Honors Theses and Capstones

Date of Award

Spring 2024

Project Type

Senior Honors Thesis

College or School

PAUL

Department

Marketing, Political Science

Program or Major

Business Administration: Marketing

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

First Advisor

Bruce Pfeiffer

Abstract

This paper uses marketing analytics to analyze the current segmentation and positioning of the US two-party political system. In the literature review, the political parties will be illustrated as they exist in 2024 after a brief historical outline beginning with party politics post WWII. The current 2024 platforms and most polarizing issues will also be outlined in this section. This research aims to answer the following questions. Can marketing segmentation and positioning reveal the most and least polarizing party issues in the United States today? How do current presidential front runners fit into the larger US two-party system? Do their values align or are they detached from traditional party belief systems? Is there a way to reduce party polarization? How are the Republican and Democratic parties most similar? Three studies with varying demographic makeups have been analyzed resulting in the overarching conclusions that marketing analytics can be used in this way to reveal where Democrats and Republicans from various generations most differ, and which issues can pull them back together. This information is today more critical than ever, as the 2024 US presidential election cycle rapidly approaches.

Keywords: Political Parties, Political Ideology, Political Issues, Political Polarization, Marketing Analytics

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