Cookie Cutter Won't Cut It

Whenever you recommend something different from the status quo, you get resistance from, well, the status quo. Reinforcement loops exist, because the known provides comfort, the notion of anything different and feedback unchallenged can easily turn into reckless, even dangerous. It is for this reason why the word bold is so often disregarded by politicos, rather than playing it safe, the standard cookie cutter campaign. There are countless examples of leaders, party's, that dared to stick their neck out, only to get it severed off by ready to pounce opponents.

I agree that bold in and of itself is risky, particularly in a campaign where things can spin out of control quickly. However, I also believe one requires a sober, accurate read, to best gauge the potential benefits and inherent pitfalls. Let's face it, the electorate is absolutely bored stiff, they see nothing attractive, they see nothing to motivate beyond a sense of duty. We lack a passion in the land, outside of the diehard contingent, and because of this irrefutable reality, the Liberals will simply not gain the necessary traction in the standard campaign. By standard, I mean the all to common political ads, the same old stump speeches, the robotic daily messenging, all the standard fare that the pros use to run a campaign. I'm not suggesting one abandon the accumulated knowledge, the campaign templates, but the "seen it a million times" presentation will simply not shake the electorate, not in a way that can lead to a Liberal victory. Boredom is the Conservatives ally, nobody is going to pick change when they see more of the same. The Liberals need a spark, and that can come with a outside the box policy, an edgy ad that challenges conventions, unique ways to connect.

I will be looking for creativity, a sense that the brand is being reinvigorated using new techniques and strategies. I want to see the Liberals use social media provocatively, I'd love to see Ignatieff actually use twitter, on the road, beyond stale messaging for example. I want to see ads that don't resemble every ad I've ever seen for the last decade, the feel, the message, the music, the blah! Not reckless, but modern, push the boundaries, do things that make people actually stop for a second and say "I like that, that's different". If left to established templates, standard operating procedures, I think we will fail to capture people's imaginations, and given the odds at hand, that equates to a less than optimal result.