A political party in Alberta kicked off its provincial election campaign by unveiling a new bus. The vehicle was wrapped to look like a massive billboard—a popular move in political campaigns. But it was obvious that no one bothered to proof the final design.
The party’s female leader’s photo was placed in a disastrous spot over the rear wheels, creating an unfortunate visual. The result? The party faced a day of mockery and negative attention.
In response, the party announced it would replace the $10,000 wrap. That’s an expensive do-over.
(Added: a week later, the party is still being laughed at.)
This is what happens when you cut corners and try to save money. The lesson? It’s often more expensive to fix things later than to get it right the first time.
The party’s website offers more evidence of its lack of attention to detail. The photography is poorly composed, badly edited, frequently out of focus, and often over or under-exposed. Many of the photos were taken with cheap, amateur point-and-shoot cameras, according to the image EXIF data.
[Added 2017: the party no longer exists.]
This neglect suggests the party doesn’t care about its image or its voters. They couldn’t be bothered to invest in quality or informative photography—something critical to modern political communication. It’s clear the party is willing to cut corners, and that raises the question: Should this party be trusted to run a government?
For any organization, from political parties to corporations, experienced news photographers are essential. They know how to advance a location (i.e. scout a location) and capture powerful images that enhance a message.
When image and credibility are on the line, cutting corners is never acceptable—unless you’re willing to face ridicule.
