An Investigation into the Discourse of Political Marketing Communications in Turkey: The Use of Rhetorical Figures in Political Party Slogans

Abstract

This study explores the use of rhetorical figures in political party slogans in Turkey. In the first stage of the research, a content analysis establishes that the use of rhetorical figures in political party slogans is limited. Irony and metaphor appear to be the two most commonly used rhetorical devices in political party slogans. The Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi, or AKP), which came to power in November 2002, 1 year after its establishment, tended to avoid rhetorical figures in its political campaigns in line with its positioning. It is established that the avoidance of the use of rhetorical figures in their slogans has helped the AKP emphasize the image and its positioning-a party of action without demagoguery and gossiping-it wanted to create in the minds of the voters.