Communication Strategies in Political PR: Case Study of the US Election Campaigns 2016‒2020 and 2020‒2024 (Electoral Cycle)

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to present a comprehensive picture of the PR strategy of American presidential candidates used on the Internet to manage the political activity of citizens during election campaigns in the United States. The practice of American election campaigns is a vivid example of how active electoral communication is implemented through social networks and demonstrates why this process of communication with voters is of great importance for election campaigning. The more technologically advanced the tools of the election headquarters become, the more difficult it is for the opponent to achieve significant success at all stages of the electoral cycles. Communication strategies of a modern election campaign act as a tool for achieving political goals: conventional, propaganda, conflict, agitation and manipulation, at the same time emphasizing the philosophy, ideology and values of the presidential candidate, who acts as a subject of strategizing. These goals are achieved through a synthesis of marketing (planning, implementation and evaluation of the program), creative (use of non-standard solutions in political PR) and media strategies (Internet advertising).