Eureka!

I've finally figured it out!

The link between John Key and Barack Obama that is.

Everyone scoffed when our PM-to-be likened himself to President-elect Obama in an interview with the Financial Times back in September, but with a little bit of help, I've found out what the link actually is.

Mark Leibovich wrote an excellent piece in the New York Times about the Obama campaign's communications strategy and wider team, and, funnily enough, Brand Key followed this to a tee.

Like Obama's campaign, Key's was "was unusually small and close-knit," which enabled it to "maintain tight control of its information."

Both campaigns (tried) to speak "with a single voice and a precise message and only when they wanted to. They did it with a smile, not complaining — at least not publicly — about how the press was the enemy."

And who used this style of campaigning so effectively in the past you may ask?

Well, none other than...

Ain't it grand...

PB.

(Hat tip to PR Watch for helping me put 8 and 39 together...)

Nats likely to be furious over having to pay for Crosby Textor

The boys at The Standard will be well-chuffed with Yoda's column in the Herald on Saturday - after a sharp campaign of explaining away the evils of Crosby/Textor, John Armstrong became the first to indulge them when he wrote:

However, selling "Brand Key" as a breath of fresh air in an otherwise fetid political atmosphere was hardly credible if National was going to team up with Peters once the election was over.

July was definitely the cruellest month to Jonkey, with 15 posts tagged to the brandkey moniker (13 in the first fortnight). A good place to start for research's sake is here.

With a solid strike-rate like that, I'm certain C/T will be keeping an eye our liberal lads, and who knows where that could lead?

Is that DPF I hear, reminiscing over yesteryear?