Different strategies in the use of Social Media in Political PR

1. EUPRERA Spring Symposium Ghent – 25/27 February, 2010 Different strategies in the use of Social Media in Political PR The cases of the Portuguese Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Socialist Party (PS) in the 2009 Parliament Campaign Sónia M. Pedro Sebastião ISCSP - CAPP (Technical University of Lisbon - Portugal)

2. Portuguese Political context in 2009 • 3 election moments: • European elections: June • Parliament and Government elections: September • Municipalities elections: October • 2 main parties disputing victory: • PS (73140 militants, Feb. 2009) • PSD (77088 militants, May 2008) • Our focus: Parliament Campaign (September), where the two main Portuguese parties have used web-based social media, and specially, social networks in two different ways. What? When?

3. PSD – Social Democratic Party PS – Socialist Party • Opposition party (trying to win power back) • Leader: Manuela Ferreira Leite • Characteristics: • Low mediatism • Old lady, austere, rigid, unpleasant, and obsolete. • Government party (maintain its position) • Leader: José Socrates • Characteristics: • Media Man • Carefully manged image and presentation • Nice smile and preachy speech tone • Need to change his arrogant posture /humble campaign attitude • Corruption processes Who?

4. Websites four main parts: • Header • Top menu • Main body • Social networks connection • In each of these parts we present: • Main semiotics elements (leader image, slogan, symbol and colours) • Web tools (search, syndication, links) • Multimedia contents (photo and video gallery) • Interactivity tools • Message main themes How? Web Content Analysis

9. PSD PS PSD communication strategy: • Oriented to a global dissemination in existing means. • PSD messages are spread into the most popular global Social Networks, with heavy use of blogging and micro-blogging. • Catch-all party / bullet strategy. • Message: «Truth Policy» PS communication strategy: • Independent web-based social network accessed only by registered members – new registration. • Consistent and exclusive relations with its followers, treating them as «special ones». • Message: «together we can do it» and «I participate». What strategy/message?

10. Popular ones (Hi5, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Youtube, blogger) • Massive message • Public: everyone on the web • Private one (MyMov) • Particular message - targeted audiences • Public: Militants, supporters, volunteers PSD PS Which social network?

11. PS (Results on 21st Sept.)

12. PSD (Results on 21st Sept.)

13. PSD PS • Lose the election • Increase representation 2005 – 75 deputies 2009 – 81 deputies • Win the election • Lose the majority 2005 – 121 deputies 2009 – 96 deputies Abstention: 2005 – 38.68% 2009 – 43.41% Results on election

14. Despite PS victory in Parliament Campaign, its Social Networking campaign can be classified as a failure due to the feeble participation of Portuguese citizens and party militants. • This data may be an evidence that: • The technological progress do not change the way Portuguese people feel about politics. • Non familiar technological structures implies an effort (new registration, participation) that Portuguese citizens are not willing to do for political involvement, even when its simple and «cost free». • It’s not the web interactivity, costs, speed, features and «omnipresence» that motivates citizens’ political participation, but the message, acts and actors, and previous offline involvement, in the very end, the essence and structure of the Portuguese politics. Conclusions