Here’s an interesting story (though not one of our own as it happens). Tory Central Office has had the smart idea of buying up the rights to any search tags on Google relating to ‘mps expenses’ and the like. Anyone keying in a related phrase will find themselves being offered a sponsored link to David Cameron’s Webcameron on You Tube, or the Conservative Party portal if you prefer (Demand an election now). Switch to a soulful, grave but nevertheless statesmanlike PM-in-waiting, commiserating with viewers over the appalling misconduct of some of his MPs (Willett, Duncan, Letwin, Hogg, Maude etc), and promising to make full amends the minute voters let him in. Once again, Cameron is streets ahead of the competition in deploying his cyber tactics.
While we’re on the subject of related sponsored links, try http://www.dishonourable.org.uk/. It gives a blow-by-blow account of every dastardly deed with some fun interaction thrown in.
[...] adapting the techniques of marketing to electioneering (see my piece on David Cameron the other day). But what happens when a natural marketer turns his hand to [...]