University – the best and the brightest
Maybe I am being a bit too harsh.
I was traveling past the Manchester University student Union building and happened to see the mess of campaign banners for the student elections. What struck me is for all their garish “look at me quality” they said nothing.
Well literally not nothing, they did not say anything that would give me a reason to vote.
One said “Rob Pinfold Mr Incredible” and another said “vote for Vicky its not tricky.” One sounds like a night club Lothario and the other a silly schoolgirl.
I am sure this is the level I was at when I was at secondary school and I might be generous in that small appraisal.
Where is the messaging? What do you stand for? What commands me to spend my time voting for you and not in the pub?
I am not saying that I want them to be at David Ogilvy’s level, but you wonder when it so pathetic….
March 11th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Ah, this is the difference between Public Affairs and PR.
Maybe they don’t want to message.
March 13th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
A little harsh perhaps. I was a little disappointed when I saw said same posters. But then I remembered I was first elected to a college position on the slogan ‘Vote Cheesy, it’s Easy’. It (and some extensive pub-based campaigning) got me elected, but the naf campaign didn’t stop me doing some decent things while in office.
March 17th, 2008 at 11:09 am
el Tom,
Public affairs – elections – heavily spend on PR and advertising. Indeed, it can win and lose campaigns, just think of Saatchi and Saatchi’s 1979 “Labour isn’t working campaign” advert
Any politician that does not know that is about 30-40 years out of date, if not more.
Have a look at BBC4’s excellent programme on the subject, which is being aired this week.
Rob