May the funniest party win

It is electoral campaign season in Malta. Unlike many other countries campaigners have no trouble in getting people interested in voting. While countries like America get around 50% of voting, in Malta the voting is over 90%. I don’t know if the reason is because it’s a small country and there’s nothing much else to talk about besides football or if it’s because we have very charismatic leaders. But one thing is sure, the Maltese population love politics.

Yet campaigners still go the extra mile to attract people in their campaign by using billboards, mobile messages and telephone calls among others. What I find ironic is the childish way with which they go about their campaigning. The easiest and most prominent examples are of course the billboards. They are creative and very amusing like these two:

But I wonder whether they are really effective. Are floating voters really influenced by such propaganda? Of course it tickles the fancy of core voters, but isn't politics supposed to be a serious matter? Shouldn't they be more concerned about their proposals and making sure that if they are chosen they can actually follow through with their promises?

When asked whether billboards and other propaganda marketing influenced their choice Maria Debono said that “the billboards I usually see while I'm driving make me realise that both parties do not make it about what they are offering, but try to make fun of each other through the billboards.” Jane* agreed with her saying that “the only thing which may influence my decision are the debates.”

Chiara Darmanin argued that seeing the billboards “Made me curious [...] as to what they are telling the public they will achieve after they win the election.” And Hannah* thinks that “the messages can be irrelevant sometimes.”

*Names where changed to protect the privacy of the individual.