Campaigning

From political parties to non-profit organizations to companies - they all want to gain attention for their thematic goals and concerns through public relations work. This is achieved, among other things, through the targeted and strategic design and implementation of so-called campaigns, which is why the associated professional field is also referred to as "campaigning".

In contrast to traditional marketing or PR, both of which are designed for long-term brand and/or image building, campaigning is understood to be temporary actions with which the respective target group is reached and encouraged to act. For this purpose, different methods of traditional marketing, but also beyond (from PR measures to social media messages and live events) are combined into an overall campaign so that the message can ultimately be heard "on all channels". It is important here that not only the content but also the methods match the company's own strategic orientation and the values of the target group. This is because they should not only be reached by the bundled campaigns, but ideally also activated, so that they themselves subsequently support the propagated cause and thus pass it on. Becoming such a "self-starter" is ultimately the major goal of a successful campaign.
The basis for planning such cross-media marketing measures is the prior evaluation and analysis of data on the interaction behavior of users, as well as a good knowledge of current social debates and topics. After all, a good campaign should take effect quickly and be accurately oriented towards these events. To ensure this, a precisely tailored campaign strategy is developed based on the previously analyzed data, which can include, for example, the creation of precisely tailored editorial plans for online political platforms. Digitalization plays a particularly important role here, as target groups can be better identified with the help of "big data" (i.e. bundled data from users that contains information about their person, interests and usage behavior).

Use current social events to position your own topics

Through so-called "targeting", target group-specific content is then developed in advance, which should generate the highest possible interaction rate. In the background is always the question of when the planned campaign will achieve the greatest possible effect. Such an intensification is not only relevant during an election campaign, for example, but also whenever the aim is to raise social awareness of the respective issues at a certain point in time, such as shortly before a demonstration, a court hearing or the passing of a law. It follows from this logic that campaigners not only need to have a very good overview of traditional marketing and PR methods and social media channels and their inherent effectiveness, but should also always keep an eye on current trends and debates. Campaigns are fast-moving, which is why campaigners need to be flexible, stress-resistant and decisive. Working hours beyond the 9 to 5 framework are also to be expected. If you want to enter the field, you should also be able to formulate very well and communicate in a targeted manner . Creativity, organizational skills and an understanding of the topics to be represented are also required. Relevant degrees in this field are, for example, marketing, economics or communication sciences, in the political field also political or social sciences, but entry is also possible with all other disciplines if you have the relevant knowledge and experience. If you are interested, it is therefore advisable to gain campaigning experience early on through internships, voluntary work or student positions. Jobs can be found under the titles "Campaign Manager" or "Project Manager Campaigns" or simply "Campaigner". Campaigners can either work permanently for an organization or work as a communications consultant in agencies for various clients.