Brilliant first poster design here from Brynmor. It needs a little tweaking – I wouldn’t call myself a politician, as I have spent a very large amount on civil liberties campaigning and not made a penny out of it. But it is going to be very strong.
We are going to need volunteers. The election will be in July or September , with July looking more likely. Either way we need to start now. Stevie has volunteered to coordinate.
We need office workers, canvassers, leafletters, drivers, media handlers, IT campaign organisers, graphic artists, printers, fundraisers, volunteer coordinators, diary keepers, candidate cheerer uppers, accommodation providers. There is something everybody can do, of whatever age, however mobile, wherever they are.
If you would like to help, please start by sending an initial email to
giving full contact details, stating what time or resource you might make available, if you live in Norwich or if you can come when you might come, any relevant experience (not that this is required) and anything else that might help. We will work out shortly how to make donations – the offers are greatly appreciated. Accommodation will be available in Norwich for volunteers.
Version 2
Changes made to wording, losing the “politician” element.
http://www.b3tards.com/u/99463e4b0f1b647c6d03/honestpol2.jpg
@rullko: complain to the Metropolitan Police who designed the original poster.
I like the poster a lot. Parody is great, and it builds on the back of the original advertising, so it can be good economics. The met adverts also appeared in regional papers in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and the West Midlands.(I kept one, I thought it so scary), so these advts have been seen by many.
Not ‘seems’ or ‘were’, but ‘is different’.
I agree about not ‘hundreds of MPs’.
I agree about adding the ‘x’ in a box at the bottom.
The line: “Corruption. If you see it, report it.” would confuse anyone who wasn’t aware of the parody. Perhaps it could be made positive yet still follow the parody as something like: “Integrity. If you see it, vote for it.”
The impulsive subconscious mind does not recognise a negative.
e.g. Do not think of the colour red.
This poster is a blizzaerd of pigs. Whatever you think the message is, the people who see this poster will inevitable think of pigs every time they look at your face (no offense).
Bad idea here.
Dear Craig
I think the poster is ill advised.
Ian Gibson who is standing down wasn’t a pig.
Secondly, not all MPs are dishonest.
Thirdly, there are Jewish and Muslims MPs in the Commons.
Bin it, the poster is well done but it isn’t right.
And why mention non racist?
What is the subtext?
Are you saying some MPs are racist?
Someone pops up with a microphone and asks you who they are, you’re stuffed.
Go have a look at my blog; I have done some humour about the Labour Party.
http://glasgowunihumanrights.blogspot.com/2009/06/labour-heavies-cant-stop-people-voting.html
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Gosh Craig, it’s as though you’ve hired Dick Cheney and the Dalai Lama as advisers – you’re getting so much conflicting advice!
The productivity of a group of people is inversely proportional to its size.
OK, about time to draw a line here.
I think this poster is probably most suited to the back of the Student Union Bar where it may get noticed as someone orders their next pint.
But…
It has got you all thinking and talking about a serious campaign for Craig.
The challenge now is to come up with some more creditable material that gets the point(s) across in the most effective way possible.
Cheers all 🙂
Brynmor,
No, I really want to use it. As part of a mix of stuff. It will have an impact.
George,
non-racist simply means don’t vote BNP. And it isn’t aimed at ian Gibson, who is resigned and is not standing.
Again, you are looking at it as if it was the entire campaign, not a part of a whole raft of material forming an overall picture.
When I hear people claiming that they are honest I’m afraid my first reaction is hang on to my wallet. Perhaps it is best to let others make that judgement about you rather than yourself.
5.07pm Feel free to hang on to your wallet. I don’t want it.
This politically correct society we live in drives me mad.
I would prefer if you had a positive leaflet though Craig, because this one produces negativity to me.
Using the pig imagine is becoming a little worn now – a picture of yourself taking pride of place would be far better.
