Political branding studies find different effects across elections: European party feature changes preceded higher vote shares, while research in Nigeria and the United States linked candidate image to voter assessments or intentions.
The studies measure different outcomes. Some examine perceptions or stated intentions; the European analysis compares election results after parties changed features of their public image.
BusinessDay commentary author Feyisitan Ijimkainwa argued in an Oct. 24 piece that branding shapes how Nigerian voters perceive candidates. A study of Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election offers a narrower data point: its 2017 survey gathered responses from 400 people across six states. It found that perceived qualities such as competence and credibility contributed to candidate assessments, but were not the only factor in voter choice. Participants were selected purposively and answered questionnaires in person or through social media, limiting what the results can establish about voters nationwide or actual ballots.
Researchers Eric Van Steenburg and Francisco Guzmán analyzed nationwide online surveys conducted in October 2012 and October 2016, each three weeks before a U.S. presidential election. They found a link between candidate brand image and voting intention in both contests. The relationship was stronger for the candidate who lost each election, and the researchers said other considerations also affect voter decisions.
Study author Matthias Avina examined 239 European political parties from 1945 to 2019. The analysis found that changes to features such as party names and logos were followed by higher vote shares in the next election. Changes to policy programs had no effect in the analysis.
A 2024 experiment examined whether the order and consistency of issue positions and candidate-image information affected candidate evaluations. It found more positive evaluations when participants saw issue positions before image information.
The research treats branding as more than logos, encompassing party features, policy identity and impressions associated with candidates. Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lists the next presidential and National Assembly election for Jan. 16, 2027, followed by governorship and State House of Assembly elections on Feb. 6, 2027.
