newsjunction.co.uk

Labour’s poster depicting David Cameron and George Osbourne as the so bad they’re funny X Factor twins John and Edward (”Jedward”) with the tagline “You won’t be laughing if they win” has got a good deal of press coverage, far exceeding the impressions the paid billboards will chalk up. In this sense it’s already a hugely effective piece of viral advertising.

But it’s another story that makes me think.

Jedward have faced huge public hostility, hate campaigns on Facebook, and deafening booing at X Factor performances. But last Saturday it was all cheers. The criticism became so unfairly harsh and personal, and they held up so strong, that they have become popular.

Could Labour do the same? The recent argument over Gordon Brown’s letter suggests it’s possible. If The Sun and others don’t want a Labour victory, they mustn’t victimise Brown.

Last night something truly shocking happened.

Eoghan got through on the X Factor again!

Despite making Busted’s original “Year 3000″ look like hard rock compqred to his version and slaughtering ABBA’s “Does Your Mother Know”, the teeny bopper defeated Diana Vickers and her rendition of Dido’s “White Flag” to win a place in the final for a £1 million record deal.

But did anyone else note the lyrics? ABBA’s “You’re so hot” became “You’re so cute” and Busted’s lyrics “Your great great grand-daughter is pretty fine” became “…doing fine” - doing fine with what, her GCSEs? Or doing fine in hospital? It just shows how ludicrous Eughan is as a finalist that they feel the need to change lyrics.

But it wasn’t enough in a way. How daft did he look singing the words “You’re only a child” - when so is he! - and “Does your Mother know that you’re out?” More to the point, does his? It must be a school disco.