The Yes23 campaign has launched a late effort to swing voters before the Voice to Parliament referendum, via Clemenger BBDO, in the latest iteration of its “Yes Makes It Possible” campaign.
The campaign originally launched in September but the launch of this spot was reportedly always planned for the final week.
Last week, another version of the campaign launched, telling voters that “A No Vote Means No Progress!”
That integrated campaign ran on national TV, press, OOH, radio, digital and social media for Yes23.
“This advertisement simply points out that many Indigenous Australians live with entrenched disadvantages when it comes to outcomes in health, education and employment,” said Yes 23 campaign director Dean Parkin.
“A Yes vote is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians. A No vote will mean no progress”.
Clemenger BBDO CEO Dani Bassil said: “Let’s be clear. We are about playing an active role to help win this referendum. As part of that we have been working on different ways to inform, engage and debunk. We are not mucking around. This has only been possible with the incredible minds, collaboration and energy of our Yes23 agency team, our partners, consultants and the Yes23 organisation”.
However, despite the slickly produced and emotive adverts, the Yes23 campaign has been criticised for failing to connect with voters.
Writing in B&T, Dave Levett, managing director of Murmur Group, said that the campaign missed the mark from the get-go.
“The campaign brief was to ‘create clarity and take politics out of the equation, as well as combat misinformation.’ However, what was needed – was to make politics the centre of the equation – and not run or shy away from the core battleground that the combatants in Albanese and Dutton would be fighting from,” he explained.
“When Yes23 released its first ad in April, it centred on a feel-good emotional plea to Australians, yet the rational proof point of the discussion – ‘the only explicit Voice reference comes in the form of a hashtag at the end.’
“The audience that always mattered most was going to be the ‘undecided’ voters. All these ‘swingers’ need are a few rational proof points, not just a pull on the heartstrings. I’d classify that as failure number one”.
Will this new spot move the needle for the Yes vote? We will find out in a few days time.
