Kevin07 and the Real Julia: Labor' S Use of Political Branding in 2007 and 2010
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KEVIN07 AND THE REAL JULIA: LABOR’ S USE OF POLITICAL BRANDING IN 2007 AND 2010 LORANN MARGARET DOWNER Masters Degree in Governance, Policy and Public Affairs A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Queensland in 2014 The School of Political Science and International Studies ABSTRACT The Australian Labor Party and its leaders increasingly have been viewed as brands since their winning election campaign in 2007. This work tests claims that Labor and former Labor Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard deliberately attempted branding in the ‘Kevin07’ campaign of 2007 and “the real Julia” campaign of 2010. Building on extant literature, I develop three tools - the concept of the brand oriented party, a model of political branding in Australia and a Political Branding Checklist - to conceptualise, identify and evaluate political branding. I marry these tools with qualitative and quantitative data from interviews with Labor practitioners, Labor television commercials and ABC television news to evaluate planning and performance for each campaign. I conclude that Labor, or at least sections of the party, did deliberately employ branding in the 2007 and 2010 campaigns. In 2007, Labor crafted the ‘Kevin07’ brand for Rudd in a co-branding strategy with the weaker party brand, in a strategic and disciplined campaign. In 2010, Labor deployed Gillard as the dominant offering and the party had little presence. The brand strategy was hastily conceived and unevenly executed during a difficult campaign. In both cases, Labor sought a brand orientation during the campaign but failed to maintain it in government. Further, I conclude that Labor’s branding efforts contributed to the successes and failures of their campaigns and governments. These, and other conclusions, point to an overarching lesson for practitioners and researchers - the need to fully engage with the concept of branding to best employ and understand this new way of doing politics. i DECLARATION BY AUTHOR This thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly-authored works that I have included in my thesis. I have clearly stated the contribution of others to my thesis as a whole, including statistical assistance, survey design, data analysis, significant technical procedures, professional editorial advice, and any other original research work used or reported in my thesis. The content of my thesis is the result of work I have carried out since the commencement of my research higher degree candidature and does not include a substantial part of work that has been submitted to qualify for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution. I have clearly stated which parts of my thesis, if any, have been submitted to qualify for another award. I acknowledge that an electronic copy of my thesis must be lodged with the University Library and, subject to the General Award Rules of The University of Queensland, immediately made available for research and study in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. I acknowledge that copyright of all material contained in my thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of that material. Where appropriate I have obtained copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce material in this thesis. ii PUBLICATIONS DURING CANDIDATURE Publications Downer, Lorann. 2014. ‘Case Study 2.1 Positioning for Power in Australia’ and ‘Case Study 4.3 Personal and party logos in the Kevin07 campaign’. In Political Marketing: principles and applications, 2nd ed, ed. J. Lees-Marshment. Oxon: Routledge. Conference papers and presentations Downer, Lorann. 2013a. ‘Political Branding In Australia: A Conceptual Model’. Paper presented at the United Kingdom Political Studies Association Annual International Conference, Cardiff. Downer, Lorann. 2013b. ‘Position, Position, Position: Labor's Presentation in the 2007 and 2010 Australian Election Campaigns’. Presentation at the New Zealand and Australia Political Marketing and Management Workshop, Auckland. Downer, Lorann. 2013c. ‘Kevin07 and The Real Julia: A tale of two political branding campaigns’. Paper presented at the Australian Political Studies Association Conference, Perth. PUBLICATIONS INCLUDED IN THIS THESIS No publications included. CONTRIBUTIONS BY OTHERS TO THE THESIS Associate Professor of Marketing, Frank Alpert, from the Business School at The University of Queensland, provided valuable comments on an early version of the Political Branding Checklist. STATEMENT OF PARTS OF THE THESIS SUBMITTED TO QUALIFY FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER DEGREE Early versions of the conceptual model of political branding in Australia, the Commercial Branding Checklist and the Political Branding Checklist were included in a paper ‘Building a Political Branding Toolkit’, which was submitted as part of a postgraduate course in Marketing Theory and Research, at The University of Queensland. Completed: Semester 1, 2010. Achieved: High Distinction. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sincere thanks to my principal supervisor, Dr Ian Ward, and associate supervisor, Dr Rae Wear, for their valuable advice, assistance and support throughout this project. This thesis is stronger for their perceptive criticisms and expert contributions. Thanks to the School of Political Science and International Studies at The University of Queensland, and in particular Barbara Sullivan, for assistance and support in multiple ways. Thanks also to colleagues including Danielle, Alissa and Willem for advice, support and diversions. I am very grateful for the support of an Australian Postgraduate Awards scholarship which allowed me to focus on my research. Thanks to Associate Professor, Frank Alpert, from the Business School at The University of Queensland, and Professor Kevin Lane Keller, from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, for generously giving time to discuss my ideas. Special thanks go to the Australian Labor Party practitioners who agreed to be interviewed, thereby enriching this work. My husband, Mark Kennard, and study buddies Sasa, Max and Poppy lovingly shared this journey. Thanks to my extended family - especially Pam, Bob, Jill and Colin - for their interest and encouragement. Thanks also to many friends for their interest and support especially Brendon, Colleen, Graham, LJ, Luke, Mary, Mike, Nicole and Tim. iv KEYWORDS Political branding, political marketing, the Australian Labor Party, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, political parties, Australian politics, Australian electoral system. AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND STANDARD RESEARCH CLASSIFICATIONS (ANZSRC) ANZSRC code: 160601, Australian Government and Politics 100% FIELDS OF RESEARCH (FoR) CLASSIFICATION FoR code: 1606 Political Science 100% v DEDICATION For Mark for everything vi TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………………………….Page ABSTRACT….……………………..……………….…………………………………………. i DECLARATION BY AUTHOR….……………….…………………………………………. ii PUBLICATIONS DURING CANDIDATURE….………………………..…………………. iii Publications……………………………………………………………………………………. iii Conference papers and presentations….…………………………………………………….. iii PUBLICATIONS INCLUDED IN THIS THESIS………………………….....……............. iii CONTRIBUTIONS BY OTHERS TO THE THESIS....……………………………………. iii STATEMENT OF PARTS OF THE THESIS SUBMITTED TO QUALIFY FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER DEGREE….………………………………………………... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………………... iv KEYWORDS…………………………………………………………………………………... v AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND STANDARD RESEARCH CLASSIFICATIONS (ANZSRC)…….……………………….…………………………... v FIELDS OF RESEARCH (FoR) CLASSIFICATION……..……………………………...... v DEDICATION….……………………………………………………………………………… vi LIST OF TABLES………………………………………...……………................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES…………………...…………………………………................................. xi ABBREVIATIONS…………………………………………………………………................. xv CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………. 1 BRANDING IN AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL DISCOURSE……………………………… 1 OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT……………………………………………. 3 OVERVIEW OF LABOR’S CAMPAIGNS AND GOVERNMENTS…………………….. 7 The rise of Rudd…………………………………………………………………...................... 7 The 2007 campaign…………………………………………………………………................. 10 The first Rudd Government………………………………………………………………….. 12 The first Gillard Government………………………………………………………………… 14 The 2010 campaign……………………………………………………………………………. 16 The second Gillard Government……………………………………………………………... 19 CHAPTER TWO – LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS……………………………………… 21 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………................... 21 vii A DISCUSSION OF BRANDING………………………………………………..................... 21 Branding in profit and non-profit organisations……………………………………………. 22 Branding in politics………………………………………………............................................. 23 Defining political branding………………………………………………................................ 25 A NEW PERSPECTIVE……………………………………………….................................... 25 The traditional perspective………………………………………………................................ 25 Models of voter behaviour………………………………………………................................... 26 Models of party behaviour………………………………………………................................... 28 The branding perspective………………………………………………................................... 31 Marketing models of voter behaviour………………………………………………................. 31 Marketing models of party behaviour………………………………………………................