Bruce I. Newman

Why we buy what we buy: A theory of consumption values

Abstract This article presents a theory developed to explain why consumers make the choices they do. The theory identifies five consumption values influencing consumer choice behavior. Three representative applications of the theory are illustrated pertaining to choices involving cigarette smoking. The illustrations examined include the choice to buy or not buy (or to use or not use) cigarettes, the choice of one type of cigarette over another, and the choice of one cigarette brand over another. Results of the operationalization of the theory suggest that it may be used to predict consumption behavior, as well as to describe and explain it.

A Model of Primary Voter Behavior

This article develops and tests a model of voter behavior in a primary election. The model integrates several schools of thought that have tried to explain voter behavior; it is tested by predicting the behavior of respondents based on the model, and then validating the results with the actual behavior of the respondents. Results obtained here provide a prediction rate of 90 percent correctly classified. The article then compares the explanatory and predictive power of the model to models that use demographic and political involvement data.

The “Gender Gap” in Voter Attitudes and Behavior: Some Advertising Implications

Abstract A study is carried out to examine the male/female differences in voting behavior, intention and beliefs. Hypotheses are generated from a review of the literature covering three areas: sex roles, innate differences and political participation. The results of the study are consistent with the more recent literature which suggests that the female is just as involved, interested and concerned about politics as the male is. Both females and males evaluate candidates primarily on the basis of personality and issues. The male, however, is more likely to act as an opinion leader. Implications for message strategies in political advertisements are made.

Towards the development of a cross‐cultural model of voter behavior

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reinterpret and test empirically Newmans model of voters choice behavior, where three elements influencing the choice of a given candidate were included: the medias role in the election; cognitive reasons to vote for; and emotional feelings toward the candidate.Design/methodology/approach – The data from Polish and US 2000 presidential elections have been analyzed and compared. The research purpose is concerned with the measurement of the models seven domains of political object evaluation (issues and policies, emotional feelings, candidate image, current events, social imagery and epistemic issues), and its predictive power for the choice of a presidential candidate. The data are analyzed using the methodology of structural equations modeling, and are interpreted with the terms of mutual causal relationships between these domains.Findings – The key factor in influencing voting behavior is evoking positive emotions towards the candidate and then providing vote...

The Role of Marketing in Politics

The Journal of Political Marketing is the first academic and professional publication solely devoted to the advancement and recognition of the role of marketing in politics. The journal will be an outlet for a wide spectrum of scholars and practitioners who carry out research, consult and write in the field of political marketing. Whereas much research has been carried out to date in the field, recent debate has centered around the formal definition of political marketing (O’Shaughnessy 2001). For the purpose of establishing a theoretical foundation from which to move forward, we will use the definition put forward in the preface of the recently published Handbook of Political Marketing, the first formal integration of thinking in the field. Political marketing can be defined as “ the application of marketing principles and procedures in political campaigns by various individuals and organizations. The procedures involved include the analysis, development, execution, and management of strategic campaigns by candidates, political parties, governments, lobbyists and interest groups that seek to drive public opinion, advance their own ideologies, win elections, and pass legislation and referenda in response to the needs and wants of selected people and groups in a society” (Newman, 1999, p. xiii).

Commentary ‐ Image‐manufacturing in the USA: recent US Presidential Elections and beyond

Now that we have entered the new millennium in politics, it is clear that the machinery of the “old politics” that was centered on a party‐orientation is being replaced by computers of the “new politics” that is centered on an image manufacturing‐orientation. Along with this movement comes a highly integrated marketing strategy that is driven by a candidate’s inner circle of advisors who now control the money and message of both the party and candidate organization. This makes for a very easy transition from election to governing, as the top advisors during the campaign become top advisors to the leader and the key architects of the party administration. All of the advanced marketing techniques and tools that have been used in politics over the past several years are becoming more sharply focused on one central theme, and that is to manufacture a winning image for the leader and his/her party. The 2000 US Presidential Election will be used as a case in point to examine how this process works and what impact it will have on politics in the future.

Models of Voter Behavior in Traditional and Evolving Democracies

ABSTRACT The data of Polish, Slovenian, and U.S. political elections have been analyzed according to Newmans model of voters choice behavior (Newman & Sheth 1985; Newman 1999). The results of the research were interpreted with the methodology of structural equations, where cognitive domains, the media, and the emotional feelings toward the candidates were variables in mutual cause-and-effect relationships. The results of the analyses demonstrated the differences in the importance of the media for the election process. In established democracies like in the U.S. the media play an important role as independent means of delivering information, while in evolving democracies media are not independent and are oftentimes used by the competing political sides as an element in electoral battles. The article also presents proposals for studying voter behaviors within constructivist and realistic paradigms as well as some suggestions for marketing practice.

The Merging of Public Relations and Political Marketing

Political marketing and public relations are two disciplines that have found a home in the field of politics. For many years now, politicians around the world have been advised by professionals in the field of public relations. Since Ronald Reagan was Governor in California, he had been receiving advice from Michael Deaver, a public relations genius who helped shape and sell Reagan’s image to the American people by literally wrapping him in the American flag in an attempt to position him as an American hero and patriot (Newman, 1994). Successive presidents since Reagan have all relied on the same kind of public relations advice, including former President Bush, former President Clinton and President Bush

A marketing poll: an innovative approach to prediction, explanation and strategy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an evaluation of a newspaper insert survey and web‐based voter surveys associated with the same newspaper, conducted before and after the 2004 US presidential election.Design/methodology/approach – The study compares response rates, demographics, and political profiles of voters responding to these two different channels of communication and evaluates the success of each in predicting the election outcome.Findings – The study results show some significant differences between the two methods of voter data collection; nevertheless, each is useful in a comprehensive system that attempts to follow voter attitudes and intentions before the election and predict election outcome.Origiality/value – The study relies on the use of an innovative marketing poll that goes beyond simple prediction of a voters behavior and offers an explanatory component useful in the development of marketing strategies during a campaign.

Testing a Predictive Model of Voter Behavior on the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election

Abstract Utilizing a predictive model of voter behavior, this study identified the motivations behind a sample of voters who cast a ballot for George W. Bush and AI Gore in the 2000 presidential campaign. The motivations of the voters were differentiated on the basis of the “value” they sought in a president. In other words, just as companies in the “commercial marketplace” have to create value to attract customers, so does a candidate in the “political marketplace” who is seeking to carve out a niche for himself that separates him from his competition. Pairwise discriminant analysis is used to identify the motivations behind the choice behavior of voters at both the candidate and party level. The results reveal the complimentary roles that the political party and each candidates campaign organization played in their respective marketing strategies.