7am Dogs, disinformation and deepfakes: Inside Dutton's meme machine
Dec 9, 2024
Jason Koutsoukis, a special correspondent for The Saturday Paper, dives into the disruptive tactics of political campaign strategies in Australia. He reveals how low-quality memes and innovative digital marketing helped Scott Morrison's government win in 2019. The conversation examines the rise of Topham Guerin, who are now advising Peter Dutton, and the ethical dilemmas posed by deepfakes in politics. Koutsoukis also highlights the challenges faced by the Labor party in their digital battle and the implications for public trust in political discourse.
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Boomer Memes Strategy
- In the 2019 Australian election, Topham Guerin used a "boomer memes" strategy for Scott Morrison's campaign.
- This involved posting many simple, quickly-made memes daily, often featuring tax-related jokes and cute dogs.
UK Campaign Tactics
- Topham Guerin's work for the UK Conservative Party in 2019 included a Brexit-themed parody of "Love Actually".
- They also controversially renamed the party's Twitter account to "Fact Check UK" during a debate.
Deepfake Controversy
- During the Queensland state election, Topham Guerin created a deepfake video of Premier Stephen Miles dancing.
- While seemingly harmless, it sparked concerns about the ethics of using deepfakes in campaigns.