UK General Election - Why Optics Matter in Political Campaigning.

If you want a reason as to why 'optics' matter in political campaigning then look no further to the past week since UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stood outside Downing Street from where he called a general election, which will be held on the 4th of July.

That rain soaked event on Wednesday, the subsequent visits to both Belfast and Wales, the questions he took from who we assumed were members of the public but instead were sitting Conservative counsellors, the launch of his policy for National Service for 18 years olds, all of them were just poor, filled with mistakes and lacking in strategic reasoning. The reaction to them all were negative, even from within a Conservative base.

The presentation and how they landed, in essence, the optics, were poor. And this is not a goof way to start a campaign for a political party that that is trailing 22% behind the current opposition Labour Party. Of course, in calling the general election, they could have waited for a date in October or November, but the Conservatives find themselves in a situation where 80 of their current sitting MPs leaving, meaning new MPs challenging in an environment that is, as the polls suggest, against them.

And, of course, the Labour Party know that while they are ahead in the polls, there is a lot of work to be done to win over the undecided voters. These next five weeks are going to feel very long for everyone, with the Labour Party knowing that nothing is certain until the polls close on the night of the 4th of July.

Until then, we are going to see a barrage of pledges from both parties, a series of attacks, misinformation and much more. While policies will drive support, the optics of how these are presented will help secure the trust that will translate into ballots.

I suspect that what we will see is a lot of support from key influencers and stakeholders, from business and other influencers. Behind the scenes, conversations will be taking place to gain a public vote of confidence.

What are Optics in political campaigning?

Well, optics are the positive or negative perceptions by the public and/or stakeholders of actions, decisions, events, or policy announcements.

It encompasses the visual, emotional, and symbolic impact these elements have and is important in shaping opinion and influencing the overall image and reputation of an individual, organisation, government or, in this case, political candidate.

Securing good optics matters because it secures influence and trust from an individual or group. It is this trust that helps win votes.

Trust in the UK Government

Trust in government and politicians currently stands at an all-time low. This is confirmed by data from last year's Ipsos Veracity Index, revealing that the proportions of people who say they trust politicians and Government Ministers to tell the truth reached their lowest scores since the survey began in 1983.

Just nine per cent of the British public say they trust politicians to tell the truth, down from twelve per cent in 2022. This makes them the least trusted profession in Britain. Although trust in politicians is usually low, this years’ score is the lowest for politicians since the first wave of the survey in 1983; aside from 2022 the previous low was a score of 13%, which occurred in 2009 following the expenses scandal.

Since the general election in 2019, scandal after scandal has created an environment in which, according to YouGov polling, 'the number of people saying they "almost never" trust the British government to place the needs of the nation above the interests of their own party has nearly doubled - from 26% to 49%.'

Why good optics and communications matters

In political campaigning, effective communication is essential to build trust with your various audiences.

Optics is how words and actions are received and perceived. It is not about what you say but about how your audience understands what you've said and how the policy relates to them. Critically, it is about transparency, empathy and reliability, which translate into trust, the vital currency for politicians and for which the following strategies and actions are required:

Having transparent communication

Focus on honesty and integrity and being transparent about your policies, decisions, and mistakes.

Honesty builds long-term trust, even if it means admitting errors. This is an area where, in the current climate, commitment is required before the election and, for the Labour Party, after.

Transparent communciations need to be held with the public and also with stakeholders. Listening and engaging with stakeholders will be critical, with a stronger-than-ever focus being placed on listening to ensure that policies that are created actually deliver for people because, given the lack of trust that exists, a lot of listening and engagement will need to be done.

Being consistent with messaging

Messaging needs to use clear, concise, and relatable language that resonates with the various target audiences.

Winning an election is not just about targeting voters and asking them for their vote. It is also about securing the support of the business community, whom require confidence that the next government will be there to support them as they work to deliver much needed growth.

It is critical for all campaign messages to be consistent across all platforms and communications to avoid confusion or mixed signals.

Corporates and consumer brands usually excel in how they present themselves to consumers and tell a story that leads to a sale and securing an emotional bond.

Proactive media management

This election will not be fought just in the door-to-door canvassing; traditional media will again play a key role in how each political party is perceived.

Engagement, listening and understanding of what each outlet needs will be critical in the vote either party gets. Trust, reputation and relationships will play a key role in the headlines and the stories that media outlets push out.

However, this election will also see a high degree of activity online on forums, websites and social channels.

Reaching and influencing decision-makers in groups and forums will help shape opinions.

Communications teams will rely on content creators to either support the pushing of their own message or challenge their rivals. Misinformation and disinformation will sadly be part and teams will need to be ready for this, ready to rebute negative statements and activities.

Visual strategy

An image is worth a thousand words. A video, 54,000 thousand.

Visuals and individual appearance need to relate back to the narrative of professionalism and competence.

Candidates need to be relatable, which will mean being more than one person.

How to Build Trust with Prospective Voters

Over the coming weeks, it is worth looking at the activities of all the parties and judging them against the following five areas to see if they relate to you; they give you confidence and trust

Authenticity:

How authentic are they, and how much concern and interest have they shown in the issues that matter to you and the wider public? Have they shared personal stories and experiences that connect on an emotional level with voters?

Authenticity builds trust.

Reliability:

How relatable are they, especially against the stories they shared about themselves and their background? Have they been transparent and shared a life or professional story that you can relate to?

Reliability enhances credibility.

Empathy:

Are they talking to you or asking questions? Are they listening and asking for feedback on your views? Are they acknowledging your position, even if it is politically different?

Empathy is essential in gaining trust.

Visibility:

How visible are they in the community? Are they local? Do they attend local events, meet voters in person, and show commitment to local issues?

Activity visibility helps position them and their team as somebody who can support them at a local and national level.

Positive Relationships:

What is their address book like locally and with decision-makers? How able are they to build coalitions with respected community leaders and organisations?

Endorsements from leaders in the community can enhance credibility and trust.

Political campaigning is a tough and brutal business, but one where decision-makers need to be open and transparent and whose vision for the future will be questioned not just in panel interviews but on the doorstep.

It is also a period of change where businesses need to engage and influence to secure certainty.