Two momentous things happened this week. One of them was the Melbourne Cup, run on the day before THAT election. It was a memorable race. The winner, Knight’s Choice, won by a short half head (a bob) after having been well back in the field for most of the race. He’s a little horse and he ducked and weaved through the field like a pro, not impeding any other horse. It was masterful riding from an Irishman who has called Brisbane home for a decade.
If you haven’t seen it, here it is.
Knight’s Choice is an Australian bred horse based on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and he beat all the top fancies and the international raiders despite his 100-1 odds. His little known Irish-born jockey Robbie Dolan doubles as a singer – he appeared on The Voice. He was understandably over the moon at winning the race, watched by his father, who had come over from Ireland as a surprise.
It was a great race which left everybody feeling good. Well. Almost everybody. At least all horses and jockeys finished the race and went home.
The other event I mentioned took place in America. The polls predicted a tight contest – but in the end Trump won easily. The newspapers are full of analysis on why he won and she lost. My Facebook feed is full of laments from most of my American friends, although a few supported Trump. Those people were subjected to incredulity (how could you?) and quite a few people invited anyone who voted for Trump to unfriend them now. Perhaps they should be asking why they voted for Trump. The counting isn’t finished and some people are already suggesting the election was rigged. We’re in for Interesting Times.
Perhaps the political parties in Australia can learn some lessons. The most important one is don’t underestimate the electorate. People these days are concerned about the cost of living – interest rates, power prices, the cost of groceries, failing health and education systems, youth crime – and they’re not terribly interested in pie-in-the-sky climate change policies and divisive identity wars. I would have thought the result of the Voice referendum should have made that last one clear. Let’s get back to everybody being equal and one flag to rule us all.
People want policies that will make a difference to their lives, not feel-good slogans.
Meanwhile, let’s get off the political hamster wheel and look at something fun. One Australian insurance company uses AI to great effect in its marketing campaigns. I love these RACQ ads and I hope you do, too.
A couple of sulphur-crested cockatoos offer commentary on a break down.
A couple of kookaburras discuss a fallen branch on a car.
Water dragons discuss what ‘water’ means in an insurance policy.
It’s really clever marketing that also entertains. Well done RACQ.
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