Examining Voter Resistance to Political Marketing Campaigns (Case Study: East Azerbaijan Province)

Political marketing literature emphasizes the critical role of campaigns in garnering voter support; however, understanding voter resistance to these efforts remains insufficient. This study examines the relationship between voters' attitudinal dimensions (cognitive, affective, and behavioral) and their resistance to political marketing campaigns in East Azerbaijan Province. Utilizing the tri-component attitude model, voters' attitudes are modeled as a complex interplay of cognition, affect, and behavior. The empirical methodology is based on a field survey of 384 voters in East Azerbaijan, Iran (with 336 valid responses after screening), conducted using structured questionnaires and analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in SmartPLS software. Findings indicate that the cognitive component has a stronger impact on behavioral resistance than the affective component, with the affective component significantly influenced by the cognitive one. A strong correlation between components (e.g., 0.969 between cognitive and affective) confirms the model's coherence. The study highlights the need to focus on refining cognitive components rather than merely stimulating emotions to manage negative attitudes and reduce resistance. The research's innovation lies in proposing a localized model for political marketing in the context of Iran, with a focus on East Azerbaijan, inviting policymakers to rethink electoral strategies.