Wazzup Pilipinas!?
In the world of marketing, there’s a simple but powerful framework that drives decisions and strategy: STP. This stands for Segment, Target, and Position. While STP is commonly applied in business and product marketing, it also holds great significance in the realm of political campaigns. For politicians, understanding the nuances of their audience is paramount, and applying STP could be the difference between a campaign that resonates and one that falls short.
Let’s break it down using Luke Espiritu's current political standing as a case study. As of December 2024, Luke Espiritu, a candidate for the 2025 elections in the Philippines, ranks somewhere between 26th and 41st. That’s quite far from the coveted top 12, where candidates need to be positioned to win a seat. While some argue that it’s not his message that’s flawed, but rather his lack of recognition, this assumption is only partially true. The reality lies in a deeper analysis of data and the candidate’s positioning strategy.
Segmenting the Voter Base: Who is the ‘Manggagawa’ Voter?
In his campaign, Espiritu is rallying for the manggagawa (workers) of the Philippines — a group that totals around 40 million people. But is this demographic a homogenous bloc, or is it made up of diverse segments with varying concerns, values, and priorities? When we break it down, we find that the manggagawa is not a singular entity. It encompasses a wide range of workers, from laborers in factories to freelancers, tech workers, teachers, and healthcare professionals. These individuals have different needs, aspirations, and struggles, even though they all share a common term: manggagawa.
Is “manggagawa” still a term that resonates with this group, or does it now feel outdated or even too closely associated with leftist ideologies? It’s essential to understand whether the segments identify as “manggagawa” or if they view themselves differently, perhaps through their specific industry or personal experiences. Recognizing this could be the key to refining Espiritu’s targeting strategy.
Targeting the Right Audience: Conversion Beyond Awareness
With a focus on the manggagawa, it’s crucial to not only raise awareness about the candidate but to also convert that awareness into votes. According to the latest data, Espiritu has an awareness rate of 16%. While this indicates that a decent portion of the electorate recognizes him, awareness alone is insufficient for electoral success.
The next step is to assess how many of those aware voters will actually vote for him. This is known as the conversion rate. From the data, we can deduce that for every 10 people who know Luke, only about 1.1 people will vote for him. This is a very low conversion rate, indicating that there’s a significant gap between recognition and actual support.
To break it down further, even though Luke’s team may be focusing on spreading his message to increase awareness, the message itself is not resonating well with the voters. The issue here isn’t solely a lack of recognition, but a disconnect between the candidate’s campaign and the electorate's values and priorities.
Positioning: The Disconnect Between the Message and the Voters
One of the core issues with Espiritu’s campaign is the positioning of his message. His promise to end contractualization and raise workers' wages to a “living wage” may sound appealing to many, but for a significant portion of the electorate, this message feels repetitive. As some voters point out, this same promise has been made by politicians in the past, but nothing substantial has changed. They criticize the government for failing to address the core issue of low wages despite the wealth of many corporations.
Moreover, some have grown skeptical of the term “manggagawa,” viewing it as a political tool rather than a genuine concern. This sentiment, often echoed by frustrated voters, suggests that many feel disillusioned and believe that politicians like Espiritu simply promise change to win votes, but fail to follow through once elected.
This is a clear sign of a messaging problem — where the campaign does not evoke a strong emotional or intellectual connection with voters. Instead of feeling like a genuine solution, Espiritu’s campaign may be perceived as just another iteration of empty promises.
The Importance of Data-Driven Strategy
While awareness is a clear issue for Espiritu, we must remember that it is not the only problem. As the data reveals, even among those who are familiar with him, the conversion rate remains too low to significantly alter his position. This means that Luke’s campaign needs to address both awareness and the content of his message.
So, what should Luke Espiritu do next? The answer lies in testing and iteration. He must refine his message and better tailor it to the specific needs, challenges, and concerns of his target segments. It’s not just about becoming more well-known; it’s about having a message that resonates and aligns with the electorate’s expectations.
A Call to Action for the Manggagawa Voters
The 40 million manggagawa in the Philippines represent a formidable force that, if united, could propel Espiritu to a top spot in the elections. But this is only possible if they believe in the sincerity and effectiveness of his message. If Espiritu’s campaign can genuinely engage this segment by addressing the issues that matter most to them — from wage increases to job security — then he stands a much better chance of converting awareness into votes.
Ultimately, awareness is just the first step. To rise above the competition, Luke Espiritu must do more than remind voters of his platform. He must deliver a message that truly resonates with their daily struggles, one that offers real, actionable solutions to the problems they face. In a political landscape where every vote counts, only a campaign that strikes the right balance of segmenting, targeting, and positioning will lead to success.
As the 2025 elections approach, Luke Espiritu must remember: the people aren’t just looking for promises; they’re looking for leadership that truly understands and prioritizes their concerns. Until his campaign proves this, he may remain among the ranks of the “unconvinced” voters, who believe that the promises of the manggagawa remain just that — promises, unfulfilled and untested.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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