Sadiq Khan cleverly used Londoners’ return to work today to launch his campaign to be re-elected as the city’s Mayor.
It’s a slick launch.
Volunteers handed out flyers about affordable commuting at key stations around the capital. Media coverage of a new transport policy proposal was secured in the Guardian. The website sadiq.london is live and taking supporter sign-ups. Khan’s campaign visual identity has been refreshed and looks contemporary and inviting.
And it jussst so happened that TfL decided to email their whole database to let people with an Oyster card account know that fares remain frozen; fortuitously the message even included a tip of the hat to Mayor Khan.
The only small issue is that there’s a slight lack of clarity on what the campaign’s creative platform is going to be. The website features “delivering change for London” but the various communications sent out today say “standing up for London”.
Getting this nailed down and consistently implemented will be important. The “delivering change for London” feels like it will be easier to execute; framing every message as a form of “standing up” could quickly feel quite laboured.
You hint at it, but surely there’s a massive conflict of interest here?