Interesting week for students of political communications. Two big moves by UK politics’ current best communicator David Cameron. First he very publicly kicks Alan Duncan in the soft parts over his offhand remarks about MPs expenses how tough life is on state subsidised grilled ficelle croutons. He followed up with his big speech on cutting the cost of politics.
The latter is described as “a political stunt” by the Chancellor.
In politics, when is a stunt not a stunt?
In Opposition, pretty much all you can do is talk, listen, explain, attack, seek attention for what you plan to do rather than what in Government you have the power to do, and gain press coverage (some interesting research on this out from me soon).
Cameron read the public mood, knew he could seek advantage rather than just be damaged by stories of moats and duck houses on the taxpayer, understood he had to deal with the Duncan issue first so his “cost of politics” initiative didn’t get derailed, and came out with a clear message to the public – his equivalent of Blair’s “clean up politics” response in Opposition to the Major sleaze controversies.
That’s not a “stunt”, it is a symbolic act. Similar to what we referred to when I worked for an international NGO as “a demonstration project” i.e. small in itself but designed to capture attention, show a lead and send a big message. Cameron has taken clear action, modest in itself (cash wise), in tempo with the public and media mood rather than obfuscate and dither as the public expect politicians to do in these cynical times.
All of us in marketing spend a lot of time studying trends in online retailing. A new twist today with the announcement from Faberge that its first new collection in almost a century will be sold online via its website rather than in 5th Avenue or Bond Street. Apparently they think that in these recessionary times the rich will feel less guilty buying fabulously expensive jewel encrusted sea horses online and in privacy.
Finally (Byrne’s eyes wander to the heavens) no parent or amateur philosopher cannot have been moved and fascinated by new research this week suggesting that belief in a God is hard-wired into human beings in order to help us cope with life. We are the only living things – as far as we can tell – that knows we are going to die. From a certain point in our youth we have to come to terms with that and not let it drive us mad in our brief time on earth.
I was looking at my three little boys this morning, happily scampering around the bedroom or gurgling in their cot. I tried to think of when I became aware of my own mortality and hoping for them they stay happy and innocent of the curse of higher intelligence for as long as possible.
Funny, I can remember when I found out Santa didn’t exist but not when I realised that one day I was going to shuffle off to the great Beatles gig in the sky.
