Ed Kicker: Has political branding by tie lost its way?

Once upon a time you could judge your politicians and their branding by the ties they wore.

Labor - or as the UK awaits its poll results labour - wore red. Conservative blue. And nobody really cared about the colours of the Liberals or Democrats or whatever variation they called themselves.

Then today in my newspaper I was struck by Kevin Rudd pictured in a kitchen wearing a blue tie.

I wonder if this is a subtle message from spin-doctors to give the impression that he is further right in his policies than he seems. Or that the spin-doctors are bothered by what tie he wears as long as he looks neat (and has combed his hair).

I vividly remember the first time I saw John Howard in a red tie, which really confused me, as he made no concessions to left wing policies at all.

Now, as we wait for potentially the biggest election shake-up in UK political history for ten years I have to analysed their politics and branding by ties and I believe it shows that politics has lost its way.

At a time where the policies of parties have little to differentiate them, the same goes for their ties.

A quick Google search shows Prime Minister Gordon Brown blue, maroon and red. If he were really confident about his labour values I would expect him to wear only a red tie, a strong one at that.

Conservative leader David Cameron comes out in assorted colours but mainly blue and red - and let's not forget the wishy washy baby blue.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg Blue and stripy with shades of pink.

What does all that say?

I think that the spin-doctors have lost the art of branding by tie and colour.

In Margaret Thatcher's heyday - a dark time for left-wingers but a bright time for those who believe in politicians with strong brand values orchestrated by a man from Saatchi 7 Saatchi at the time just known as Tim (or Tinker) Bell - you could guarantee she would be wearing blue for all the important occasions (although she also wore red although only occasionally).

I wonder what tie Kevin Rudd will be wearing tomorrow and what message he will be trying to give?

Once upon a time you could judge your politicians and their branding by the ties they wore. Labor - or as the UK awaits its poll results Labour - wore red. Conservative blue. And nobody really cared about the colours of the Liberals or Democrats or whatever variation they called themselves.

Today in my newspaper I was struck by Kevin Rudd pictured in a kitchen wearing a blue tie. I wonder if this is a subtle message from spin-doctors to give the impression that he is further right in his policies than he seems. Or that the spin-doctors are bothered by what tie he wears as long as he looks neat (and has combed his hair).

I vividly remember the first time I saw John Howard in a red tie, which really confused me, as he made no concessions to left wing policies at all.

As the results for potentially the biggest election shake-up in UK political history come in, I look back on more than 10 years of analyzing the UK leaders' politics and branding by ties and I believe it shows that politics has lost its way.

At a time where the policies of parties have little to differentiate them, the same goes for their ties.

A quick Google search shows Prime Minister Gordon Brown blue, maroon and red. If he were really confident about his labour values I would expect him to wear only a red tie, a strong one at that. Conservative leader David Cameron comes out in assorted colours but mainly blue and red - and let's not forget the wishy washy baby blue.Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, blue and stripy with shades of pink.What does all that say?

I think that the spin-doctors have lost the art of branding by tie and colour. In Margaret Thatcher's heyday - a dark time for left-wingers but a bright time for those who believe in politicians with strong brand values orchestrated by a man from Saatchi & Saatchi at the time just known as Tim (or Tinker) Bell - you could guarantee she would be wearing blue for all the important occasions (although she also wore red although only occasionally).

I wonder what tie Kevin Rudd will be wearing tomorrow and what message he will be trying to give?