#Opinion: World leaders like PM Modi on social media have created a new form of ‘smart politics'

3 Minds Digital's Co-Founder, Moulik Jain pens down his thoughts on the digital content marketing race between rival parties during General Elections 2019.

The entire world has witnessed one sure and steadfast truth: The usage of digital marketing trends and social media has spread like a raging wildfire with no signs of slowing down at any cost. There’s no denying that in recent years, social media has left an indelible impression on every individual, business, let alone the politics and election campaigns which are in full swing with Lok Sabha elections 2019. In comparison to traditional marketing, digital marketing has revolutionized the way election campaigns are conducted across the globe.

Since the very beginning, our incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Donald Trump, the current president of the United States have been trying their hands out at online marketing campaigns to directly connect with the citizens of their respective countries and share their opinions with them. And as we now know, the rest is history. Everyone knows how they triumphed over the opposing parties, owing to their vast social media following on apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

These world leaders in social media have created a new form of ‘smart politics.’ Experts suggest that they firmly possess an ability to enter the households through mobile phones and laptops which has made their leadership uber successful.

Considering the fact that social media has taken the world by storm and with 60% Indians considering it as their primary source of daily news and information, it will come as no surprise that newspapers subscriptions are at an all-time low as compared to previous years.

Political parties have very well understood the importance of having an online presence and the impact it has on today’s society, and thus find it wise to start a political campaign using digital marketing tools and post tempting ads compelling to audience delight.

Also Read: 8 takeaways from PM Modi’s Instagram Stories

Getting hold of the political leaders & making our voices heard was never as easy as falling off the log in the history of Indian politics. Never before the public outrage reached the ears of the leaders in power. Never before we felt our concerns matter to the ones seated on the throne. Gone are the days when we would write letters to ministers to get their attention and wait for their response. Well, these were the things of the past. Now we tweet to them, and the government seriously takes action. And if all else fails and we don’t get justice, we can also tweet at Modi’s Twitter Account.

When the nation goes to polls, PR firms are roped in, intriguing campaigns are rolled out, and a hefty amount of money is lashed out on marketing. Each party comes up with unique and quirky election campaigns and catchy slogans that become an instant hit with the masses. For instance, ‘Abki Baar Modi Sarkar’ and ‘har har Modi, ghar ghar Modi, were a few of the winning phrases that became extremely popular and changed the fortune of BJP.

Talking about the successful execution of digital campaigns, we cannot afford to miss out on mentioning the phrase chalked up by PM Modi that he is the Chowkidar(watchman) of the country. Taking a jibe on it, Rahul Gandhi, the President of Congress used a slogan during an election campaign that “chowkidar chor hai” (watchman is a thief) alleging Modi’s government was involved in the Rafael deal scam. This came as a gift in disguise to BJP and they came up with a Twitter hashtag #MaiBhiChowkidar. This campaign was all about being the watchman of the nation and protecting it from social evils, terrorism, and corruption.

Even the top leaders of BJP across the country added the prefix ‘Chowkidar’ to their Twitter handles as a mark to support this movement. People from different walks of life came into support to do their bit for the country. It’s no exaggeration to say that social media is a new political battleground

A lot has changed in how India’s major political parties, Congress and BJP target and woo the voters. We are used to watching the serious political campaigns, but this time it’s turning into a peppy rap battle between these two as they have released rap videos against each other. While the BJP came up with ‘Congress Se Azadi,’ Congress went with “Dar Ke Aage Azadi.” This campaign gimmick is indeed entertaining, and it’s fun to watch how these rivals fight their online battles in memes and subtweets. Now, Congress is also giving a tough fight to the “Modi Wave’ and has pulled up its socks by getting registered its presence on social media platforms. This turnaround took place since Gujarat elections 2017.

As the much-awaited General Election 2019 is well underway, Comedy Central India has come up with its satirical digital campaign #ChooserNotLoser. The purpose behind the same is to remind Indian voters that they have the right to vote and choose their leader instead of living with the choices made by others. Political parties have been running the campaigns extensively and the one who strikes the right chord attracts the majority of voters. Digital marketing has bestowed these parties with a platform for powerful messaging to influence the voting process. It has worked wonders in the past and will continue to do so in the future as well. Let’s watch how digital marketing will impact the ongoing election season of 2019 and who will emerge victorious.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are of the author and independent of the Social Samosa.