<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>This article offers a longitudinal perspective on communications during election campaigns from a political-party perspective, where strategic considerations about digital media are compared across time. Our analysis is grounded on the concepts of hybridisation and data-driven campaigning, where digital technology tends to play a central role without replacing all traditional campaign features. Empirically, the study is based on a longitudinal analysis of four election campaigns in Sweden during 2010–2022. The analysis shows that Swedish political parties have gradually integrated digital campaign features in their structure and strategy. The process is not linear, but rather back and forth, as party perceptions of the importance of communication channels vary across time. The results imply a development where all parties, regardless of size and ideology, are increasingly making rational judgments of which combinations of old and new campaign methods and communication channels are most effective.</p>
</abstract>

This article offers a longitudinal perspective on communications during election campaigns from a political-party perspective, where strategic considerations about digital media are compared across time. Our analysis is grounded on the concepts of hybridisation and data-driven campaigning, where digital technology tends to play a central role without replacing all traditional campaign features. Empirically, the study is based on a longitudinal analysis of four election campaigns in Sweden during 2010–2022. The analysis shows that Swedish political parties have gradually integrated digital campaign features in their structure and strategy. The process is not linear, but rather back and forth, as party perceptions of the importance of communication channels vary across time. The results imply a development where all parties, regardless of size and ideology, are increasingly making rational judgments of which combinations of old and new campaign methods and communication channels are most effective.

Second thoughts on digital first: Exploring the development of election campaigning among Swedish political parties, 2010–2022

Department of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Journalism Media and Communication

Demicom Center for Study of Democracy and Communication

Nordicom Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

This article offers a longitudinal perspective on communications during election campaigns from a political-party perspective, where strategic considerations...

Second thoughts on digital first: Exploring the development of election campaigning among Swedish political parties, 2010–2022

Published Online: Mar 12, 2024

Page range: 15 - 35

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/nor-2024-0006

Keywords
election campaigns, digital media, hybridisation, data-driven campaigning, Sweden

© 2024 Niklas Bolin et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Second thoughts on digital first: Exploring the development of election campaigning among Swedish political parties, 2010–2022

Published Online: Mar 12, 2024

Page range: 15 - 35

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/nor-2024-0006

Keywordselection campaigns, digital media, hybridisation, data-driven campaigning, Sweden

© 2024 Niklas Bolin et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
election campaigns, digital media, hybridisation, data-driven campaigning, Sweden