The negative campaign as an electoral strategy from the perspective of political consultants

who to attack, when to attack and how to attack

Authors

  • Felipe Borba Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil , Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil , Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8396-7548 (unauthenticated)
  • Fábio Vasconcellos Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil. Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil). , Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil. Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil). , Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil. Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil). https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1823-7789 (unauthenticated)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-58442022107pt

Keywords:

Elections, Public Opinion, Negative Campaign, Electoral Campaign, Expert Survey

Abstract

This article analyzes negative advertising as an electoral strategy. The objective is to assess three basic questions: who to attack, when to attack and how to attack. To do so, we conducted a research survey with a sample of Brazilian political consultants in order to understand how negative campaign strategies vary according to the circumstances. The results indicate that the decision to attack the opponent should be used in the final stage of the campaign, focusing on the opponent’s proposals and preferably via social networks. The decision about who to attack is influenced by the expectation of victory and positioning in the polls, but the dynamics of voting intentions change the target of the attacks and the intensity with which negative advertising should be used.

Author Biographies

  • Felipe Borba, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil

    Earned his Phd in Political Science from the Instituto de Estudos Sociais e Políticos of the Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (IESP-UERJ). He is an adjunct professor and coordinator of the graduate studies programs in Political Science at the Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO). He also coordinates the Electoral Investigation Group (Grupo de Investigação Eleitoral - and GIEL), being a scholar for the Young Scientist of the Rio de Janeiro Research Development Agency and also the recipient of a CNPq research grant (PQ-2). His research interests are elections, political communication and electoral violence.

  • Fábio Vasconcellos, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil. Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brazil)., Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil. Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil)., Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil. Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing. Rio de Janeiro – RJ, Brasil).

    Earned a Phd in Political Science from the Instituto de Estudos Sociais e Políticos (IESP-UERJ). MA in communication, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ). Adjunct professor of Journalism at UERJ and ESPM-RJ. Expert in data analysis and data-based journalism. Research and teaching subjects include adjunct digital democracy, electoral behavior, public opinion, journalism theory and data-based journalism.

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Published

2022-05-25

Issue

Vol. 45 (2022)

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

The negative campaign as an electoral strategy from the perspective of political consultants: who to attack, when to attack and how to attack. Intercom - Brazilian Journal of Communication Sciences, São Paulo, v. 45, p. e2022107, 2022. DOI: 10.1590/1809-58442022107pt. Disponível em: https://revistas.intercom.org.br/index.php/revistaintercom/article/view/3820. Acesso em: 16 jul. 2026.