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PR Pulse

Persuasion Tactics2016 Australian Election

Campaign Launch

Dr Chris KossenMay 2016

School of Arts and Communication


Tactics in public relations are methods of persuasion

Brief outline of core tactics evident in 2016 Australian election campaign launch from the two major parties.

Australian Liberal and National Party coalition: incumbent

Australian Labor Party:opposition

NOTE: This outline is focused on the use of political persuasion tactics and not the promotion of any particular political position or point of view.


Partisan party politics zero sum

win / lose

The core strategy in political campaigning is logical and predictablein a framework of democratic adversarial based partisan politics

Win government (positively framed proposition)

Defeat opponent party (negatively framed proposition)


Promote and Attack Strategy to Tactics

Strategy To obtain trust and credibility (sufficient to win)

+ promoting credentials (positive framed)

- discrediting opponents (negative framed)

Partisan politics relies heavily on discrediting opponents


Fear based attack tactics

AttackWe are well aware partisan politics relies heavily on strategy of discrediting opponentsNegative messaging proven to be effective political campaign tactics

Tactics of Fear Fundamental persuasion tacticThe peril of the populace should opponents win government


Tacticsapplication of strategy

Evident in the rhetoric (language) used in key messages

Australian political campaigning 2016 key messages

– Jobs and Growth + conservatives – Budget Repair + / - conservatives – Debit and Deficit - conservatives

– Budget Repair that’s Fair + / - Labor – Health and Education + Labor


Messaging principles utilised

For message potency

RepetitionConsistency

Staying on message

Repetition is key in message resonance and penetration Tactics of repetition work to ensure consistency and staying on message


Conservatives

Jobs and GrowthWe have a plan for jobs and growth

Arguments and underpinning assumptions

Lower taxes enable economic growthThis enables business to expand and create more employment

FearThe opposition has a record of debit and deficit (high tax and spending)These policies hinder economic growth needed to generate jobs Leaving most people worse off


Labor Party

Budget Repair that’s FairCompeting Plan

Underpinning arguments and assumptionsBudget needs repair (stated and acknowledged priority)

Priority on fairness (in budget management)

Fair budget repair is affordable and therefore achievable

FearOpponents (conservatives) lower taxes to benefit big business profitsLower tax revenues benefit big business at expense of social services Leaving most people worse off


Does this seem like a return to traditional Rhetorical Division?

Left and Right

LabourVerses

Capital

Politics of class warfare


Marshalling Cultural ResourcesMythologies and popular cultural beliefs

Conservative mythologies Australians are entrepreneurial and enterprisingEffort and enterprise produce wealth and reward

Labor Party mythologiesAustralian equalityFairness: equal opportunity for all Return on social investment is fairness for all

* Imbedded assumption: trust in trickle down economics as recipe to flow-on prosperity


Discipline and adherence to key messages

– Jobs and Growth + conservatives

– Budget Repair + / - conservatives

– Debit and Deficit - conservatives

– Budget Repair that’s Fair + / - Labor

– Health and Education + Labor

Very little divergence


end

pr slide share1 kossen may 2016

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