Strong Similarities Between National and Labor Short Ads

The launch of Labor and National’s “incredibly boring and safe” short online ads over the weekend are similar in style and are selling similar messages, according to marketing experts and politicians.

Labor launched its campaign ad with Jacinda Ardern sporting a red jacket at Premiere House with the tagline Stick Together and Let’s Keep Moving.

National leader Judith Collins launched an ad in response that began by saying “Let me be honest with you” and promoting her team to rebuild communities and futures.

They both speak directly to the camera and the ads contain few images.

Quantum Jump CEO and marketer Ben Goodale said both ads were “incredibly boring and safe” and he didn’t think any ad executive could win awards for them.

“I don’t think any of them can be called creatively interesting or significantly attractive … They are not interesting ads that are going to do more than be seen and forgotten,” he said.

“Both depend on the total personality approach: the leader is the party’s combat type. That presidential campaign style.”

Goodale liked the fact that Ardern was sitting behind a desk to show that she was working hard, but thought National was sending out a strong statement by including a photo of the team.

“They both play to their strengths, they are both strong and confident leaders,” he said.

“… Jacinda particularly with her Covid success playing on that sense of security with her.”

University of Waikato political science professor Dr. Justin Phillips said National’s ads had taken a slightly different approach than when he was in government and abandoned the use of a comparison between themselves and Labor that used to. prove they were the strongest party.

“There is no negativity at all. It’s about what National can offer.”

He said another clear message from National was that it had a team and that Labor didn’t.

“In essence, it’s less Colins vs. Ardern and the implication that it’s National and his team vs. Ardern.”

He said Labor obviously stuck to what works by using the strong Ardern communication that New Zealanders were used to from it for the past few months.

However, the messages from both leaders were the same and, in essence, they spoke of jobs, jobs, jobs. The parties had also reverted to traditional political advertising instead of the sophisticated imagery used in recent election campaigns.

“I wouldn’t say they were wildly different. That’s definitely what it looked like to me: they’re talking about the same things, they’re describing how to rebuild the economy and how to work together.”

AUT associate professor of marketing Mike Lee told Newstalk ZB that Jacinda was clearly the star player of Labor, so the party seemed to sell her, while National was selling her team.

Lee said having Ardern sitting at a desk told people that she was already doing the job and supported the slogan “Let’s keep moving.”

He said National’s choice to have Collins in front of a blue background was an interesting option and differed from previous campaigns in which they would have companies or communities that they were aligning with.

He also questioned whether National’s mention of a “smarter, greener future” for the first time was a subtle sign that he was willing to work with the Green Party.

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