How marketers can target the white working class: Lessons from Brexit

The background

Brexit v Remain was undoubtedly the most all encompassing political event the UK has seen for many years. In a country with known and sadly accepted voter apathy, polling stations unexpectedly found themselves revelling in abnormally high voter turn out. Post Brexit we were facing a country at war: name calling, accusations, threats, anger and suddenly every social media user in the country became a political expert. But what exactly fuelled this passion that we so rarely see at the ballot boxes? The answer comes in the form of the working class.

“I’m 38 and have never voted in my life. I was actually quite nervous about going into the voting booth but I felt I had to do it! There was far too much at stake.” Jack, Grimsby

If we put politics to one side, Brexit has been one of the most valuable marketing lessons of the decade. For those needing to create successful marketing strategies Brexit showed unchallengeably the best way to communicate with working class people. Why? Because it connected with nearly every working class code, creating motivation and a strong call to action. A sagacious strategy that offers a real world valuable lesson. 

The Head of Marketing for The Mirror summed up the reasons why the Remain campaign didn't have the same clout when he said:

“The Remain campaign failed because ‘Adland’ and the media failed to hear the emotional soundtrack of life in England outside the M25, and there are serious lessons for brands beyond the referendum” Head of Marketing: The Mirror: Source Campaign Magazine

What she was basically alluding to was that Remain focused their efforts solely on the electorate populous of London and ABC1, proffering a language they understood and presenting issues that matter to them, whilst ignoring the C2DE. Wrongly assuming that ABC1 would make up the majority of the voter turnout, because the working classes can never be bothered anyway so why talk to them? Underestimating Brexit power turned out to be a monumental error, and basically cost them the election. This subsection section of the electorate, unmotivated and disinterested in mainstream politics could not identify with anything that Remain had to say. However, Brexit cut through the veil of indifference by challenging their whole ethos. They switched on, and motivated by what they heard - they acted. 

How often are the white working class considered in marketing campaigns? Increasingly we are seeing those responsible for marketing asking for 'real world insights', as the value of the working class, as an audience, is starting to come to the fore. For some time now those in marketing and social research will have been aware that bubbling below the surface there have been some big divisions in society. Coming from a decade or more of ‘equality’, we became blind to the reality and assumed that political correctness, human rights and equal rights had everything covered. However, this is not so, the class divide is still very much an issue. ABC1 is the focus of pretty much every marketing campaign across the country, after all, these are the people with purchasing power right? Wrong. Channel 4 amongst others are beginning to understand and acknowledge that in some cases it is C2 who have a higher disposable income. Our research for this purpose was based on the criteria below, and followed up from the ‘Leave’ vote confirmation. The aim was to go beyond the politics and better understand the class of people that became so influential. This article offers an insight into the working class and how they see the world, and pitches some vital erudition that delivers high value to those responsible for marketing.

Approach

SLS the cultural and behavioural insight agency conducted 20 x depth interviews post referendum in the following, predominately white working class, areas that voted leave: Boston, Bolton and Feltham. We also conducted social media audits and took on a semi ethnographic approach using the principles of ‘Commercial Anthropology’, hanging-out with respondents in their natural environments ‘Betting shops, café, pubs, social clubs, hairdressers’

Who are the working class?

Defining the working class used to be easy. However as with all things evolution has taken place, and what was once a single group apparent by several defining factors, has now split into three subclasses each of whom have their own agenda and criteria, but have similar grounding values running throughout. A quick and dirty definition of the working classes used to be: wage earning people, educated at secondary modern, living in back to back houses. Those with their heart in the right place with associations to Butlin’s holidays and Blackpool, the men worked in the mines, read the Sun and went to the pub, the women shopped in Woolworths and preferred to pay money in small amounts. 

So what changed? Today, we now consider three subclasses - perhaps one could argue three levels of yearning. The Strugglers, the Salt of the Earth, and the Aspirational working classes. So what characterises and defines these groups?

