To be a succesful party, they need a new name and logo and a manifesto

The Independent Group is not yet a fortnight old and still hasn’t launched as a political party – but even before (and if) it does, the TIGs have a massive branding problem.

Although this tribe of eight Labour and three Tory breakaways is already currently polling at 18% according to YouGov, people are still unsure exactly what they stand for – apart from being against Brexit.

So how should the TIGs brand themselves as a party, not just to persuade people to support them, but, to be brutally honest, to avoid dying before they’ve even been born?

Make it clear they’re a party of the people, not just the metropolitan elite

It was a nice touch trying to brand themselves as a party for everyday British people by having dinner at a London Nando’s on Monday night – but the restaurant chain is South African-owned.

Of course, they had to avoid Brexiteer Tim Martin owned Wetherspoon’s (sadly, Mexican Mondays stopped a while ago) but maybe a pizza at Prezzo might have preferable – ideally in somewhere like Preston. They need to break out of their London bubble and prove they’re relevant outside of the capital.

They need to send a clear message which cuts through the chaos

Today’s politics has become a chaotic shouting match with the divisive mess that is Brexit and the current impasse getting any decisions on it through Parliament.

The TIGs say “politics is broken”, but that doesn’t really cut it right now – a more powerful, snappy catchphrase is key. Their press conferences have been a shambles, sending out mixed messages. They need to consolidate clearly what their message is and push this forward. Otherwise, they’ll be lost in the cacophony.

Identify their target market

Most voters remain loyal to the political parties they support – it’s hard to persuade people to switch allegiance, let alone to a brand new anti-Brexit party.

A survey published earlier this month revealed that currently only 12% of the public are floating voters. They need to be vocal about who should support them, speak to their truths and try to make an emotional connection with them – and not just Remainers.

Push the positives and publish a manifesto, pronto

The TIGs only seem to be saying that Brexit is bad, which is not really changing the current negative mood music of British politics. Instead, they need to pin down and promote some positives – like how they are going to tackle the other key issues concerning British voters such as the economy, the NHS, housing, profiteering from public utilities, the national bus and rail network and immigration, and get a manifesto printed, post haste.

Choose their logo colour and slogan judiciously

You could argue that Ukip as a brand was very well thought out. Even their original yellow and purple logo really worked well to really stand out on posters (their current Premier League-copying lion, less so). But Ukip sent a very singular message that people could understand. Similarly, with Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan. I don’t agree with either of them, but the TIGs could do well to learn from both brands about the best way of illustrating their purpose.

Get a better name

The Independent Group is bland and says nothing. What about The Open Party? This builds on the fact that TIG’s MPs have joined together across party lines, all to keep borders with Europe open.

So, The Open Party is a group that’s open for everyone and is pushing for an open United Kingdom. Or the Unity Party – for people sick of the fighting and bile of the other parties, this is party brings people together, to heal the divisions in Britain.

Or The Reform Party, to change a country that’s being politically and socially torn apart. For those who are wounded, this is the party that repairs.

Or what about The Nice Party? This builds on TIG’s insistence that they are outside of the mainstream political parties’ shouting match of negativity – that they are bunch of good, polite people moving forward in a nice way. But considering Angela Smith’s racist ‘funny tinge’ comment on TV last week, even this might be a tall order for them.

Basically, if the TIGs don’t sort out their branding promptly, not just with a decent name, they are doomed before they’ve barely begun.

Wybe Magermans is Managing Director at London-based design agency Williams Murray Hamm.

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