As Australia begins voting in the federal election, we’re awash with political messages.

While this of course includes the typical paid ads in newspapers and on TV (those ones with the infamously fast-paced “authorised by” postscripts), political parties and lobby groups now compete especially hard for our attention online.

And, if there’s one thing internet users love, it’s a good meme.

Indeed, as far back as two elections ago, in the 2019 campaign, the Liberal Party discovered the power of so-called “boomer memes”, and harnessed them effectively to help secure a third term in government.

The other parties have since caught on though, and are battling hard to win the messaging war in a way that will resonate with voters, especially those who are inclined to ignore a typical political advertisement.

The best political communication often contains a few key elements.

First, it should be developed with a clear understanding of context, purpose and audience. If the target audience can’t get the message pretty much straight away, then it’s not much good.

It should also spark some sort of emotional reaction. It should make voters feel something and motivate them to act, or change their voting intention.

When it comes to political memes in particular, they need to make some clear reference to widely known cultural material. This might be a trending event in popular culture, or fit into an established meme format.

And, of course, the best memes are fun. As the quote, often attributed........

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