How a deliberately “bad” Comic Sans post by Topham Guerin dominated UK Twitter trends
Design publication TypeRoom documented how Topham Guerin (the New Zealand creative agency running the Conservatives’ social media after Boris Johnson became Prime Minister) made a Comic Sans “MPs must come together and get Brexit done” post that pushed #ComicSans to the top of the UK Twitter trends, a deliberate attention-grabbing tactic.
- Publication
- TypeRoom
- Published
- 22 October 2019
- Type
- Press coverage
- Topics
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- political campaigning
- social media strategy
- meme marketing
- Brexit
What we did
- Identified Topham Guerin as the NZ agency running the Conservatives’ social media under Johnson
- The Comic Sans “Get Brexit Done” tweet drove #ComicSans to the top of the UK Twitter trends
- Noted TG’s use of memes and pop-culture references to gain traction on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Read the full article at TypeRoomIn one of the most awkward moments in the visual of politics in the UK the Conservatives are trending on Twitter due to a new, rather unconventional, typographic choice.
Prior to the key votes on the Prime Minister’s withdrawal agreement on Brexit the @Conservatives Twitter account posted a series of messages. Some of them were colourful. Yet, one of them got viral thanks to the popularity of Comic Sans.
Featuring the words “MPs must come together and get Brexit done” in Microsoft’s Comic Sans font the hashtag #ComicSans topped the Twitter trends in UK.
“Comic sans for a comic Government,” read one reply yet this typeface gained the attention it strived for.
“18 minutes ago the Tories tweeted a slogan written in comic sans. I’ve seen it quote-tweeted four times on my timeline already. Good job everyone” tweeted Guardian’s technology editor Alex Hern. “That’s weaponised Comic Sans,” added journalist Mic Wright.
According to pollsters YouGov claimed 52% of Brits actually like the font. #Brexit or not, #ComicSans is winning.
“The Tories are understood to have employed New Zealand creative agency Topham Guerin to execute their new social media strategy since Mr Johnson became PM”
“is known for using memes and pop culture references to gain traction with audiences on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram”