Public Policy In Marketing

The fields of marketing and communication have become increasingly important for modern public administrations in recent years but the focus on these subjects has been geared mainly towards the generation of outputs, leaving somewhat behind the analysis and deeper reflections on the impact they make and their limitations. This book provides a thorough overview of the major concepts in marketing and communication which is done by utilizing an exclusive and decisive public-sector approach, with an unambiguous international outlook. The possibilities and limits of the application of marketing and communication, from strategic aspects to the more concrete questions of instruments and implementation, are discussed and if the realities of the public sector are the key to any understanding of marketing and communication, the international scene is the only possible ground to do this in. Aided by a multitude of pedagogical features, Marketing Management and Communications in the Public Sector is a key read for all students, practitioners and scholars working or studying in this field.

Policy analysts and policy planners should start from the premise that obstacles, uncertainties and surprises are important features of policy-making. All public policies should be treated as complex problems, from the outset. Complexity theorists start from the premise that complex policies are ill-defined and ambiguous. There is often little consensus about what the problem is, let alone how to resolve it. Into the complexity of the wicked problem fray, Marketing Public Policy introduces the role of communication scholars and practitioners whose models and practices focus on people, processes, opinions and behaviour as causes of organisational complexity. Communication practice’s role is to provide ideas on how to navigate, diagnose and interpret issues with a view to persuading the public to change its behaviour or opinions. From the case studies presented in this book, we see that despite rationally excellent macro- and micro-planning of policies to win the hearts and minds of citizens, public policies still deteriorate into hurts and minefields. The case studies are drawn from China, Indonesia, India, the USA, the UK and Europe to show that policy-making is always a complex issue in any country, whatever the political structure, whether democracy or communism.

Marketing in the Public Sector is a groundbreaking book written exclusively for governmental agencies. It offers dozens of marketing success stories from agencies of all types–from around the world–so that you can make a difference in your organization. World-renowned marketing expert Dr. Philip Kotler and social marketing consultant Nancy Lee show that marketing is far more than communications and has at its core a citizen-oriented mindset. You’ll become familiar with the marketing toolbox and come to understand how these tools can be used to engender citizen support for your agency, increase utilization of your products and services, influence positive public behaviors–even increase revenues and decrease operating costs. This book offers no-nonsense roadmaps on how to create a strong brand identity, gather citizen input, and evaluate your efforts. It presents a step-by-step model for developing a marketing plan, pulling the lessons of the entire book together into one, high-impact action plan. Simply put, this book empowers you to build the “high-tech, high-touch” agency of the future–and deliver more value for every penny you spend.

Political parties worldwide are using marketing tools such as targeting and segmentation to win elections. Are these strategies making politicians and governments more responsive to voters’ needs, or do they pose a threat to democracy? Political Marketing in Canada, the first book to ask this question of Canada, considers the consequences of political marketing in the realms of public policy, leadership, and the government-citizen relationship. Through dynamic case studies that range from the resurrection of the Conservative Party, to media accounts of political marketing, to Tim Hortons as a political brand, the authors trace how political marketing is transforming the old system of brokerage politics into a new, distinctly Canadian model. Citizens are now viewed as consumers, and platforms and promises have been repackaged as products. Whether this trend is positive or negative, the authors argue, depends on how politicians and governments carry out political marketing – and its promises – in practice.