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Labour's election videos don't work Labour's election videos don't work
(4 months later)
Party Party political broadcasts are boring as hell. However, with just over a week until the 22 May local and European elections and less than a year until the general election, we’d better get used to them.
political broadcasts are boring as hell. However, with just over a week Labour’s latest videos, released this week, are an attack on Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems, and have managed to annoy both Telegraph blogger, Dan Hodges, and ardent lefty, Owen Jones.
until the 22 May local and European elections and less than a year They don't work for me either. Sure, they show Clegg and co as a bunch of posh, rich kids, but are Labour so different? In any case they should be focusing on what they're going to do rather than old style, negative campaigning.
until the general election, we’d better get used to them. Such was the success of the classic Saatchi & Saatchi poster: "Labour isn’t working" in 1979, that political parties have been trying to repeat the trick ever since. But times change.
Labour’s latest videos, released this week, are an Attack ads still have a role but these days a feelgood message works better. Obama's hugely successful Great Schlep targeted young, Jewish voters, recognising their parents and grandparents didn’t vote, getting them excited and encouraging them to be the message carriers to persuade their wavering elders to vote Democrat. The viral movement was given extra edge by a video message from Jewish comedian Sarah Silverman in which she says: "You know why your grandparents don't like Obama; because his name sounds scary. Yes Barack Hussein Obama is a super shitty name, but you'd think somebody named Manishevitz Guberman would understand that."
attack on Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems, and have managed to annoy both Already, agencies are trying to learn from this in a British context. Obama campaigners are being schmoozed and anyone who was involved in the the US campaign and finds themselves in the UK can expect some invitations to dinner from ad agencies. If gentle humour and an upbeat message worked for Barack it might just work for Ed.
Telegraph blogger, Dan Hodges, and ardent lefty, Owen Jones.
They don't work for
me either. Sure, they show Clegg and co as a bunch of posh, rich kids, but are Labour so different? In any case they should be focusing on what they're going to do
rather than old style, negative campaigning.
Such was the success of the classic Saatchi & Saatchi poster: "Labour isn’t working" in 1979, that political parties have been trying to repeat the trick ever since. But times change.
Attack ads still have a role but these days a feelgood message works better. Obama's hugely successful Great Schlep targeted young, Jewish voters,
recognising their parents and grandparents didn’t vote, getting them
excited and encouraging them to be the message carriers to persuade
their wavering elders to vote Democrat. The viral movement was given extra edge by a video message from Jewish comedian Sarah Silverman in which she says: "You know why your grandparents
don't like Obama; because his name sounds scary. Yes Barack Hussein
Obama is a super shitty name, but you'd think somebody named Manishevitz
Guberman would understand that."
Already, agencies are trying to learn from this in a
British context. Obama campaigners are being schmoozed and anyone who was involved in the the US
campaign and finds themselves in the UK can expect some invitations to
dinner from ad agencies. If gentle humour and an upbeat message worked for Barack it might just work for Ed.
Message to Labour: Stay positive!Message to Labour: Stay positive!