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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