The Next Generation of 'Trudeaumania'

This study is designed to examine the political marketing strategy of the Liberal Party of Canada in the wake of the recent election of Justin Trudeau as party leader. By addressing the themes of branding, personalization and media logic, this article seeks to explore the extent to which the Liberal Party utilizes strategies of personalization and celebrity in their interactions with the media as their main tactic to rebrand the party. Drawing on data from semi-structured interviews with political journalists and party officials and experts, findings show that Justin Trudeau proved to be the focal point of the Liberal Party and their communication strategy towards Canadians and the mass media. Additionally, the study found evidence to support the tactical construction of the Trudeau brand and exploitation of celebrity status by the Liberal Party, and their unyielding attempts at media management. The results are significant for future research in the field of Canadian political marketing, specifically in the lead up to a potentially revolutionary federal election in October 2015.