Digital Political Marketing in Africa
Branding, Elections, and Social Media in a Disrupted Age
Digital Political Marketing in Africa
Branding, Elections, and Social Media in a Disrupted Age
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Description
Tracing the evolution of digital political marketing across Africa, this book unpacks new technologies and approaches to political campaigns and their influence on elections.
In this 'disrupted age', politicians, elites, and citizens engage with politics in the digital sphere more than ever before, influencing high-stakes elections. This book examines the emerging practices of political marketing in Africa from Tik Tok to YouTube. It analyses AI use, celebrity endorsements, and big data decision-making in African elections.
As digital platforms expand, voters and candidates can now easily connect with each other. This book unpacks how, in this process, the power dynamics between the voters and incumbents are increasingly being (re)shaped and digital tools turn voters into citizen political marketers.
Rather than being merely liberative, digital political marketing also has negative consequences on democracy. Chapters in this book examine the deployment of dark political marketing campaigns and explores how digital ecosystems have strengthened negative political marketing.
Bringing together international scholars, this volume untangles the complex new developments in digital political marketing across African contexts.
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Contributors
1. Rethinking Political Marketing in Africa: A Research Agenda for Political Marketing in Africa
Albert Chibuwe (University of South Africa, South Africa) and Allen Munoriyarwa (Walter Sisulu University, South Africa)
Part I. Political Marketing in the Age of AI and Platforms
2. Political Marketing, Tik Tok and YouTube in Africa: Current Trends and Possible Future Pathways
Albert Chibuwe (University of South Africa, South Africa)
3. Instagram Marketing in Presidential Election Campaigns: Study of Selected Candidates in Ghana
Akwasi Bosompem Boateng (University of Education, Winneba, Ghana)
4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Uptake in Nigeria's Political Marketing Practices
Andrew Hayacinth Ngene (Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger)
5. Musicians in Politics in Uganda: Politainment or Political Entertainment
Özgür Yilmaz (Kilis 7 Aralik University, Turkey)
6. Selling Africa to the World: Brand Africa as a Strategic Political Marketing Platform
Thobeka Daki (Walter Sisulu University, South Africa), Rudzani Patience Muthambi (Walter Sisulu University, South Africa) and Quatro Mgogo (Rhodes University, South Africa)
Part II. Political Marketing and Social Media
7. Political Advertising in Africa: The President as a Symbol of Progress in Ruling Party Campaigns
Gopolang Ditlhokwa (University of Botswana, Botswana)
8. Digital Democracy and the Transformation of Kenyan Public Discourse in the Age of Social Media
Protus Akwabi Murunga (RMIT University, Australia)
9. Promoting Gwara reZANU through the Varakashi on X: Reflections of Zimbabwe's Ruling Party Digital Political Marketing Strategies
Constance Kasiyamhuru (University of Johannesburg, South Africa)
10. Mozambique's 2024 Elections: How the Internet Transformed Political Communication
Dércio Tsandzana (Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique)
Part III. Political Marketing, Propaganda and Dark PR in the Digital Age
11. “The Darker Side of Politics”: Negative, Uncivil and Dark Campaigns in the Platform Age
Chengeto Mkwendi (Midlands State University, Zimbabwe) and Allen Munoriyarwa (Walter Sisulu University, South Africa)
12. Regimes of Electoral Disinformation in African Digital Political Marketing Practices
Lyton Ncube (University of Botswana, Botswana), Chengeto Mkwendi (Midlands State University, Zimbabwe) and Sinikiwe Gwatidzo (Great Zimbabwe University, Zimbabwe)
13. Celebrity Endorsements in Post Military Coup Zimbabwe: A Netizens' Reaction to the Java-Mnangagwa Axis
Takunda Maodza (Walter Sisulu University, South Africa)
14. Weaponising X for Public Relations Purposes: A Zimbabwean Government Case Study
Millie Phiri and Trust Matsilele (Birmingham City University, UK)
15. Don't Hate the Player, Hate the Game: A Framing Analysis of Negative Political Marketing through Press Releases in South Africa's 2024 National Elections
Refilwe Whitney Mofokeng (Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa) and Kelly Makola (University of Johannesburg, South Africa)
16. Political Marketing in Times of Crisis: A Comparative Framing Analysis of COVID Speeches by the Presidents of Ghana, Kenya and South Africa
Godwin Etse Sikanku, Samuel Danso and Christiana Hammond (University of Media, Arts and Communication, Ghana)
Product details
| Published | 10 Dec 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (Epub & Mobi) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 320 |
| ISBN | 9798765143940 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Illustrations | 36 bw illus |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |

























