2027: Build Your Brand Early, Don’t Wait Until 2027 to Define Yourself, Says PRM Africa Boss, Dada

Politicians eyeing elective positions in the 2027 elections must begin building their personal and political brands well ahead of the polls and embrace data-driven digital marketing to connect with Nigeria’s increasingly young and discerning electorate.

 

Mike Dada, Managing Director of PRM Africa Marketing and Communications Limited, gave the advice while speaking on the changing dynamics of political marketing and election campaigns.

 

Dada, a marketing and public relations expert and Founder/Executive Producer of the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, said the traditional reliance on rallies, posters, political structures and conventional media was no longer sufficient to influence voters.

 

He said technology, artificial intelligence, data analytics and digital platforms were fundamentally changing the way political campaigns are designed, delivered and measured.

 

According to him, digital marketing has moved from being an alternative communication channel to becoming a central battleground for political campaigns.

 

“Digital marketing is no longer an ‘alternative’ channel; it is the primary battlefield. In a world of evolving tech, digital marketing allows for micro-targeting, precision, and measurement.”

 

Dada said campaigns could now tailor messages to different voter segments while maintaining a consistent political brand, noting that data-driven communication also provides feedback that enables campaign teams to understand how voters are responding to specific messages.

 

He stressed that political campaigns must therefore be based on proper assessment of the electorate, demographic and psychographic analysis, voter segmentation and targeted communication.

 

The PR expert also urged politicians to start managing their personal brands, records, values and public communication long before election season, warning against attempts to create or repair political identities only a few months before voting.

 

He said political branding goes beyond attractive posters, television commercials and social media posts, stressing that candidates must clearly define what they represent and build credibility around those values over time.

 

“Branding is not a coat of paint you slap on two months before an election. It is a reputation built over time,” Dada said.

 

“Define your ‘Brand Essence’ early. What do you stand for? If you wait until 2027 to tell us who you are, the opposition will tell us who you are first.”

 

Dada, whose PRM Africa he said has managed 16 elections end-to-end, said politicians could no longer rely solely on repeatedly addressing crowds at rallies and expect such engagements to influence the wider electorate.

 

He further identified data as a critical tool for measuring campaign effectiveness, saying digital platforms could help political organisations track voter sentiment, evaluate communication strategies and determine which messages were gaining traction across different demographics and geopolitical zones.

 

“We no longer guess. We need to count the numbers for it to count. In any case, democracy is a game of numbers,” he said.

 

Dada said sentiment analysis, digital footprint tracking, periodic polling and campaign evaluation could provide measurable indicators of voter response and help campaign teams adjust their strategies when necessary.

 

However, he cautioned that digital campaigns should complement rather than replace grassroots mobilisation.

 

“Political marketing needs to be married with push strategy, OTG — on-the-ground work — for success or for the campaign objective to be achieved,” he said.

 

Beyond election campaigns, Dada called on governments at all levels to engage communication and brand professionals in explaining their policies and programmes to citizens.

 

He argued that effective implementation without effective communication could create a disconnect between governments and the people they serve.

 

“Governments often treat public affairs communication as ‘propaganda’ rather than ‘engagement’. They use unqualified civil servants or ‘information officers’ to do the job of brand specialists,” he said.

 

According to him, the resulting communication gap can make citizens feel disconnected from governments even when programmes and projects are being implemented.

 

“Governments must learn that selling a policy is just as important as implementing it. Governments at all levels need to understand the necessity of investing heavily and building intangible assets such as reputation, perception, mutual understanding and trust for the purpose of legitimacy and policy support from citizens,” Dada said.