Communication Strategies of Local Politicians for Creating Popularity

Abstract

This article aims to synthesize communication strategies for building the political popularity of local politicians in a changing media landscape. The analysis employs David K. Berlo's (1960) SMCR model of communication as the primary conceptual framework, which identifies four components in the communication process: Sender, Message, Channel, and Receiver. This model is used as a tool for relational analysis, integrated with related concepts and research in political communication and political marketing. This study utilizes a documentary research methodology, synthesizing content from academic research and papers selected based on criteria related to the components of the SMCR model, the advantages and limitations of traditional and new media, and specific communication strategies for creating political popularity.

The research finds that an effective strategy involves the integration of the SMCR components, starting with the Sender (politician), who must build a credible personal brand; the Message (policy), which must be designed to meet the needs of the audience; and the Channel (media), which must be chosen to align with the media consumption behavior of each audience segment. The key finding of this article is the presentation of a Relational Framework for Communication, which demonstrates that an effective process for building popularity in the local context begins with a deep, audience-centric understanding of the Receiver (R). This insight is then used to design strategies for the Sender (S), Message (M), and Channel (C) that work together systematically, providing a practical guideline for communication planning.