stakeholder management, using basic analytical tools, evaluation of a potential campaign in relation to a specific environment using marketing methods, such as SWOT analysis, and using word-of-mouth and influencer cooperation strategies. (LO1-4)

Exploring the evolving nature of Political Marketing: Students will examine the chaotic nature of the modern information environment and how political marketers must navigate it. Students will be given the opportunity to question the emergence of both state and non-state actors in the political marketing field and how they influence each other. Furthermore, the module will explore different communications campaigns from state and non-state actors. (LO1-4)

Helping students to develop a strategic communications mindset: Students will be encouraged to develop a ‘holistic mindset’; that is, seeing the world from the perspective of others, taking a reflective approach to examine how their all of their actions are communicate and perceived by others. This is intended to build empathy between students that can further develop London Met’s community. Furthermore, equipped with this mindset, students will be encouraged to also see the communications environment as something that needs to be approached strategically. To approach of an information environment strategically is to understand that successful strategies must remain flexible. Rather than fixed, strategies are conceived as systems of steppingstones that interactively form a cohesive whole. To think strategically will naturally facilitate critically thinking leads students to challenge traditional views of political communications. (LO 5)

A mix of lectures, seminars, workshop activity-based sessions. Lectures will be semi-structured and lead collaboratively between the tutor and students. Seminars will give students the opportunity to discuss their thoughts and reflect on a chosen topic. This not only enables deeper understanding, but also provides an opportunity for students to form understandings of themselves and others. To this end, seminars will act as spaces of critical relaxation, empathy, and community building.

Workshops will place students in simulated situations designed to foster employability skills, critical thinking, and contextualised learning. Connecting theoretical elements of the module to the real world contextualises information that facilitates meaningful learning.  

All lectures will be recorded via Panopto, and workshops will also be online. Workshops can incorporate social media social media platforms such as Twitter. A space can be created within Twitter to allow students to share interesting information related to the module. Tools like Mentimeter will be used to gauge student engagement and progression, as well as allowing students who are unable to participate an avenue to share ideas.

The learning outcomes for this module are:

1. To develop an understanding of Political Marketing

2. To understand and apply theoretical understanding and practical methods to critically evaluate political marketing campaigns.

3. To formulate a communications strategy to critically address a real-world situation using knowledge gained throughout the module.

4. Gain skills and knowledge that transfers to a future career opportunities beyond university. Teambuilding, interpersonal empathy, critical thinking, time management, research, report writing, digital/IT literacy, and presentation skills are some of the tool’s students will reinforce during the module.

5. Encourage students to form greater connections with their peers to support London Met’s community and student wellbeing.

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