Agenția de Rating Politic

Periodical national opinion polls “Political Market”

The Political Rating Agency started in 2011 its own periodical national opinion political poll – “Political Market”. We conducted such research in recent key moments of Romanian politics and we looked at the same time to other important impacting issues on the public agenda.

National opinion polls:

February 2011: we anticipated the USL future success just days before the official announcement of its formation.

December 2011: Romanians would participate massively in “primary”-like elections, the majoritarian electoral system preference is for a majoritarian formula with two big parties (45%), Vasile Blaga was named the most important PDL leader (later he became the official leader of the party), massive support for progressive taxation on revenue, only a moderate support for the Rosia Montana gold mining (45% – later a very critical issue on the public agenda).

August 2012: We have correctly indicated the turn-out scenarios and the influence the “boycott” strategy would have in the impeachment Referendum against president Traian Basescu.

Aprili 2013

June 2013

To read all the research Reports please visit the “Reports” section. For translation please contact us.

Romeo Nicoara, “For a fair future” – deputy for Ferentari (2012)

The campaign offered an answer to the striking lack of “representation” of the people in Ferentari (a poor and ill-famed area in Bucharest). Campaign management was tough due to a very late start and the lack of resources. Thus the challenge was to adapt to this situation by fine-tuning the targeting of favourable voters in a very special area of Bucharest any through a very direct communication in this context.
The strategy was built around a meticulous analysis of the electoral mechanism which allowed the candidate in the second or even the third place with the proper number of votes to win an extra seat in the Parliament. We set a target of 16% and 4500 votes. The result was much more: 19.15% and 5460 votes, the best score of a PPDD candidate in one of the 28 electoral districts in Bucharest. The district has about 90.000 voters.

What we did:
– Market research and strategy.
– Positioning in a very special electoral district of Bucharest.
– Designing and choosing a competitive strategic profile using market research techniques.
– Message building and message strategy.
– Testing and choosing the campaign slogan trough focus-groups: “For a fair future!”
– Full campaign staff management and coordination.
– Advertising products design (print, audio, video).
– Voter targeting and telemarketing.

Este a doua campanie pe care o castig alaturi de Agentia de Rating Politic. De fiecare data s-au adaptat la conditiile locale, chiar daca in 2008 a fost vorba de un colegiu predominant rural in Teleorman, iar in 2012 de un colegiu din Bucuresti, profund urban. Strategia lor s-a bazat de fiecare data pe intelegerea exacta a problemelor alegatorilor si mi-a permis o comunicare excelenta si convigatoare cu oamenii. In 2012 au folosit instrumente moderne, de tintire a alegatorilor, intr-un colegiu electoral foarte dificil.
Romeo Nicoara, deputat Bucuresti

The first independent national electoral simulation (2012)

The Political Rating Agency conducted the first independent national electoral simulation of Parliament seats allocation using the local elections results (September 2012).

We were the first to announce the large increase in the number of MPs due a very special provision of the electoral law. Our estimate was a plus of 77 seats and was considered impossible at the time, 3 months before parliamentary elections. Actually, after December 2012, the Romanian Parliament has 117 extra seats compared to the “normal” number of electoral districts (seats) designated by law.

The simulation was possible by understanding in detail a very complex electoral formula, by processing millions of data from the June 2012 elections, and by creating and implementing our own customized software for this occasion.

The Political Rating Agency underlined a “hidden” effect of this mix allocation system, and we called it: “the electoral bonus” – an effect which can be found rather in the case of majoritarian systems. Thus, USL, the winner, was estimated to win this “bonus” in the number of seats. It was fully confirmed by the December 10 elections results and all major pundits and analysts embraced the Agency conclusion.

* The picture of the map is copied from this address.

Exit-poll projects – methodology and coordination

The Political Rating Agency was invited to assist with methodology and coordination in exit-poll projects of its clients.

We have been technically involved in such projects at:
– The presidential elections, 2009.
– The Baia Mare mayoral elections, 2011.
– Local elections, Alba County, 2012.

Emilian Francu – “Respect. Seriousness. Trust” – the new mayor in Ramnicu Valcea (2012)

The campaign strategy had the main objective to preserve and promote the successful profile of the candidate with a long positive local history, against the incumbent PDL mayor Romeo Radulescu that had a very good record and a “good manager” profile. We aimed to contrast the “vision” based on the candidate Francu “experience” and to underline the errors the acting mayor was making relative to Mr Francu “vision”. Ramnicu Valcea city has about 100.000 voters.

