Democratic processes may have seen resurgence in many developing countries in recent years, but elections often remain a context for political manipulation and consequently alienation of the economically disenfranchised. Much political communications is about marketing of particular candidates, parties and/or platforms. Presentation documents the genesis of an innovative voter education campaign developed by an advertising agency in Peru having a strong social agenda. The campaign distilled political choices for national leadership into more manageable selection criteria via analogies from daily life. It was designed to cause citizens to self-examine their own political awareness and motivate them to utilise their voting privileges thoughtfully to further a public policy agenda they favoured.

1. SHOULD YOU HIRE THIS
CANDIDATE?
EMPOWERING VOTERS IN
PERU
AMOS OWEN THOMAS
Harold Pupkewitz Graduate School of Business
Polytechnic of Namibia, Windhoek

2. (c) Amos Owen Thomas
EMPOWERING VOTERS / PERU
CANDIDATES IAMCR Durban: 2
ORIGINALITY OF CAMPAIGN
Distilling political choice
 Not complex party-platforms, nor rhetoric
 Individual character, integrity, competence
Manageable selection criteria
 Beyond speeches & promises
 Scrutinising the track-record
Analogies from daily life
 Simple yet thought-provoking
 Touch of humour with realism

3. THE PRESENT CANDIDATES ARE TO BE OUR ‘EMPLOYEES’.
LET US EXAMINE THEM. BE PREPARED.

4. (c) Amos Owen Thomas
EMPOWERING VOTERS / PERU
CANDIDATES IAMCR Durban: 4
THINKING REVISITED
Political marketing
 US dominance, commericalisation of politics
 Non-profit consumers, platforms as brands
Political communication
 Democratic project of political science
 Power-bases and their inter-play
Political empowerment
 Giving a voice to the powerlessness
 Mobilising to gain equity of benefit

5. SEEKING THIS CHAIR?
FIRST, TAKE THIS CHAIR.

6. (c) Amos Owen Thomas
EMPOWERING VOTERS / PERU
CANDIDATES IAMCR Durban: 6
RESEARCH MOTIVATION
Resurgence of democracy
 Post-Cold War international support
 Economic and political liberalism
Inappropriateness of models
 Developed world political party campaigns
 Developing world generic voter education
Disenfranchisement of the poor
 Courted only at elections, even bribed
 Illiteracy, ignorance and disinterest

7. WOULD YOU ENTRUST HIM/HER WITH THE
FUTURE OF YOUR CHILDREN?
CIVIC TEST

8. (c) Amos Owen Thomas
EMPOWERING VOTERS / PERU
CANDIDATES IAMCR Durban: 8
INVESTIGATORY APPROACH
Documents / texts
 Print ads, posters, bill-boards
 Website, on-line questionnaire
Interviews / conversations
 Creators – anthropologist and copywriter
 Academic ‘fans’ of the campaign in-country
Observation / comparison
 Understanding historical context
 Outcome of the elections

9.  THE CURRENT CANDIDATES ARE TO BE OUR ‘EMPLOYEES’.
 IT IS TIME TO ASSUME THE POWER OF THE ONE WHO HIRES.
 ASK THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE VOTING YOUR CANDIDATE TO THE
CONGRESS AND TO THE PRESIDENCY.

10. (c) Amos Owen Thomas
EMPOWERING VOTERS / PERU
CANDIDATES IAMCR Durban: 10
PRACTITIONER APPLICATION
Fresh approach
 Not ‘go-to-vote’ or ‘choose this candidate’
 But ‘why-vote’ and ‘how-to-select’
Onus on voter
 Self-education on the campaign platforms
 Not just persuaded to act a certain way
Adaptability elsewhere
 From this one developing country to others
 Adaptation of campaign rendered minimal

11. INTEGRITY
Would you entrust your house to
his/her care?
EXPERIENCE
Would you entrust him/her with
managing your business?
QUALIFICATIONS
Would you entrust him/her with
the future of your child?
HOW DID YOU GO? [see next page]

12. INTEGRITY
Would you entrust your house to
his/her care?
EXPERIENCE
Would you entrust him/her with
managing your business?
QUALIFICATIONS
Would you entrust him/her with
the future of your child?
HOW DID YOU GO? [see next page]

13. (c) Amos Owen Thomas
EMPOWERING VOTERS / PERU
CANDIDATES IAMCR Durban: 13
THEORETICAL IMPLICATIONS
Universality of appeal
 Values of human rights & social justice
 Empowerment of the disenfranchised
Criteria for diffusion
 Rural-urban communications media-divide
 Word-of-mouth, opinion-leaders, tipping point
Contingency of environment
 Voter fatigue, cynicism, literacy
 Non-partisan support for the campaign

14. (c) Amos Owen Thomas
EMPOWERING VOTERS / PERU
CANDIDATES IAMCR Durban: 14
POINTS FOR REFLECTION
Will such a campaign work beyond Peru?
 Why, in what circumstances, which sort of countries?
What needs to be adapted / changed?
 Visual cues, translation only or whole concept?
Could this campaign work where you are?
 Who then needs to know about it?

15. www.pruebaciudadana.org.pe
[civic test]
Creators
TORANJA ADVERTISING
Lima, Peru
RESOURCE