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EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS essential in politics.
Be it a leaflet, a poster or a tweet, an election candidate has about five seconds to grab a voter’s attention.
The medium has changed, but the message is still the same: vote for me.
So what have politicians done to reach out to the electorate over the years? Here’s a round-up of how their approach has evolved in the last century.
Warning: The below material features an excessive use of exclamation marks(!)
You wouldn’t get a font like that nowadays. People have gone sans serif mad.
Name-calling was acceptable, though.
During the 1938 General Election, an ad for Fine Gael Meath-Westmeath candidates Michael Sweeney, Patrick Giles and Charles Fagan claimed: “Meath Wants No More Migrants!!”
So where were all these immigrants coming from? England? America? Asia?
Close. Connemara. (Is countyism a thing?)
Following the foundation of a new Gaeltacht, an influx of Irish speakers from Co Galway decided to start a new life in the strange, unknown land of Rathcairn. Blow-ins.
All three men were elected.
If you weren’t surprised during the 1948 election campaign, you simply weren’t informed!
The Inter-Party promised to lower the price of bread and cigarettes to make life more “bearable”.
Labour was keeping an eye on Europe during the 1961 General Election.
On this poster for the 1975 Mayo West by-election, a unique interpretation of the Irish flag provided the backdrop for a fine-haired, if slightly-surprised-looking, young man by the name of Enda Kenny.
Our future Taoiseach topped the poll and was elected on the first count. Because he’s worth it.
Campaign songs aren’t a recent invention, you know.
Hail the leader, hail the man
With Freedom’s cause it all began
With Irish Pride in every man
We’ll Rise and Follow Charlie
Seems like a nice fella.
In the ’90s, it wasn’t an election leaflet if you didn’t have to squint. Hard. They really made you earn information back then.
Ah, the winter of ’92 – a simpler time when people wrote letters and didn’t open bank accounts.
If making people’s eyes sore doesn’t have the desired effect, one could fall back on the ever-popular: “My policies? I own a dog.”
Grassroots designer #1: Andy Warhol is still cool, right? Young people like cool people, right?
Grassroots designer #2: I believe we’ve found our ‘in’.
*high fives*
This 2005 issue of Grassroots, the Ógra Fianna Fail Newsletter, showed Eamon de Valera in a new light. Several new lights, in fact.
Alternatively, you could adopt a mysterious persona. It will intrigue the masses.
A recent poll* asked voters to rate the traits they most valued in politicians. The results were as follows:
1. Ability to look off into the distance
2. Own a dog
3. Own a lamb
4. Ability to look off into the distance
Fine Gael candidates are particularly good at looking off into the distance – but, to be fair, as the largest party in the country it has more money than others to invest in that type of training.
*Publication date to be confirmed
If none of the above apply to you, you could always go down the ‘prove you’re human’ route.
You know, do regular person stuff like take selfies and eat soup. Preferably at once.
And remember, regardless of the era: always embrace new technology.
This poster is from 2011. As in, the 2011 that happened THREE years ago.
Phil Prendergast adopted one of the most unique approaches to election campaigning this year by advertising on Grindr, a dating app for gay men.
We’ve come a long way.
All images courtesy of Irish Election Literature, unless otherwise stated.
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If I drank 12 pints tonight I’d just about recover for Christmas.
We’re not in our twenties anymore
I wouldn’t even be able for 12 pints my liver has done it’s duty in times past let the younger ones do exactly what we did. For me the 90′s great days
Time to pass on the baton and let them continue the fight. God Speed little doodle.
I tried the 12 pubs once, got as far as pub 4. Pubs were too crowded and loud. Decided to go home. Ended up watching late late show. That’s when you know you’re getting old
Light weights
Absolutely soft
If I drank 12 pints I probably wouldn’t live to see Christmas! Our course group did one last year; most people made it through 8 or 9 pubs, but then called it a night. A lot of people also went easy, maybe only having a drink in every other pub, or only the first few. I don’t think very many people are foolish enough to do all 12.
Nothing feckin worse than trying to enjoy a pint in a small pub at Christmas and the pub being invaded every 15 minutes by a group of obnoxious hammered halfwits in stupid outfits adhering to this made up ‘tradition’ which was unheard of five years ago.
Good summary.
Its a tradition from the same traditionalists who gave us Arthurs Day
Believe it or not it dates back to the 1800′s. Charles Dickens took part in the first 12 pubs pub crawl after which saying “the hole will be hanging off me in the morning, lol” may the tradition last a thousand generations. Drink up little ones…
At €6 a pint in Dublin it becomes an expensive night which you probably won’t remember anyway!
Good point – €72 each for a night outs drink + taxi, while you can get a tray of lager with 24 cans for €25, and invite friends over and have a good night. Dress up all you want at home, but keep it clean(ish).
Tesco doin 24cans 24e
The 12 Tesco Value Cans of Christmas doesn’t have quite the same festive ring to it.
Heading out later today with my mates for Christmas drinks. Difficult to get us all together these days with kids etc, but we manage it every December for our Christmas drinks. Our plan today is to avoid pubs with the ‘jumpers crowd’ in them.
Bah humbug! Very few manage the 12 pubs…majority just get on the Xmas jumper, get into the festive spirit and catch up with friends! There will always be the few who go too far…but isn’t that true for most things?! Merry Christmas!
That’s me all over. I usually slip in at around pub 7 or 8 and pretend I’ve been there the whole time, laughing at the thing I missed in the last pub. I’ll have a few aces up my sleeve this year for getting out of drinking.
Arriving in at pub 7-8 must be the most harrowing experience ever!
Pubs 5 through 6 are where the nightmares begin John. Never underestimate the power of the sixth!
12 pub wa@$&rs
You got no fans.
