North Shore Times (New Zealand)
The Orange Guy ‘outdated’ for target audience
The iconic Orange Guy was created to target the young voting demographic, but eight years later some young voters say he is outdated and it’s time to rebrand.
However, with only 64 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds enrolled to vote, the Electoral Commission says its campaign is far wider than Orange Guy.
Twenty-year-old Tayla Wright, student of the AUT art and design school, said she didn’t hate it but it didn’t motivate her to vote.
‘‘I feel like the orange man is outdated and doesn’t represent anything.’’
Former communications student Jack Anderson, 21, said Orange Guy was ‘‘iconic for being annoying’’.
Alicia Wright, Electoral Commission chief electoral officer, said this year’s campaign contains a broad mix of advertising to reach voters of all ages.
‘‘The Orange Guy advertising reminds people about enrolling and voting, and that’ll be on TV, radio, in newspapers, outdoor advertising and on social media.
‘‘We also have targeted advertising and content aimed at younger voters and other groups less likely to enrol and vote.
‘‘This year, 144,000 students at 817 schools are going to be taking part in the Kids Voting mock elections, which will help build their understanding of how voting works.’’
Orange Guy was created as an amorphous orange blob, genderneutral and exempt from any race to be relatable to any individual.
Karol Wilczynska, an AUT University communication design senior lecturer, said: ‘‘It needs to not be fake, which is what Orange Guy is.
‘‘It is a non-person and that does not work. The Orange Guy, as you call it, is a generic animated image that has no real connection to the population.’’
Wilczynska described the figure
‘‘I feel like the orange man is outdated and doesn't represent anything.’’
Tayla Wright
as ‘‘anonymous’’.
‘‘This is much as the same as the Government and the use of this figure suggests that your votes are anonymous, too.
‘‘The main aspect you need to consider is the reason why 18 to 25-year-olds would want to vote. This is a big issue’’.
However, Alicia Wright said that there was more to come between now and the election that will target young voters, including television campaigns and advertising on radio.