Ted Horton says working on election campaigns ‘instrumental’ in how he approaches advertising
Creative ad legend Ted Horton has said the defining moment in his advertising career was working on election campaigns.
While he is perhaps now best known for his works on the Coles ‘Down Down’ campaign, Horton worked on a number of former Prime Minister John Howard’s election campaigns, including campaigns promoting his gun buy back scheme and the L-plate Mark Latham campaign.
Speaking at Mumbrella360 Horton said: “When you’re in advertising you’re taught how to say something is good, how to describe it. You’re often taught to say look at this, isn’t it wonderful, its a descriptive type of process. Whereas politics is all about behaviour.
HAHAHA! Election advertising?!!! Behaviour change?!!
Oh, please. Give me a break.
“The other guys are crap, so pick us!”
Most marketing problems are a lot more complex and nuanced than an Australian election! WE HAVE TO VOTE! It’s compulsory! The degree of difficulty doesn’t get ANY LOWER in advertising.
Behaviour change? I think you’re being a bit generous to yourself there Horton.
Can absolutely see the correlation between an Election campaign and a Coles campaign. But it’s not like the Coles ads get more people to go supermarket shopping. They’re already going! It’s just “do i pick the Red supermarket or the Green supermarket? Do I pick the Red Political party or the Blue Political party?”
What happens when you’re 1 in a field of 10 and have to genuinely compel someone to go out of their way to engage with your product? To like your brand, not just pick it because it’s cheaper or less crap than the only other choice?