Strugglers

Those in the strugglers class want to change their lives, but do not know how. As a consequence they live in stress and chaos and are struggling both financially and emotionally. This in turn leaves them low in confidence, either internally or externally and feeling completely disenfranchised, they often appear on TV in ’Poverty Porn’ programmes.

 Salt of the earth

Having a strong work ethic: the Salt of the earth have a very black and white view of their world. They take pride in their appearance and home and use their income in part for holidays which they live for. Their leisure pursuit choices are those traditionally thought of as working class activities.

Aspirational working class

The aspirational working class wish to change their own lives, and have a strong drive and desire to see their own children succeed. They have an old fashioned moral compass giving them traditional values, and have more middle class interests compared to the other two groups.

United they stand

Despite these three emerging groupings having marked differences we can see that they still find unity in the several common causes, and these are the factors that Brexit managed to used to spark the fire. Engaging with the working classes by opening dialogue around issues key, common to all and by offering one pivotal factor - hope.

Getting out into the communities and meeting with members of all sectors it became clear that there was a dislike amongst all groups of how the working classes are portrayed in the media. Whilst it is true that there are different communication codes in the working class compared to those seen in the middle class, that is not to say they don't know when they are being ridiculed. There is a just indignation about the media depiction being distinctly less favourable, respect means everything and the media does not offer any.

’The most important thing in the world is respect’ John, Bolton

A lack of respect generates a feeling of anger among the working classes, they will not choose to engage with someone or something that appears to disrespect them, it goes against their values. ’If people don’t respect you you have nothing’ Mandy, Boston

Communication codes might be different but at the core they are simple, honest and free of pretension, another thing that the M25 Remain bubble were accused of failing at. Working class people are direct, to the point and argumentative. If something needs arguing, they do it now, that is accepted and clears the air. The working class also have a functional approach, there is no dwelling or reflecting on things, they either get it and move on, or don't get it and move on. 

Looking at learning style we see a prevalence of kinaesthetic or visual learners. That is the art of learning by doing or seeing, placing a low rate on aural learning. Another reason why long speeches by politicians or advertisers leaves them cold, Literacy might be an issue in some areas so we equate visual learning to offering visual impact. Instantly understandable from a quick look.

Engaging with the working classes also requires humour. There has to be humour in everything, whether it is laughing at other people to make themselves feel better, or laughing at their own lives because is lifts some of the darkness they perceive they experience daily.

Story telling or reminiscing plays a large part in their cultures, talking fondly about what their parents and grandparent experienced, seeing it as a better and happier time to be alive, and this is also used to bring context to, and justify their actions today.

“My main reason for voting out was the fact that my grandfather fought for this country and over the years slowly but surely our rights and freedom of speech has been eradicated!” Claire, Boston

Farage played into this communication set when he campaigned on behalf of Brexit. His approach is very direct and visual, which immediately generated interest. It was clear that he loved to start an argument, however his content did not have much depth. Whilst this horrifies and turns off the middle classes, it was welcomed and extolled by the working classes. Authoritarian populism was a term offered by cultural theorist Stuart Hall to describe Thatcherism, and knowingly employed by Farage. Whether the working classes were aware of the term or not, the similarities were instantly recognisable to them in Farage’s behaviour.

’Thing about Farage is that he pushes it a bit but he says it how it is like Thatcher used to’ (Ed, Feltham)

This is now a strategy that Teresa May is looking to emulate and offer. The new Thatcher, a very strong leader that sticks to her guns and does not back down, but liked by the north and south.

Harnessing the knowledge

Brexit may well have been the most cleverly executed marketing ploy this millennia has ever seen, and we can take their strategy as a lead. If we look further into the social codes of the working classes, which is exactly what Brexit did, we can further tap into other strategies that offer a hook into the interest of the working classes.

We must remember that the working class are socially conservative: Family, community and country are key, and they generally believe in the death penalty. There also an inability to see things from other peoples perspective, but they have really strong community ties and want to look out for the little guy. 

