The Art of Political Persuasion in 2024

With Thursday’s election approaching, I've been keeping an eye on the evolving advertising strategies. Here are some of my musings so far:

HOPE WILL BE THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION?

At the heart of the UK's general election advertising strategies lies a debate about which is the most potent driver of human behaviour: fear or hope??

Conservatives have been busy activating fear of a Labour victory by portraying economic risks:

“Can you afford their chaos?”

Highlighting immigration concerns:

“Labour’s open borders policy: Is this what you want?”?

and questioning national security:

“Labour’s cuts to police will make our streets less safe. Don’t risk it”

This is not a new approach for the Conservatives who deleted a video during the Mayoral elections which claimed that London was on the brink of chaos, featuring misleading footage from a false gunfire report in New York from 2017.

Historically, fear has been a sure bet in political campaigns.?

Fear helped make Lyndon B Johnson president:

And set the scene for Brexit:?

Perhaps most notably, the Cambridge Analytica scandal which involved micro-targeting individuals with messages capitalising on their personal fears.

Meanwhile, perhaps unsurprisingly, Labour has been focusing on hope, change and progress:

Embracing this more hopeful and light-hearted tone also paves the way for humour, just like Jon Richardson's bubble bath reenactment from "The Big Short.":

Whilst their use of TikTok is meme-centric and surprisingly social first:??

In an increasingly weird and unknowable world, this type of playful content is resonating.

Labour's success on TikTok is by no means accidental, it's a key platform in the 2024 election, which has earned the nickname “the TikTok election.” Unlike its minor role in 2019, TikTok's influence has stepped up. With paid political ads banned, the battle for voters is all about organic engagement. Platforms like TikTok, which thrive on positivity, hopefulness and inspiration (see ‘Hopecore’ content), are reshaping the landscape. Labour, for example, is smashing it on TikTok, racking up eight times more likes than the Conservatives by using hopeful and humorous content. The impact of this shift is already making waves and will be a major influencing factor when it comes to voting behaviour.

However, there's a noticeable gap between how political leaders present themselves in person and their social media profiles. With memes and playful posts dominating online spaces, will the electorate distinguish between the social media trends and the real-life substance of these leaders?

Beyond platforms, we already know that in the right cultural context hope can be a winning political strategy (see Obama 2008). The truth is, our cultural climate is exhausted by fear. I think we are experiencing a period of ‘fear fatigue,’ and piling on more of it won't change the behaviour of people already living out their own personal nightmares.??

So, who will win this fight: hope or fear? It’s not just because I am an eternal optimist that I think hope might just pip fear to the post.

EMBRACING COMMUNITY-FIRST STRATEGIES DELIVERS RESULTS

The Conservative party are sticking to a traditional 'top-down' marketing approach, putting the spotlight on leadership, sticking rigidly to a core set of messages, and prominently featuring Rishi Sunak. In contrast, Labour is taking a more dynamic approach. Duolingo they are not, but Labour is investing in regional social media pages, enhancing individual candidate profiles, and showcasing diverse personalities beyond Keir Starmer. They are also partnering with influencers, micro-influencers and celebrities to reach a wider audience.

Indicative of this approach is a recent interview with Gary Neville:

Gary Neville and Keir Starmer

Leveraging football as a cultural touchstone, especially during events like the Euros, is an absolute masterstroke. Neville, with his immense social media clout and outspoken views, embodies a fresh approach for Labour, highlighting their dedication to a people-centred strategy over traditional top-down tactics. This move makes Labour appear more relatable and authentic, something a conventional top-down approach simply can't achieve.

In response to Labour's focus on promoting individual figures, the Conservatives have expanded their criticism of the Labour Party by featuring Shadow Cabinet members in their recent advertisements.

This strategy appeared to fail, as Labour has succeeded in raising the visibility and likability of these politicians.

Brands should note: a bottom-up strategy in social media and beyond, like Labour’s approach, fosters genuine engagement. In contrast, top-down messaging, as we have seen with the Conservatives, fails to connect as effectively. This method also safeguards your campaign—if a key figure or celebrity becomes controversial or is just plain uncharismatic ??, your efforts are not entirely derailed.?

ADVERTISING FUNDAMENTALS REMAIN... FUNDAMENTAL

In modernising their approach, Labour hasn't abandoned core advertising principles. They've outspent their competitors in terms of online advertising, pouring ￡2.4 million into Meta and Google ads since May 22nd, in line with industry wisdom to outspend competitors in order to gain market share.

Labour’s campaign is also a masterclass in the consistent application of distinctive brand assets. Their unified branding across a diverse range of touchpoints and the pervasive ‘Change’ slogan make a real contrast to the more fragmented approach seen across Conservative comms. I’m sure Byron Sharp would approve.

Labour has positioned itself as a modern, community-centric brand, leveraging advertising fundamentals whilst tapping into the national sentiment of 'fear fatigue'. Whether this translates into real effectiveness? Only time will tell.