Abstract
This chapter examines political marketing in the 2020 elections through what Andrew Yang would call the math. Despite all the Democratic primary’s drama, the clear early favorite, Joe Biden, won. The importance of endorsements and momentum was illustrated along with the limits of money. Covid-19 took a central role while the merging of online and in-person campaigns was exemplified by the rise and fall of President Trump’s campaign manager. Previously unavailable data and techniques—for example, social media, Google search, sentiment, and text analysis—can now analyze candidates’ strengths, the public’s interests, and even the transmission of falsehoods. New sources of predictions beyond traditional polling can be used by political marketers to better manage their strategies. The implications for political marketing’s future are discussed.
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Bendle, N., Papatla, P. (2022). The 2020 Campaign: Candidates in a New World. In: Gillies, J. (eds) Political Marketing in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Palgrave Studies in Political Marketing and Management. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86559-7_4
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