Political jamming: challenging hegemonic power-constellations in South Africa from a branding perspective

Abstract

Current transformations have seen an explicit shift in the use of cultural jamming techniques which are intended for the capitalistic corporate brand culture, entering into the political territory; therefore bringing about the political jamming phenomenon. Politicians and political parties have progressively employed the branding techniques of corporate marketers to ‘advertise’ their political campaigns, and for that reason hold the same function as a brand. This study investigated the impact political jamming has on a macro-political level. I investigated the role political jamming has in promoting agency and critical interpretation/postures within individuals and explored the extent to which it challenges hegemonic power-constellations in South Africa. Furthermore, this study investigated the effect political jamming has on the equity of a political party. This study is motivated by a primary research question (1) to what extents does the political jamming phenomenon challenge hegemonic power-constellations in South Africa and affect the equity of political parties? To examine this question the study was framed using Scremin’s (2008) Voter-Based Equity model and Karlyn Khors Campbell theory of agency. This study aimed to (1) to explore the influence political jamming has on agency and efficacy in the public. (2) To investigate the relationship between political jamming and hegemonic-power constellations in South Africa. (3) To consider the relationship between the promotion of critical postures in the public and hegemonic-power constellations in South Africa from political jamming. (4) To explore the extent to which political jamming has an impact on a macro - political scale in South Africa. (5) To examine the role the internet and social media play in the distribution of political jams in South Africa and the significance thereof. (6) To assess the effect the political jamming phenomena has on the equity of the political brand (party equity) using Scremin’s Voter-Based equity model. Drawing on Cammearts (2007) and Lawson’s (2008) research, it is argued that political jamming challenges hegemonic power-constellations on a trivial scale in South Africa and promotes critical postures in the public. This study advances our understanding on the effects of political jamming and the consequence thereof on the equity of political parties. The study was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews to illustrate the effect political jamming has on party equity and promoting critical postures. The findings offered support for the key arguments. I conclude that political jamming has a limited effect on the equity of political parties in South Africa, however has the potential to affect the equity of political parties in the long term. Additionally, political jamming challenges hegemonic power-constellations on an evasive scale.