How did Rishi’s umbrella cause a PR nightmare?

It has been one of the biggest talking points of the 2024 elections, but how on Earth did a critical decision lead to the Prime Minister’s campaign having a soggy start? From a PR perspective, it feels like a classic case of overthinking leading to inaction, where something as simple as an umbrella could have saved Rishi’s Day.

The now immortal images of the PM drenched -  ironically talking about a much sunnier future - went everywhere and may plague him for the rest of his political life. The PR decision to make this critical election announcement outside Number 10, as is traditional, was a sound one. Doing so confirms the incumbent politician as ‘in situ’, still powerful and authoritative.

However, unfortunately for the PM, another rainy day threw a meteorological spanner in the works. The bloke with the sound system didn’t help matters.

There were a few alternative options on the table for the PM’s PR advisors that might have averted this underwhelming address to the British people.  The announcement could have been made inside, of course.  Although this would have been seen as a break with tradition, there are surely moments when avoiding a political car crash supersedes comms protocol? There was also the possibility of sending Rishi outside to the podium armed with an umbrella, but the fear was (insiders inform us) that he might then be branded ‘Brolly Wally’ by red-top media. A possibility indeed.

We can start to see how decision-making may have become cloudy on the day and how common sense likely gave way to paranoia…and a bit of a PR disaster.

Pictures speak a thousand words and the images of Rishi drenched outside the iconic black front door of Number 10 instantly became the personification of the country’s mood for many observers. Global media had certainly had fun with it, and the pain has endured. That announcement will always be a damp squib that was just too, well….damp.

This situation is the perfect case study for how thinking practically is essential when making any key, carefully considered PR announcement. Nobody can control the weather, true, but Rishi’s Comms Team did have control of the where and when of that announcement.

Change the location, tweak the time…check the weather forecast? Failing that, give the poor guy a raincoat.

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