Who's got the best election slogan?

Who's got the best election slogan?

Each of the three major political parties has now unveiled the election slogan that will underpin its campaign. This is a vital piece of their election toolkit – it’s the platform on which the rest of their messaging will be built. In marketing terms, it’s their USP. But do they work? And what makes a good election slogan anyway?

I’ve done some thinking of my own and I asked your opinions, too, via the Marketing Donut Twitter account.

Labour: A future fair for all

The Labour Party slogan recalls its great founding principle, equality - presumably because they feel it’s the key distinction arch rivals, the Conservatives. The phrase itself has a poetic, but archaic quality. Rather than looking forward to a progressive future, it seems almost a requiem for an ideal that has never been achieved.

This is what you thought:

@the_shopkeeper Surely this should be “A fair future for all”? Rolls easier off the tongue, in my humble opinion.

@Web_D Sounds like there's going to be a rollercoaster and dodgems.

@JanMinihane Sounds like Labour are planning a fair, how wonderful.

Conservative: Vote for change

The Conservative Party slogan has the virtues of directness, simplicity and it’s memorable – all key elements of a good slogan. On the other hand, it doesn’t tell you what they want to change or who will benefit from the change. Is it us? Or is it them? They seem to rely on a public appetite for something – anything – different.

You said:

@benparkatbjs Does anyone know the Tory election slogan? “Spare any change?” isn't it? Something like that.

@runninginheels7 Conservative could mean change in any sense or subject?

@dpoyser Would have to be the Conservatives; most descriptive with the least number of syllables and it makes the best soundbite.

 @JanMinihane Conservative Slogan: "Time for change" - what, 20p, 50p, 5p?? Bit too snappy and short for my liking.

Liberal Democrat: Change that works for you, building a fairer Britain

Of all the slogans, the Liberal Democrat one feels most designed by committee. It’s a mouthful, two slogans tacked together - two slogans we’ve already seen, in fact. The Lib Dems truly are finding a middle way with this one; they have the promise of change (Conservative) AND the promise of equality (Labour) all in one rather unwieldy mouthful.

It is, however, the only slogan that actually speaks directly to you, the reader. This alone was enough to help it find favour with our Twitter following:

@mathewhulbert In simplistic terms you might think the Tories is the best, but the Lib Dems speaks to two different groups.

@Web_D I like this actually. It’s the “for you” that wins me over.

@JanMinihane  My fave, seems more personal somehow.

And the winner is...

@twistandshoutuk That Lib Dem one seems a bit weird and wordy. The Labour one sounds like part of a poem. Conservatives is brief and snappy.

In a sense, each of the slogans does exactly what we might expect of each of the parties: the Labour slogan treats us a collective; the Conservative slogan commands us; the Liberal Democrat slogan tries very hard to appeal to everyone – but at least they are personable about it.

When I asked how you would rewrite the slogans, I should have known I was inviting trouble:

@benjamindyer How about “Write me a letter if you like, but I am too busy knocking back Martinis and attending garden parties to care.”

@Web_D I’d vote for any party that admitted the truth: “We're in the s**t... It will be tough, but we'll get through it in time.”

Despite this cynicism, I’ve had a go at adjusting the slogans to address the criticisms and this is what I came up with:

Labour: A fairer future for you

Conservative: Changing Britain for the better

Liberal Democrat: Your only REAL alternative

I reckon they might just work. What do you think?

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