Evolution of the Modern Voter: A Branding Perspective

Abstract

The concept of branding is to be found in every aspect of our lives and on a day-to-day basis. It has made its presence felt in almost every domain of human existence to such an extent that a sense of surety and assuredness seeps in whenever we buy a branded product over an unbranded one based on our positive experience related to its usage. The concept of branding could be applied to the field of politics as well in the modern times based on the evolution of politics. Political branding has found its place in the modern scheme of things when one talks about the contemporary facet of polity. Such a phenomenon is quite popular in the western democracies and has been a late entrant in the Indian scenario but the effectiveness of the same is second to none. This research paper would delve into the rise of political branding pertaining to India thereby exploring its effectiveness in turning the tide as far as existing patterns of voting are concerned which were very much visible in the last general election of the nation. The work would also focus upon the performance of the regional political brands and how the electorate of India has came to vote differently in the two sets of election, national and state.