John Farnham: Research reveals what the impact hit song has really had on voters – as support for the Voice plummets to record low
John Farnham: Research shows what impact the hit really had on voters – as support for The Voice plummets
John Farnham’s official support for the Yes campaign has backfired dramatically with voters, according to new polling.
The 74-year-old singer delivered his iconic song You’re The Voice for an official campaign ad in early September, but since then support for The Voice has fallen to a record low.
The advert features a multi-generational family watching historic Australian moments on television, including Cathy Freeman taking gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the passage of the same-sex marriage referendum, while You’re The Voice provides the feel-good soundtrack.
But new polls have found the ad has had a greater negative impact on voters, with 66 percent of undecided Australians claiming the ad hasn’t influenced them at all.
John Farnham’s official support for the Yes campaign has backfired dramatically with voters, according to new polling
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Noel Pearson arrive and are pictured campaigning for the Voice in Sydney
“If the strategic goal of the ‘You’re the Voice’ campaign was to get people to consider voting ‘yes’, then it failed,” said Pollinate CEO Howard Parry-Husbands. news.com.au.
Just over a third (34 percent) of voters said the ad had ‘strengthened their voting plans’, while 16 percent of the undecided felt ‘even more confused’ after seeing it.
“Advertising is intended to lead to changes in behavior or attitude,” Mr Parry-Husbands said.
‘In any case, this advertisement has led to a hardening of opinions. It has made No voters more likely to vote No and left undecided voters as confused as ever.”
Simon Lee, chief creative officer at advertising agency The Hallway, agreed that the outcome of the ‘You’re The Voice’ ad campaign was “not good”.
“It has had a negative effect,” he said.
‘I found the ad very emotionally powerful, but there is an underlying message that it would be unAustralian not to vote ‘yes’.
‘I can completely understand why they went down that emotional path, but the results clearly show that this was not what was necessary. People want clarity, not a hug.’
Mr Lee’s firm has created its own pro-Yes ad, called ‘Don’t Listen to the Galahs’, in which a cartoon kangaroo and an emu have a reasoned discussion on the Voice, away from negative, screeching galahs.
The ad has been viewed just over 350 times on YouTube since it was published a week ago.
According to a recent poll, support for the Yes campaign has fallen to its lowest level yet.
Just over a third of Australians (36 percent) say they will vote ‘Yes to the Voice to Parliament’, according to the Newspoll survey of 1,239 voters for The Australian.
It marks a drop of two points in the past three weeks – the lowest level yet for the beleaguered Yes campaign.
John Farnham (pictured), 74, delivered his iconic song You’re The Voice for an official campaign advert in early September