Gruen Nation Dissects the Wild World of Election Advertising in 2024
From corflutes on street corners to outlandish memes on TikTok, political parties are going all out in their quest to win your vote — and Gruen Nation is pulling back the curtain on how it all works.
This year’s campaign trail is packed with tactics designed to stir emotions, hijack algorithms, and grab attention in a saturated media landscape. Advertising expert Todd Sampson summed it up: if you’re ahead, stay positive; if you’re behind, go negative — and fear always works.
Former Labor strategist Annie O’Rourke explained that emotional manipulation is front and centre in modern campaigns. “You’ve got to flood their guts with feelings,” she said, though some attempts — like gloomy ads featuring a man with soggy cereal — have missed the mark.
While political ads might look convincing, they don’t have to be truthful. Sampson noted there are stricter laws for selling toilet paper than for political messaging. The Australian Electoral Commission only has limited authority to police the accuracy of these ads, which strategist Toby Ralph says are more about persuasion than facts.
Gruen’s panel also explored how low-budget, poorly produced political ads aren’t always a drawback — it’s often strategic. Media expert Russel Howcroft pointed out that parties spend more on exposure than on production, which creates a gritty, “authentic” style voters recognize.
Meanwhile, bizarre social media videos — from party leaders battling animated creatures to surreal petrol station scenes — have become common. While they may not deliver clear messages, they do grab attention. Cheek Media’s Hannah Ferguson explained that these viral clips appeal to younger voters not by substance, but by validating their importance in the campaign.
“When young people watch or share them, it boosts the performance of the party’s other digital content,” said O’Rourke. It’s part of a broader trend of using humour, absurdity, and memes to amplify reach and engagement.
The campaign has also embraced new media and influencer culture. From Grindr to Fortnite, OnlyFans to podcasts, politicians are showing up in unexpected places. Podcast hosts like Abbie Chatfield and Hannah Ferguson have directly engaged with leaders like Anthony Albanese and Adam Bandt — part of a growing shift that sees influencers wielding more sway than traditional media.
“This is the first Australian election where being politically engaged is actually seen as cool,” said Ferguson. “People are being encouraged to wear their values proudly and talk about them.”
And if it feels like political ads are impossible to escape, that’s because they’re everywhere. Host Wil Anderson revealed that more than $27 million has been spent on political advertising this federal election. Across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram alone, parties have pushed out over 1,600 unique ads.
Whether it’s heartfelt storytelling, fear-based messaging, meme warfare, or influencer interviews, Gruen Nation shows how modern political advertising is less about informing — and more about influencing.
