Quantum PR's Blog

Putting a dampener on ‘Great’ Britain: why negative advertising should be used with caution By Rebecca Morgan

Account Executive Rebecca Morgan

Last week, an anonymous government minister was quoted as saying the government is considering a negative advertising campaign to coincide with the expiration of existing EU immigration restrictions. Aimed at potential Bulgarian and Romanian immigrants, the campaign would “correct the impression that the streets here are paved with gold” by highlighting a struggling jobs market and disagreeable weather.

Although the campaign has not yet been given the go-ahead, it has already struck a bad chord with its intended Bulgarian and Romanian audience, ruffling political feathers and sparking demonstrations.

It has made waves on British shores too. Here, the proposed scheme caught the attention of both Channel 4 and the Guardian which both requested that their readers and viewers send in their own versions of the campaign.

A flurry of homemade ads followed which suggested that Britain’s streets are lined with flytipped rubbish, inebriated party-going youth and the discarded product of Britain’s troublesome press— sentiments that ministers may not have wished to encourage from a domestic audience. In an age of 24/7 digital media, the government should be aware that it can no longer have firm control over which audiences receive its messages.

Had it given greater consideration of the effects to their campaign, ministers would never have to experience their campaign backfiring at such an early stage. Proper communications campaign planning takes account of all stakeholders that may receive messages— intended or otherwise.