“PUBLICANS IN TOWNS and cities around the country”…The country of Dublin city is it? Unable to find any bar owners to interview from outside of this area? You do realise that most people live outside of Dublin, yeah? How about an interview with a pub owner in a regional town? Maybe you might get different responses, make the article more interesting.
Does anywhere outside Dublin have 12 pubs still in business?
You would have publicans enjoying every minute of it in regional towns. Small island, big differences.
We used to call it the stations of the cross
12 pubs starting top of Grafton street
You lads did 14 pubs then cos I had 14 stations bet into me if my memory serves me well. Whatever about 12 pints….
They usually give out about not having enough custom. Are they doing so well now, they can afford to turn it away?!
I have never participated in 12 pubs. Never will. I’m at that 1-2-3-floor age. But why shouldn’t people have some festive Craic, so long as they aren’t out of hand.
It’s the publicity these crappy little pubs are after, same every year
Booze and out of hand go together.
Well holy god… It seems that people can’t go out and have a bit of craic anymore. Where is the harm once everyone behaves? The publicans should be glad of the business because from what I can see it’s the same old lazy effort that most of them are making. It’s no wonder people prefer to drink at home.
It’s just a laugh killjoys and you don’t actually have to drink pints.
How and were i spend my hard earned cash is up to me not publicans if my friends and I wish to go out and have the craic as long as we behave how can anyone have the right to refuse us entry? Refuse the trouble makers! But leave everyone else alone we work hard all year let us put our hair down
Thank god there are heroes like Barbara and her friends who are willing to stand up to the bullies who want them to go and have their craic somewhere else other than their private property.
You dont have to be a bona fide trouble-maker to be annoying. As one of the bar-managers interviewed has said food is 40% of his business, imagine having some large loud mob come in, jamming the pub and having someones ass right beside your face when trying to eat.
I’m with you on this Barbara. If they want to refuse people entry because of generalizations they gotta change the law or break it.
I’m not sure how it works with other groups but I know where I live we have had our annual 12 pubs the past few years and no troubles been caused. Aside from one or two who are worse for wear at the end of the night there’s been no problems. And we’ve raised thousands for charity by donating money each time a ‘rule’ is broken in each pub. So I don’t think every group should be painted with the same brush, sometimes it’s for a good cause.
Is the security to prevent drinkers leaving and going to other pubs ? Don’t know of any pubs that put the welfare of customers above its profits.
There are pubs though that put the comfort of their regulars ahead of a load of idiots who can’t handle 3 or 4 pints never mind 12.
5 pints and the game is over for me hangovers no thanks not worth it.
If you find yourself participating in one of these idiotic things do yourself a favour, slap yourself in the back of the head and piss off home with yourself you annoying git.
This is what stopped me going to town for drinks at christmas time, head in early and head home before all the fools in christmas jumpers appear
Not to mention when ye couldn’t get a taxi even if you were flashing a bar of gold bullion!
People who participate in 12 pubs of Christmas are usually culchies and or vermin.
And I take it that you’re the latter of the two ,Loo .
You mean people who parade with orange uniform and get confused about what country there in. I think that’s who you mean.
Is a troll at Christmas called a grinch?
RULE BRITANNIA
Dick
Your nights out are probably as dry as a Protestants funeral
Orange Order Loyal browsing thejournal.IE! hmmm…
irish society still stuck on stupid
I rarely go out in Dublin anymore, rather head down the country for better value and less violence.
Ba humbug….deck the halls and all that stuff….Let’s lush till we can’t lush no mores.
It’s a tradition for rich kid students who shouldn’t be let near a pub in the first place
Aaaaah, do let the drunken ignorant louts enjoy themselves by falling over and lying in their own and other people’s vomit; it is Christmas after all!
Is it legal to refuse service like this?
If they are rat arsed of course but otherwise i am dubious.maybe bring a traveller friend to make sure you get your round?
Am passed it now – sitting in car park waiting with the kids napping in the back of the car. But they are PUBLIC houses are they not?
I am going to the twelve pubs next weekend great fun out with friends no harm done to anyone, a lot of people here seem to have a problem with other people arriving into a Bar interrupting their precious “quiet” pint .. They should not be let in… I am sure if you search you can find some suitable dank hole where a bit of life and craic won’t bother you
They’re should 12 pubs friendly pubs and non-12 pubs pubs. Keep everyone happy
?
Like if there was a list of official ’12 pubs’ bars. People doing the pub crawl go to them, every other pub could be business as usual
Baaaaaaaaa.
I love craic, and I love jumpers, and I’m brilliant at pints. But it’s these young ones coming over here in their short santa skirts and high boots ruinin’ it for the rest of us. Let us have our pints, jumpers and craic in peace.
What Will the drinks crowd come up with next in the name of getting stupidly out of the head with drink with lots of drunks been a danger to others and to themselves ?
Of course you can legally refuse them. As an owner you reserve the right to refuse service. It’s only when you’re discriminating against someone it becomes a legal matter. Refusing a pub crawl is in absolutely no way discrimination.
Regular punters having their nights ruined- Now we can’t have that can we! Who is giving the permission, the owner or the customer!!
Id be great doing the 12 pubs with my glass of water!!! They wouldnt want to let me in I’d make no money for them,come to think of it couldn’t I get the tea, yeay I could have the 12 cups of Christmas, but no then I’d end up driving everyone home,nah I’d say I’m better off at home!!! Lol
God help me been roped in to doing it tomorrow night but kinda told my friend I was sick with a bug all week so mite not do the whole 12 pubs drinking… don’t give a crap how stupid it may sound to my friends who want to get shitfaced (excuse the language) but its not my idea of fun getting off ur face drunk & waking up on your last day off before Monday starts again and feeling horribly ill all day..
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