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Led by Donkeys: UK political agitators reaching millions

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Led by Donkeys: UK political agitators reaching millions

Three of the founders of the Led By Donkeys activist group, Oliver Knowles, Ben Stewart and James Sadri — © AFP Hector RETAMAL

Caroline TAÏX

A persistent irritant to Britain’s ruling Conservatives since its creation after Brexit, campaign group Led by Donkeys has built a big online audience with its largely humour-led attempts at political accountability.

Founded by four friends in a pub in 2018, the collective’s campaigns and stunts skewering politicians and spotlighting issues get millions of views online — and often generate mainstream media coverage.

They remain best known for their light-hearted early efforts, like plastering ex-prime minister Boris Johnson’s optimistic tweets about the joys of life after Brexit to contrast them with the reality.

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More recent ploys, involving stings by fake companies and covert filming, have had a more serious undertone.

After five years and hundreds of initiatives, the group said it still has “plenty of ideas” before the next general election, expected next year.

“It’s more than just an anti-Tory campaign,” Oliver Knowles, one of its four founding fathers, told AFP.

He said there is “a bigger mission” for “accountability” across the political spectrum while pushing “more progressive ideas”.

“For me, the broader mission is: counter the populist narrative of the country,” said 44-year-old fellow co-founder James Sadri.

– ‘Cathartic’ satire –

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Led By Donkeys takes its name from a World War I expression used to describe the incompetent leaders who led British soldiers to their deaths.

The four friends formed the collective while they all worked for environmental pressure group Greenpeace, in shared frustration at Britain’s dysfunctional politics in the aftermath of the 2016 Brexit referendum.

“We were having a pint in a pub. We started looking at some of the tweets that the Brexiteers have made,” recalled another of the quartet, Ben Stewart, 49.

“We just burst out laughing, (at) how chaotic the situation was.”

Image: © AFP

Stewart was referring to a now-infamous 2015 post by then-prime minister David Cameron as he campaigned for re-election against Labour leader Ed Miliband.

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“Britain faces a simple and inescapable choice — stability and strong Government with me, or chaos with Ed Miliband,” he had posted.

Little over a year later, Cameron lost the referendum he had ordered on Britain’s European Union membership, and the country tilted into several years of political crises.

“There was a six-metre by three-metre billboard outside the window. And we said, ‘That’s the shape of a tweet, why don’t we print it out and just put it up there?’”

They soon pasted other tweets on other billboards before photographing them and posting the images online. The campaign quickly went viral.

They then launched a crowd-funding operation, which exceeded expectations and allowed them to rent more and more billboard spaces.

“For us it was deeply cathartic because we spent so long moaning,” said Knowles.

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– ‘Power’ –

The group’s last stunt in September targeted the British government’s controversial deal with Rwanda to take migrants who arrive in the UK “illegally” without prior authorisation.

Interior minister Suella Braverman insists Rwanda is “a safe country” for asylum seekers, but the policy has been stalled by court challenges.

Using undercover cameras, Led By Donkeys captured Rwanda’s ambassador in London trivialising the previous killing of refugees there, allegedly by police.

“Yes, it might have happened, but so what?” the Rwandan diplomat said on camera.

He also branded Braverman as “absolutely wrong” about migration.

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The video has been viewed nearly six million times on X, formerly Twitter.

Another sting in March caught MPs — including former finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng — accepting lucrative second job offers from bogus companies, and amassed nearly 30 million views on X.

Led by Donkeys has also tackled numerous other serious subjects, including the handling of Covid, typically with their signature brand of satire.

Sadri said they specialise in “making an intervention that is not just heavy, political, angry commentary”.

The old friends still laugh when reminiscing about their various campaigns.

“If you’re laughing at the donkeys, you’re taking away their power,” added Sadri.

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For Knowles, their message to the ruling Conservatives is clear: “You need to be accountable for the mess you made.”

They have been accused of engaging in anti-Tory activism, but note the group has targeted the main Labour opposition too.

Labour appears poised to win the next election after leading in the polls for over a year.

Led by Donkeys recently plastered Labour’s London headquarters with a large poster to remind leader Keir Starmer of his promise to reform the electoral system.

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

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This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.” 

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

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“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

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Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.

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