Then again, I know graphic designers love to be right on the edge and if you like it, then you publish it.
to follow on with this animal theme, for another poster/advert you could use something like sheep being rounded up by sheep dogs ( party leaders brown/cameron ) to represent the ‘do as your told – follow the party line’ mentality of the current parties and whipping system … you know, why vote for a sheep thats going to do what its told when you could have an independent really representing the views of those who voted? just an idea 🙂
another idea, to play on what you’re really known for, how about a play on ‘see no evil, hear no evil’ with sheep or whatever representing labour/tories all facing away from a central image representing torture ( say some outline of a picture from abu ghraib that would be recognisable ) with something to represent you/an independent challenge of the policies that aren’t challenged by the main parties?
Dear Craig
Anything you stick up people are going to be asking questions about.
My point is why open up aveunes to awkward questions that put you on the back foot.
It is your campaign, so you have to call it as you see it.
“non-racist simply means don’t vote BNP”.
But there are no BNP MPs in Westminister would be my point.
And your fight is to win the seat not enter a contest between you and the BNP.
I hope you do well; I am just not 100% convinced I would want to go that way myself.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Dear Craig
How about a pic of you collecting eggs with MPs faces on them?
‘It is time to not let the bad eggs spoil the basket, vote Murray.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Wasn’t there a ‘punish the pigs’ campaign which was part of the BNP’s strategy for last Thursday’s elections?
Is there a possibility that some might look at your poster and assume some connection?
I’m not sure that you want to allow any possibility of confusion on the matter.
Text has to change. The Tory candidate is a non-mp, so it works both ways. Headline’s fine. Body needs some thought…
You’ll find my application to help in your inbox.
Alan W
I think you should promote yourself in a way which emphasises the lifestyle you gave up because you value and respect the rights of people, all people. And as an MP this caring for the individual will continue in the same way in your duties as an MP
Interesting…my post is attributed to a “snowy”. I’m Perikles…
Every single candidate will be pushing the anti-corruption line and emphasising that they are whiter than white. The real target perhaps is the tired parliamentary party system that has made all the fiddling possible. Therefore I suggest:
1) Make the pigs sheep instead, each with a shepherd’s crook round its neck.
2) Top right box reads something like: “Do you ever wish you had a strong, independent MP who put your own interests first and didn’t just follow the party line? Now you can”.
3) Tag line at the bottom reads: “No Whips. No Crooks. Put An Honest Person Into Parliament
lol. 3.30am post for the previous. Apologies.
Oh yes, and make sure you have a good, high resolution photo of yourself taken so it doesn’t pixelate when blown up for the poster. Otherwise the pigs (or sheep) will look better than you do.
Student Union Bar posters version 3…
Pigs: http://www.b3tards.com/u/99463e4b0f1b647c6d03/cm1.jpg
Sheep: http://www.b3tards.com/u/99463e4b0f1b647c6d03/cm2.jpg
More positive and slightly less pejorative – also with added slogan “Now You Can”
As I said previously, the challenge now is to come up with some more creditable material that gets the point(s) across in the most effective way possible.
Hello,
I would like to make a general comment. I am a muslim within Norwich North. I am of Gujarati extraction of which the majority of Blackburn folk belong to.
It appears that the next election should focus a bit more on cash. The poster appears a good direct attack against haram committed by MPs but requires something which the electorate thinks boom and not bust. Dont just attack the MPs but the institutional system as a whole. A picture of a £10 note rather than a pig would do the trick.
Something like a banker torturing the poor guy into giving away more cash on rubbish. Norwich North is quite traditional, I suppose the picture does have a good farming element to it!
@ SJB
Last time I looked Muslims are not a race. Get out a bit more.
And yes, pigs are offensive – well the near enough 650 in the commons that is.
“Such an act would bring ’27 days’ worth of bad luck they reckon.”
Crickey shafiur, how long have you been incorporating superstitious rubbish into your religion.
“Luck” – *shakes head*
But it should be said, for some parts of the muslims comminity, mentioning ‘pig’ is tantamount to a swear word. However to those Muslims, it is a discipline of a personal nature, and they won’t expect non-Muslims to conform to their ideals.
