Labour Party Keeps It Simple

Perhaps Labour is putting the KISS mantra into place with its viral ads in the 2010 General Election; perhaps they think that everyday TV faces recognised by millions will win over floating voters, or at least get the core vote out.

Or perhaps they’re totally skint. Either way, these ads from Labour featuring Ross Kemp (dig at the missus?), Sean Pertwee and Eddie Izzard are startling in their simplicity – and appear to feature the celebrities speaking for themselves on voting in the election.

The Road Ahead has a bit more to it, with Pertwee hiking across the British countryside, but the Izzard and Kemp spots have a plain background, little in the way of graphics or soundtrack and two men putting over a very simple message.

I think they’re good, in that they’re communicating a simple message clearly, though whether that’s come about as a result of Labour being strapped is unclear. I often wonder why government agencies don’t ape this simple approach when attempting to communicate the likes of tax credits, digital switchovers and getting on the electoral role.

The ads generally trotted out in these genres are so convoluted as to be indistinguishable from the diaspora of modern advertising – does anyone really remember that daft digital one with the little robot and ugly man? – but what do I know?

Doing simple things well is rarely fashionable, and who’s going to pay for all of those second homes for ad execs if every ad features Michael Parkinson talking his sodding pension? But I’d stake my collection of digital PR newsletters that it would work. Keep It Simple, Stupid is a mantra we’d do well to observe in most walks of life.

60 seconds – Ross Kemp

Brilliant Britain – Eddie Izzard

The Road Ahead – Sean Pertwee

Change – Bill Bailey

They’ll be voting Labour

Bill Bailey, Jo Brand, Liz Dawn, Leonard Fenton, Prunella Scales, Tony Robinson, Peter Guinness and Roberta Taylor explain why they’ll be voting Labour on Thursday.