Category: Trade Unions

Unison – One is the loneliest number

I’ve just been sent an ad for Unison that I’d never seen or heard before which must have aired at least 5 years ago (thanks @ciaranward for sending).  I don’t tend to post historical work, but I thought this ad was so powerful that it deserved dusting off.

The great soundtrack carries the viewer through the relatively lengthy build up of the ad.  The performance of the “meek yet purposeful” cleaner character is superb and the ‘million person cough’ is just an outstanding creative vehicle for highlighting the benefits of trade union membership.

And comparing it to Unison’s latest effort (below) released a couple of weeks ago, which lacks any sort of idea aside from a visual treatment, it makes it look even better.

He almost did it without swearing… almost…

This video is painfully funny.  It’s one of those videos where the longer you watch it, the funnier it gets.

Yesterday thousands of public sector workers took to the streets of London to protest about government cuts.  Whilst the main cause for complaint were the Tory government’s proposals for reducing pensions, as our protagonist so eloquently explains, there were a number of other issues that were also simmering away.

(hat tip @ChrisMComedy)

 

New Media Box-Ticking

new media and politics

Kevin Coyne is having a go at using new media to promote his candidacy in the upcoming Unite Union General Secretary elections.  However, like the worst sort of political speeches, it feels slightly ‘box ticky’; almost like it’s going through the motions.  There’s no passion and enthusiasm emerging from any of the political advertising.  You can use new media as much as you like, but the media will always be secondary to the style and inspiration of the communication – which in this case is lacking.

It’s like his campaign manager has gone to a ‘how to campaign like Obama’ event and gathered that in order to win an election all you have to do is: use the word ‘Change’ in your slogan, have a blog, make online donation easy, start a facebook group and have literature to download and pass on.

Don’t get me wrong, using these media channels is essential in an election campaign, but that doesn’t change the fact that the message you’re communicating via these channels has to be motivating and coherent as well as look appealing and attractive.  You can use all the new media channels in the world, if you’re communication looks and reads as boring and amateur as this (below) nobody is going to want to engage with it.

now do you see why I put it at the bottom of the article.
now do you see why I put it at the bottom of the article.