![[Paper] Media and Philippine Studies (MPS)](../../../../assets/md5images/ead4bb9005c4a6a1a677fa5aaa0fa01f.png)
A Visual Analysis of Winning Senatorial Candidates' Digital Campaign Materials during the 2025 Midterm Elections
Document Types
Paper Presentation
Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)
Media and Philippine Studies (MPS)
School Name
De La Salle University, Manila
Track or Strand
Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS)
Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)
Alemania, Belle Beatriex’ M.
Start Date
25-6-2026 10:30 AM
End Date
25-6-2026 12:00 PM
Zoom Link/ Room Assignment
https://zoom.us/j/95274188371?pwd=bXhb7DQU3HQbLltdMsVaoT4A5iwGBr.1 Meeting ID: 952 7418 8371 | Passcode: research
Abstract/Executive Summary
Despite the growing dominance of social media in Philippine electoral campaigns, limited studies have examined how visual framing in digital campaign materials shapes political identities and voter perception. Addressing this gap, this study analyzes the Facebook campaign images of the twelve winning senatorial candidates in the 2025 Philippine Midterm Elections. Anchored in Rodriguez and Dimitrova’s (2011) four levels of visual framing and Aaker’s (1997) Brand Personality Framework, the study investigates how visual elements contribute to political branding in the Philippine digital landscape. A total of 767 campaign images were subjected to visual analysis. Findings at the denotative level revealed that candidates frequently portrayed themselves in community-centered settings by engaging with ordinary citizens and participating in public activities to project accessibility and relatability. At the stylistic-semiotic level, campaign visuals strategically utilized colors, typography, camera angles, and symbolic imagery to reinforce credibility, patriotism, and authority. At the connotative level, the images conveyed narratives of sincerity, resilience, compassion, and populist leadership, fostering emotional connections with voters. At the ideological level, the campaign materials reflected personality-driven and populist political values, with greater emphasis on emotional appeal than on policy-oriented discourse. Furthermore, the study demonstrates how digital political campaigns in the Philippines increasingly rely on curated visual identities and emotional branding to influence public perception, and extends the application of visual framing and brand personality theories in understanding contemporary electoral campaigning.
Keywords
2025 Philippine Midterm Election; Brand Personality Framework; digital political campaign; Philippine senatorial candidates; visual analysis
Initial Consent for Publication
no
Statement of Originality
yes
A Visual Analysis of Winning Senatorial Candidates' Digital Campaign Materials during the 2025 Midterm Elections
Despite the growing dominance of social media in Philippine electoral campaigns, limited studies have examined how visual framing in digital campaign materials shapes political identities and voter perception. Addressing this gap, this study analyzes the Facebook campaign images of the twelve winning senatorial candidates in the 2025 Philippine Midterm Elections. Anchored in Rodriguez and Dimitrova’s (2011) four levels of visual framing and Aaker’s (1997) Brand Personality Framework, the study investigates how visual elements contribute to political branding in the Philippine digital landscape. A total of 767 campaign images were subjected to visual analysis. Findings at the denotative level revealed that candidates frequently portrayed themselves in community-centered settings by engaging with ordinary citizens and participating in public activities to project accessibility and relatability. At the stylistic-semiotic level, campaign visuals strategically utilized colors, typography, camera angles, and symbolic imagery to reinforce credibility, patriotism, and authority. At the connotative level, the images conveyed narratives of sincerity, resilience, compassion, and populist leadership, fostering emotional connections with voters. At the ideological level, the campaign materials reflected personality-driven and populist political values, with greater emphasis on emotional appeal than on policy-oriented discourse. Furthermore, the study demonstrates how digital political campaigns in the Philippines increasingly rely on curated visual identities and emotional branding to influence public perception, and extends the application of visual framing and brand personality theories in understanding contemporary electoral campaigning.
https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2026/BoA_MPS/1
