Will party posters lure the youth?

The aim of brand awareness is familiarising the public with a new or revised product that differentiates it from the competition.

And if you’re not out there in the public space, chances are you won’t be noticed, even though many believe the power of social media has taken over.

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With less than a month to go until the election, it’s almost impossible driving without noticing posters of the leaders of the political parties contesting the elections – and their party’s message to vote for them.

Yes, many will say they are tired of the promises spewed forth by politicians, messages the public can’t relate to, but how important are political posters?

Advertising guru Sarah Brittan said “marketing for political parties was not dissimilar to asking shoppers to choose a brand of breakfast cereal or washing powder on a supermarket shelf”.

She said: “You, the voter, are looking for a familiar logo in a sea of choices and a deluge of competing promises. On 29 May, you’re going to be scrolling through 52 different options – plus six independent candidates – to find somewhere to put your X.”

However, the majority of the posters she reviewed didn’t really impress her, with her saying she’s seen most of it before.

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Political analyst André Duvenhage noted street poster numbers during this election season were at their lowest level since 1994.

“There are two reasons for this: it is not strategically important and the second reason is financial. I don’t think parties have the financial support, especially the ANC. They are in financial trouble. And the impact of posters on the success or failure of a political party is not a huge factor.”

Poor voter turnout in the past, particularly among the youth, is a huge worry for political parties four weeks out from the elections.

It raises the question: have the parties done enough to raise brand awareness among the youth – or is it same ol’, same ol’?