RED gives voters a nudge for Elections Alberta

Elections Alberta is launching a multi-media campaign today that humorously reminds Albertans to get out and vote.

The "nudge" campaign, the first in the organization's history, includes radio and TV spots that run province-wide for the next three weeks leading up to the provincial election March 3.

The 30-second spots feature a man and woman giving a litany of funny and ridiculous excuses for not voting, including a recliner stuck in recline, alphabetizing a spice rack, getting caught up in a staring contest and programming a new cellphone. The spots end with the tag ling "Voting: It's inexcusably easy."

Kristy MacMillan, account director for Red, the Edmonton agency that created the campaign, says it targets the 25 to 44 demographic, the busy age group with careers and families.

"We want the campaign to make them question the validity of their excuses for not voting and say to themselves, 'There is no real reason for me not to vote.' "

Red won the Elections Alberta account, then known as the Office of the Chief Electoral Office of Alberta, in December 2006 and was charged with rebranding the organization and giving it a new visual identity. In addition to changing the name, Red also redesigned the organization's website, says MacMillan, making it cleaner, brighter and more user friendly.
-Norma Ramage