What we did:
– A long term research strategy.
– Adapt the campaign using public opinion indicators specially built for the Ramnicu Valcea city agenda.
– Designing and choosing a competitive strategic profile using market research techniques.
– Message building and message strategy.
– Testing and choosing the campaign slogan trough focus-groups: “Respect. Seriousness. Trust”.
– Advising the campaign staff design and management.
– Public agenda monitoring.
– Advertising products design (print, audio, video).
– Campaign strategy design and advising the implementation.

Agentia de Rating Politic a construit si implementat o strategie de cercetare pe termen lung pentru o campanie de succes in Ramnicu Valcea in 2012. Modelul de cercetare si datele au fost precise. Strategia de campanie si mesajele propuse au fost castigatoare. Am remarcat nivelul de experienta si gandirea precisa in momentele cheie ale campaniei.
Emilian Francu, primar Ramnicu Valcea

Ovidiu Portariuc “The German” – the new mayor of Botosani (2012)

The campaign strategy was created for a candidate completely unknown 3 months before the elections, based on his personal character traits and using the highly popular USL brand. We aimed to create a credible alternative relied on “seriousness”, against a very popular PDL mayor Catalin Flutur, which was considered invincible. Botosani city has about 100.000 voters.

What we did:

– Market research and positioning the candidate: “Ovidiu Portariuc – The German!” and his “Plan for Botosani”.

– Building his public profile and identity.

– Advising the campaign staff design and management.

– Message development.

– Public agenda monitoring.

– Advertising products design (print, audio, video).

– Advising for the campaign strategy.

Agentia de Rating Politic a oferit o viziune clara despre cum pot fi castigate alegerile din Botosani in 2012 in fata unui primar care parea de neinvins. Modelul de campanie, cu o comunicare de multe ori neconventionala, a fost ajustat cu succes la un nivel redus de resurse. Strategia Agentiei bazata tot timpul pe un profil si pe mesaje pozitive mi-a permis sa castig increderea botosanenilor.
Ovidiu Portariuc, primar Botosani

The USL candidates selection (2011-2012)

The campaign strategy was chosen next to other market research companies and agencies to conduct a series of surveys for the official USL candidates’ selection. This project meant the recognition of our Agency results on the Romanian market.

We took part in all stages of methodological design, field interviews, results analysis and presentation, in the candidates’ selection for local elections, May-July 2011, which happened simultaneously in all areas of Romania. All the surveys comprised of face-to-face interviews, in different regions of the country.

The Political Rating Agency worked and works with its own field team. Using a unique and original system we were able verify 100% of the interviews.

Most of the candidates indicated by the Agency with chances for USL and that were officially nominated won the elections or have been very close to win.

During the 2011-2012 USL and PNL selection process The Political Rating Agency covered 11 Counties out of the 42.

Advising local and national leaders (2010-2012)

Our expertise and contribution was used in:
– Pre-electoral management for local and parliamentary elections in local branches of Romanian political parties.
– Positioning local leaders for future elections.
– Advising the public communication of MPs or local leaders.
What we did:
– Long term market research strategies.
– Testing messages, favourability, trust, and other key indicators.
– Leaders public profiles testing in focus-groups.
– Communication and promotion strategies.
– Message building and message strategies.
– Advising for staff design and management and campaign preparations.
– Monitoring the public agenda and pubic trends.
– Telemarketing projects (targeted messages).
– Advertising products design (print, audio, video).
– Advising national leaders in political matters: political analysis, strategy diagnostic, national messages.
– Media training for political leaders (radio and TV).

Crin Antonescu – “The Romania of normality/fairness” (2009)

We coordinated the focus-group slogan testing for Crin Antonescu presidential campaign in 2009 – “The Romania of normality/fairness” (there is no exact translation in English with only one word or syntagma for all the connotations in Romanian). Other services included during the campaign were: monitoring public agenda and trends, making recommendations for strategy and for messages, early-warnings, online communication recommendations, coordinating periodical tracking polls.

2008 Elections – surveys and strategy services

The Political Rating Agency took part in electoral projects in 6 Counties in Romania, both in local and parliamentary elections. We conducted surveys for positioning a number of campaigns, focus-groups for testing messages and slogans, and we coordinated the campaign strategy of a winning candidate in senatorial competition in Teleorman County. It was the first full electoral year at The Political Rating Agency and a starting point.

The first survey fully implemented at The Political Rating Agency estimated correctly a landslide mayoral victory of Mr Cristian Popescu Piedone in the 4th District of Bucharest, 4 months before the official announcement of his candidacy.

Our first full-service integrated campaign for Romeo Nicoara (MP, PNL) in Teleorman, 2008, was a success and the candidate won the competition with one of the biggest number of votes in Romania.