The Tories have the high ground in the advertising battle
Peter Hoskin 1:09pm
The feature on political advertising in the Independent on Sunday is both a fun and insightful read. The party political poster mock-ups (which you can cycle through here) have been put together by some of the country's leading Mad Men; so they're a fairly good indication of the themes and images that the parties might deploy come general election time.
To my eyes, they also demonstrate just how difficult it is for Labour to sell themselves during this downturn, particularly once the initial flush of Brown's world-saving narrative has faded to naught. The Tories get the pick of the posters (cf. the Laurel & Hardy one or the eye-catching 'In the red' one) precisely because they can pin blame for the recession on the government. Whilst the most striking Labour-minded effort - one which superimposes David Cameron's features on Margaret Thatcher's head - ignores both the latent popularity of the Iron Lady and the pictures of her and Gordon Brown on the steps of No.10.
Of course, these aren't the exact campaigns we'll see over the coming months. But they do suggest that Labour will at least struggle to come up with a shiny, promotional veneer; something which - whether you like it or not - is crucial once an election's in full swing.
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Comments
Verity
December 28th, 2008 2:42pmGosh. Weak. The Laurel and Hardy one wasn't bad and could be effective with enough repetition. Re the one with the bomb, I thought it was the Goodyear blimp until I read the copy. I can't remember any of the others since I closed the link a minute or so ago.
Marbury
December 28th, 2008 3:52pmI agree that these are fun and interesting but I don't think we can draw any conclusions about Labour's message or lack of one. The agencies failed to land on the theme Labour is most likely to go with in its advertising: No time for a novice (not necessarily those words, but that theme). And that, as we've seen, has some resonance.
teledu
December 28th, 2008 5:28pmThey were quite amusing; don't think too many people would be put off voting for Cameron by the suggestion that he's Thatcher in disguise though. It might even win him a few votes.
Thought we might see one of Brown with a Pinnochio nose with a line along the lines of "Has he ever told the truth? Lisbon Treaty referendum; falling school standards; immigration figures; 45 minute WMDs; benefit claimant figures; crime statistics; civil liberty....". You get the picture.
Tanuki
December 28th, 2008 5:42pmI'd like to see an ad showing Alistair Darling and Denis Healey side by side, and a tagline highlighting their 'odd' eyebrows and that they've both bankrupted Britain.
TGF UKIP
December 28th, 2008 6:59pmFraser, if your mates were any use at all as an opposition there would be no need to conjecture on what campaigns the parties might run.
The Tories should be out of sight by now not hovering round 4-7%. You have the bully pulpit so why not use it to at least try to needle them into ignition.
Verity
December 28th, 2008 7:10pmTanuki - It was Brown's work over the previous 10 years that bankrupted Britain. You don't seriously think Darling has any control over the Exchequer?
wrinkled weasel
December 28th, 2008 7:25pmThe most devastating campaign I can think of is to resurrect Ray Burdiss and get him back, asking, "is this the queue for..."
with the tagline, "It wasn't working then. And it certainly isn't now!"
Verity
December 28th, 2008 7:44pmActually, if they ran the poster from years ago, dole queues and Labour Isn't Working ... that it should be as apt today as it was years ago would be a very strong message indeed, as in "This is always what happens when people vote for socialism."
Verity
December 28th, 2008 8:33pmWW - I hadn't seen your post when I posted.
benedict pringle
December 29th, 2008 2:59amThe poster about 'Labour putting us all in the red' is fantastic. The raging, red and simple copy is truly powerful. For wider analysis of the ad's check out:
http://dailyelection.wordpress.com