I started getting furtive emails and texts last week-end, “have you seen them?” “I don’t agree but they are great as political art!” “These guys are really setting the agenda”. Yes it’s time for the Coir posters again. It appears like another Yes side blind spot. About 20 years ago (gulp) I was a member of the Labour Party in Dun Laoghaire. There was a young terrier called Eamon Gilmore making a lot of noise in the constituency for the Workers Party. “He has people everywhere” they whispered in Labour “They’re organised into street committees” We were near to giving up, how could we compete with these black arts, us with mere leaflets and volunteers! Fast forward to 2002 when I was on Eamons leadership campaign team (the unsuccessful one!).

Me: “Tell me Eamon how did the Workers Party organise those street committees back in the 80’s”

Gilmore: “What Street Committees? Never heard of them!”

Sometimes our own sense of insecurity leads us to puff up and exaggerate the opponent for some reason, perhaps to give us the ready made excuse when we are unsuccessful, and so it is with Coir and EU referenda. During the Nice 1 campaign they emerged with a novel concept, a direct no nonsense poster that summed up the fears of many “You Will Loose, Power, Money, Influence” in stark lettering using a simple clear colour scheme they were considered highly influential. That poster at that time undoubtedly was, but that was 8 years ago. Can anybody remember any of the other ones?

As with most marketing campaigns success lies in innovation and new thinking. Rather like the great British sitcoms, limited numbers and exposure provides the greatest potency. Do we remember the Coir posters from Nice 2 (ok one or two…gun to head etc.) Maybe Lisbon 1, “Don’t be bullied” I have no problem saying it out straight. Coir posters aren’t so great. Naturally I don’t agree with them but I mean as pieces of political material. They are dated, jaded and a repetitious formula that is out of step with where the electorate are at. So stop whispering about them yes campaigners. Now unfortunately the Yes side have not distinguished themselevs in the postering stakes either.

Let’s examine them one by one. Firstly anything with 1916 leaders on it talking about freedom and all that appeals to the 0.1% of people who vote for Republican Sinn Fein or whatever, plus barstool republicans who do what Fianna Fail tell them. Its what’s called appealing to the base, sometimes necessary in elections, never in referenda. Another poster quotes Charlie Mc Creevey as saying 95% of Europeans would vote against Lisbon. I don’t think the Irish electorate could care less about this, they are examining their own lives and situation and the only major European issue they are reflecting on is the effects, if any, on our economy. Next they present half the picture on voting weights, a common approach from the entire No campaign which will need to be countered.

However if the debate on the street actually gets into the two elements of double majority voting things will be looking up I reckon. Simply telling the electorate that the No side is deliberately only presenting half the picture on voting weights will leave them feeling a little betrayed I feel. The coup de grace for many will be the claim that our minimum wage will be €1.85 after Lisbon. Now if I was making some spurious claim about migrant labour or something (which presumably this is) I would at least take a figure close to Ireland’s current minimum wage of €8.65 (which practically nobody earns!) or maybe some of the figures suggested by IBEC. Most of the electorate posses some common sense and will see straight through this nonsense. The biggest mistake campaigners on either side can make is to underestimate their electorate or be out of step with their lives.

Lisbon is not necessarily an easy sell but any debate must be related to the economic and political crisis the country faces. The Treaty is not primarily about the economy but it seems reasonable to argue that Ireland’s relationship with Europe is. Yes campaigners should not be intimated by Coir bluster. Their posters are increasingly relics of how campaigns used to be…oh and “Vote No” isn’t in large enough font!