Law Professor tackles political branding in new book
Law Professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy wrote a new book called Political Brands that examines how branding and politics have gone hand in hand throughout history. It was published in September 2019 by Edward Elgar Publishing.
From “I Like Ike” to President Donald Trump’s MAGA hats, branding in politics have sold both ideas and candidates. Political Brands explores the legal framework for the use of commercial branding and advertising techniques in political campaigns, as well as the impact of politics on commercial brands. The book examines how branding is used by citizens to change public policy, from Civil Rights activists in the 1960s to survivors of the 2018 Parkland massacre.
Torres-Spelliscy, an expert on campaign finance, election law and constitutional law, said she wrote the book to, “help myself and my fellow citizens understand this strange American political moment in which branding is overtaking truth in elections and in every day political discourse.”
Book written for mass audience and academics alike
Each chapter focuses on another aspect of American political life that is being rebranded, from branding corruption and branding treason to branding greed, branding tragedy and more. The book was written to be accessible for the average citizen – especially as the 2020 election ramps up.
“America is experiencing a period of truth decay. I hope readers of the book will better understand this phenomenon and not fall for clever political branding that tries to tug at our emotions and fog the mind.”
Torres-Spelliscy also wanted the book to be useful for the academic community, so it includes full footnotes to allow scholars to build on its findings. For democracy advocates, the book ends with a raft of policy suggestions to improve and strengthen the democratic process.
Lessons to learn
“I hope that readers of Political Brands now and in the future gain a better understanding of how the Supreme Court has shaped the landscape for electoral politics by inviting corporations to spend in U.S. elections, allowing lying in elections to go unpunished and refusing to hold corrupt politicians liable for their actions,” said Torres-Spelliscy. “Against this legal backdrop, politicians and other political actors are flooding the electorate with myths, misstatements and outright lies. Often politicians, including the president, use commercial branding techniques to shape their messages to the public. And in the midst of this, the public is often told not to believe what their own eyes are witnessing, or that a reliable source of disquieting information is ‘fake.’”
Political Brands will also provide readers with needed context now and in the future of how President Trump got to the point of an impeachment inquiry by the House of Representatives.
You can find the book can find it on Google Play or Amazon.
Post date: Nov. 4, 2019
Media contact: Kate Bradshaw
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