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Conservatives launch budget internet debt campaign
The Conservative party has launched a new web-based campaign against debt, featuring a man overwhelmed by his "inner tosser".A new website launched by the Tories, www.sort-it.co.uk, aims to connect with young people and features a 'trendy' video with a character called The Tosser Within.
He wears a turquoise suit and gold medallions, and encourages a young person to buy everything on credit and store cards. He hands over a pair of expensive Italian shoes and says: "These are going to pay for themselves in crumpet."
David Buonaguidi of Karmarama, which created the site, said: "The Tosser Inside is a wake-up call designed to appeal to an audience that usually screens out this sort of message. And by posting this film online, we've cut out the need to toss away millions on media spend."
Sort-it.co.uk also gives tips on how to avoid debt, such as sticking to a spending budget and calling the Consumer Credit Counselling Service charity for advice.
Other films to feature on the website could cover topics such as the dangers of gambling, drink and drugs.
Rival parties have criticised the campaign for describing people in debt as tossers, but the Conservatives stressed that the character was a personification of the individual's instinct to spend too much.
Online Advertising news posted on 24 November 2006
