Political candidates’ personal branding. Pedro Sánchez and Pablo Iglesias. A comparative análisis)

Abstract

Throughout the western and democratic world, the electoral cybercampaigns are increasingly frequent. The candidates establish the image they wish to project and transmit to the public (electorate) at the beginning of the campaign. This study presents and analyses the personal and political branding of Pedro Sánchez and Pablo Iglesias, candidates of the PSOE and PODEMOS parties respectively, in their webs for the election campaign 2015-16.
Both candidates had the possibility of designing and projecting their personal and political image according to four of their trait variables: 1) biographical, 2) personal, 3) academic qualification, 4) ideological position, and 5) communication skills that constitute the strategic image that both candidates want to have. It is an analysis of intention, not perception. Therefore, this work presents an analytical description of the construct of their personal brand based on the discourse analysis on the mentioned variables. The study reveals the differences and similarities of their intentional presentation, with their personal and political brand.
The results allow to reflect, interpret and compare their intentional and not perceptional personal and political brand. The conclusion shows that their political image opens an interesting question: is the projected image the one they wanted to offer?