4/25/2010

Common sense finally overtakes the vanity of Broadland Conservatives

It's is interesting to see that the Conservatives have replaced a number of the poster boards that occasionally adorn the fields of Tory supporting farmers across the Broadland constituency.

The boards that first went up followed the Tories policy this year of putting Tory candidates faces on to the poster boards. This is great when you have a photogenic candidate (Liz Truss) or are a well known local MP (Henry Bellingham), but in some cases it really does not work.

In the first instance, the fact that you put your face on the boards really does mean you get only one chance to use them (unless you re-use five year old photos like Broadland Tories do). I know in North Norfolk we got plenty of value from our "Norman Lamb Winning Here" posters, and they have been able to be used over and over again, saving the environment and an awful lot of money.

The second reason why pictures are not always good is that it detracts from the simple message. You want people to notice the writing, the words, the logo, the colours, and not the face. In some cases I think Tory poster boards resemble estate agents boards and are less effective.

The final reason though, and perhaps Broadland Tories have shown this to be true, is that a face (even a five year old picture) of a chubby chap approaching retirement with a moustache is not always a vote winner ! So we have seen a number of boards change from the one with a picture of Tory hopeful Keith Simpson to one with a message on and no picture.

Certainly local people told me they thought them rather unimpressive and asked me who the the picture was of. One person told me Chloe Smith had really gone off ! I couldn't possibly comment.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would consider voting for Lamb if you were going to join with Labour. I will not be voting for him now that a Lib-Con pact is on the table. No way. Never.

Anonymous said...

Poor Keith - his posters look like they've already been - pre-vandalised!

Nich Starling said...

I note anonymous Number one that your IP address is from Cambridgeshire near Huntingdon so I guess Norman won't miss your vote.

Anonymous said...

TUT TUT Didn't your Mummy teach you to respect age before beauty and not to judge a book by it's cover. Is Ageism and Fattism a LIB DEM ethos? Some of your Norfolk Councillors are no oil paintings!

Nich Starling said...

And I doubt any Lib Dems would be vain enought to put their faces on posters, or indeed be that concerned about looks that they would use five year old photos.

Isn't it ageist or fattest to use old photos which disguise your weight and age ?

Anonymous said...

And what's wrong with facial hair? At least 2 of your councillors are smothered in it!

Anonymous said...

You defeat your own argument regarding recycling previous resources.

Nich Starling said...

Would you like a spade ?

You are digging a hole for yourself by seemingly not being able to read.

Theses signs are NOT, can I stress (as you are a Tory) NOT recycled from before. They are new, ffeaturing the newer Tory logo and "Vote for change" messages and the Tories newer light blue colours.

If they were recycled from five years ago they would feature your old Torch logo.

Oh dear, you are making yourself look silly aren't you.

Anonymous said...

Yuk - Just looked at your picture on Facebook - NOT PRETTY!

Nich Starling said...

I shopuld hope not too. I'd take being called "pretty" at my age as a real insult or I'd question your eyesight.

That said, if that the best attack you've got then you really are getting desperate.

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