Many of the working classes don’t have dreams, only those that fall in the aspirational working class. Otherwise it is all about survival and immediate gratification. Little things that make you smile, buying small things that make them happy, like chocolate, wine and champaigne

‘Once you are in the circle it’s hard to get out.’ Lacy, Boston

The influence and appeal of celebrities holds interest as this offers brief glimpse of what a dream or aspiration could be. Jordan is a good example, a real person that came from a similar background and has reached success and fame. Whilst they may not directly see the aspiration as being for them, it holds a real voyeuristic appeal and a ‘what if’ approach. This element of interest also applies to the unreachable Hollywood glamour, a fascination with the lives of those like Angelina Jolie, or indeed one step further into fantasy, those of the superhero. This escapism stance has generated some really successful ad campaigns, such as combining fantasy elements with real life. ‘Party in the kitchen’ by Ikea offered a level of escapism that sold a lifestyle inline with the celebrity - out of reach, yet holding visual impact.

Promotions can be achieved by combining the celebrity with the instant gratification: A massive fantasy prize offers great hope, playing to the constant need for hope - whilst offering a small reward, a pound off here and there brings instant gratification the live for. It is common for the working classes to have more than one job, the rise of the mom-entrepreneur, needing to work but be there for the children. Any match of jobs that works for the situation, and whatever it takes to make ends meet, it is not about wealth it is about survival. This creates savvy shoppers who will spend hours going to great lengths to get the best deal. There is no loyalty to one shop over another it is all about the deal. Brexit tapped into this by sending digital coupons to get money off the shopping.

It is worth remembering that the working classes love nostalgia. A strong like of the familiar and they look back fondly. This creates a primeval instinct and one of the reasons innovation fails. Cavemen for example needed new food and water sources but this could often end up killing them. New is not always better or safe. The working classes have a constant tension between the new and the familiar. In order to succeed with something new, there is a need to attach the new things to how the familiar supports this in order to create the feelings of nostalgia and safety, and finally acceptance.

Sacrifice is important, they border on stoic, seeing sacrifice as a burden to bear, and many saw Brexit as a sacrifice, but a price worth paying, most simply summed up by one quote:

My sister is a heroin user so I adopted her son. I look after my mum who is ill and cook every night for my dad as he is disabled. I gave up on buying clothes so my daughters can have private lessons and go to acting. I always think of others and sacrifice what I want. If we have a bumpy ride in the economy so be it, it is a price worth doing for the country

(Joan, Stoke)

A lot of working class areas have fear of change. Their local area has been decimated and there is an increase in poverty. Not being able to get housing, the change in their towns, failings in the NHS, none of these things make them happy, which in turn leads to blame of others. Brexit sold this outcome as a direct result of being in Europe, making leaving a no-brainer attached to the desire to return to the nostalgia state where it was all better.

The area has changed so much once it was nice now it is just £1 shops and pawnbrokers.’(John, Boston)

The working classes are natural gamblers. From playing bingo, using gambling sites and betting on the football. In some pro Brexit areas, over a period of a year 80% will gamble compared with only 32% in London. They consider life not to be very good anyway, so as a natural gambler why not take a gamble on Brexit.

Conclusion

The bottom line is the working classes are not hard to reach, they are just hard to talk to, success is all about how you communicate with them. Brexit tapped into the working class codes. Straight talking, offering hope for the future wrapped in the familiar, dangling the safety of the past, it spoke their language. Remain focused on the present, the working class do not relish the present, it isolated them and left them disinterested. Using the real life experiences above and combining this knowledge with short form content advertising, (visual impact learning) C2DE are easily reachable, and well worth the time and investment.

The Author: Steven Lacey is founder of SLS a culture and behavioural insights/planning consultancy. Steven is an ex planner who has headed up a number of behavioural change campaigns for Action For Children, Department of Health, Department of Education, Home Office, FSA and Greenpeace. He has also worked commercially on insight projects for Asda, B&Q, IKEA and Google.