Go with the pigs Craig. (with tweaks)
brynmor’s done well.
It clearly shows you are NOT one of them, and I’d agree.
A very arty and dead pan design, beryn I like it, but, is it a good positive outlook at the situation, should we put it into a positive frame somehow?.
( as hard as it may be, sigh)
What do you think of an idea to conduct a round of meetings in the Constituency, after which craig and his team adopt the locals issues, take them forward as part of the overall campaign?
If Independents mean something, should it not mean direct respresentation of those who elected you, forwarding their concerns and working on their behalf in parliament.
Some say that such outbreak of independents would not work, but they can’t say why it won’t.
Idependents can still work together on issues that they agree on.
A large outbreak of pragmatism and re balancing towards voters would be a first step, but ideally, in an accountable Europe, one that includes us in the appropriate place, independents should strive for an elected Commission, a choice of accountable commissioners, for a referendum on Lisbon, and in the case of Norwich North, a fair say for voters on the planned unitary arrangements. Re organisation is expensive and financial probety of this new authortiy is not a given, far from it, its recent problems with defining the limits for staff in the housing sector do question the option.
Independents could give people at meetings a voice and if many voters raise the same issue throughout the round of talks, then it should/could feature in the overall campaing as a first goal for local representation.
What do others say to this idea?
A very arty and dead pan design, beryn I like it, but, is it a good positive outlook at the situation, should we put it into a positive frame somehow?.
( as hard as it may be, sigh)
What do you think of an idea to conduct a round of meetings in the Constituency, after which craig and his team adopt the locals issues, take them forward as part of the overall campaign?
If Independents mean something, should it not mean direct respresentation of those who elected you, forwarding their concerns and working on their behalf in parliament.
Some say that such outbreak of independents would not work, but they can’t say why it won’t.
Idependents can still work together on issues that they agree on.
A large outbreak of pragmatism and re balancing towards voters would be a first step, but ideally, in an accountable Europe, one that includes us in the appropriate place, independents should strive for an elected Commission, a choice of accountable commissioners, for a referendum on Lisbon, and in the case of Norwich North, a fair say for voters on the planned unitary arrangements. Re organisation is expensive and financial probety of this new authortiy is not a given, far from it, its recent problems with defining the limits for staff in the housing sector do question the option.
Independents could give people at meetings a voice and if many voters raise the same issue throughout the round of talks, then it should/could feature in the overall campaing as a first goal for local representation.
What do others say to this idea?
iwtc247
Dear Jesus christ ( LOL ) when did i say i was incorporating anything into my religion? And what makes you think I have a religion? I was merely pointing out, after Craig’s mention of his wife’s faith and how it views piggies, that there is NO SINGULAR response to even’s the beast’s name in Islam. I have not objected to the porky theme – only that I thought the thing was negative…so please posters can you please not link my name with anti-pig bigotry. Flippin heck.
I’m tickled at the farming theme that’s running through the comments. I’m wondering if another poster is going to show Craig in a straw hat and dungarees, brandishing a pitchfork.
Shoveling dung out of his way on the path to truth?
I like the poster — as one of a selection.
I remember on a journalism course many years ago being advised to pitch my writing at Mr/Ms Average, that’s somewhere between just-about literate and Ph.D. I think election posters need to be the same. Not too simple, but not overly-clever in their imagery either.
And humour definitely does it for me.
Watch out for swine fever! Oink oink achoooo!
I like the poster, but don’t like the use of the word ‘honest’ twice. My English teacher told me never to repeat words in the same paragraph when there were so many others available. How about, “principaled” or “ethical” (that’s quite a strong word for your campaign that’d set you apart, and is the key thing that’s needed in politics!).
Also, being very pedantic now, the original poster has the colours of the background items bled out so they’re just monochrome. Would this be more striking, and consistent in the parody? Just my tuppenceworth! Engaging image, nevertheless!