With polling day finally here, it’s safe to say we’ve all seen our fair share of election posters now. On the walls, on our social media feeds, and – depending on your constituency – you may or may not have had a slew of leaflets through the front door. T
hat will all stop now, but now is as good a day as any to ask yourself – have you been swayed by adland?
A host of instantly recognisable ads from previous elections (‘Labour Isn’t Working’ for one) demonstrate the sector’s impact on our national discourse. But what is the thought process for the adland heavyweights trying to make a political poster that sticks?
Speaking at MAD//Fest London, Uncommon creative partner Ben Golik highlighted that the key to making a top political poster is “to make a dent on culture”, whether it’s flag waving or deploying the language of the meme.
‘Posters are to politics what poetry is to literature’
Highlighting a quote from Maurice Saatchi, “posters are to politics what poetry is to literature”, Golik described how posters in particular have always been a staple of political campaigns, because they have the power to stop people in their tracks.
For Golik, while Maurice Saatchi’s statement was a “lovely ode to the craft of words” in political advertising, it is also crucial to note that images are crucial for making the message hit.
He highlights that original mock-ups of a Bliar poster from the Scottish Conservative poster were unsuccessful surrounded by yellow and blue. As we all know, ‘Bliar’ was far more successful when it was turned into a Stop The War poster with blood around it.
A similarly successful attack on Blair featured the previous prime minister with devil eyes, staring out menacingly at his audience.
Subscribe to Marketing Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest marketing news sent straight to your inbox each morning
‘Is it patriotism, is it nationalism, is it xenophobia?’
“The flag is doing a lot more heavy lifting across the spectrum,” Golik added.
Increasingly this year messaging has been tapping in to the Union Jack, whether it is the Labour Party’s subtle, not so-subtle introduction of the Union Jack into the corner of its logo and the Conservative Party and Reform (perhaps most predictably) following suit.
He added that the flag harps back to a Britishness reminiscent of Rule Britannia but noted that it is hard to define whether it is “xenophobia, nationalism or patriotism”.
Golik noted that this isn’t exactly new, and has been used in previous campaigns such as a 1905 call for tariff reform.
Why great political posters talk like memes
Regardless of what exactly is behind the use of the flag, Golik highlights that it taps into the nation’s sentiments in a post-Brexit era. For Golik, a second way that political messaging is doing that at the moment is by tapping into the power of the meme via social media.
Discussing the phenomenon, Golik highlighted that “brevity is the soul of wit”, and added that memes are increasingly being used as a “language” in political discourse.
“You can get away with a lot more if it makes people laugh,” Golik said – highlighting that a touch of humour can turn a negative message into something funny and relatable.
Mostly, though, it depends on getting the moment right. Golik raised that some famous Second World War posters such as “Keep Calm and Carry On” which has been made into “countless tea towels” have become synonymous with British identity, despite not having actually been used at the time.
Politics may be down to the ballots, but adland’s own election will be determined by which posters remain in people’s minds for years to come. That’s the stuff of dreams for agencies.
