University of AkureyriGuðmundsson, BirgirHjálmarsdóttir, Hafdís BjörgKristjánsdóttir, Vera K Vestmann2025-11-142025-11-142019-12-17Guðmundsson, B, Hjálmarsdóttir, H B & Kristjánsdóttir, V K V 2019, 'Politics, marketing and social media in the 2018 local elections in Iceland', Stjórnmál og stjórnsýsla, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 161-182. https://doi.org/10.13177/irpa.a.2019.15.2.21670-680345089933fa385af1-40da-4a87-b8d4-18f510c95c8funpaywall: 10.13177/irpa.a.2019.15.2.2https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/5749The importance of marketing techniques in political campaigning has increased as communicating politics has become more complex in a highly fragmented media environment. With different media logics interacting in a hybrid media system, political marketing methods through social media have drawn considerable attention and even been seen to pose a threat to democratic processes. This paper looks at the extent and nature of the use of marketing techniques in the 2018 municipal elections in Iceland, by using a mixed methods approach. The findings of a candidate survey and interviews with campaign managers suggest that the methods used are by and large a technical extension of previous methods and not qualitatively different from traditional electioneering. Both social media and traditional media are important marketing vehicles, but the importance of social media clearly on the rise. However, in larger communities in the capital region there tends to be a higher degree of professionalism than in other parts of the country and the size of municipality is important, while the type of party or age of candidates is not.22879673161-182eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessPolitical marketingMicro targetingSocial mediaTraditional mediaHybrid media systemSDG 2 - Zero HungerSDG 6 - Clean Water and SanitationSDG 3 - Good Health and Well-beingSDG 4 - Quality EducationSDG 1 - No PovertySDG 5 - Gender EqualitySDG 10 - Reduced InequalitiesSDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and CommunitiesSDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and ProductionSDG 13 - Climate ActionSDG 14 - Life Below WaterSDG 15 - Life on LandSDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong InstitutionsSDG 17 - Partnerships for the GoalsSDG 7 - Affordable and Clean EnergySDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic GrowthSDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure/dk/atira/pure/researchoutput/researchoutputtypes/contributiontojournal/article10.13177/irpa.a.2019.15.2.2