The best student election videos of 2014: what’s your favourite?

VOTE NOW: Which campaign video will be crowned champion?


There’s nothing worse than student elections.

From getting constantly badgered by manic campaigners living off Blue Bolt and discount Rowntree’s Randoms to having your beloved Facebook news feed ruined by various ‘VOTE FOR ME’ profile pictures, elections rival Freshers’ Fair and overly-political, in-your-face feminists as the worst things on campus.

But if there’s one shining light in this dank, soul-draining hell, it’s election videos.

Watching fellow students humiliate themselves as they try to dub their own words onto a Rihanna classic or strut around campus in the most offensively colourful outfit possible is sure to bring a smile to your face, especially when you do it from your laptop and don’t have to suffer their desperate pleas for votes in person.

From Royal Holloway’s legendary Thrift Shop cover to a Leeds campaign video which is so fantastically disturbing it has been played on Radio 1, it’s been a good year.

Sit back and enjoy the very best election videos of 2014…

Jason Michalski, Royal Holloway

“Hey Jason, can we go voting?”

If you haven’t seen Royal Holloway’s Jason Michalski’s campaign video yet, you need a slap.

Having been picked up by media titans like The Independent, The Mirror and getsurrey.co.uk, this beauty has been seen over 50,000 times.

Featuring four minutes of genuinely original lyrics, it receives full marks for effort, commitment and dragged out slow-mo’s of women sipping straws.

Tommy Bolger, University of Limerick

“Is this the best student campaign video ever?” – The Guardian, March 2014.

The second of our viral sensations, Tommy Bolger’s Wolf of Wall Street parody has racked up almost a quarter of a million YouTube views.

A self-defined ‘man of the people’, Bolger has wowed onlookers with his uncanny resemblance to Leo DiCaprio and his ability to snort Dip Dab like he’s the Haribo kid’s answer to Charlie Sheen.

George Bradley, Leeds

Yeah, Tommy Bolger’s is good, but it hasn’t been played on Radio 1.

That honour lies with Leeds legend George Bradley, whose video starts horrendously but, just when you’re about to close it down through fear your neighbour’s cat might call it a day and run into the road… BOOM.

He fucking nails it.

Ben Street, Exeter

Taking an entire film trailer and parodying it for your video is something, but taking one scene from a film which is eleven years old shows some serious dedication to originality.

When you combine this with excellent attention to detail and some first-class acting from what may or may not be Keira Knightley, you know you’re onto a winner.

“Irish Brian”, Lincoln

Just like Sickipedia and Noel Fielding, sometimes something is so bad that it’s good.

Lincoln University’s Brian Alcorn’s Lorde parody falls under this category.

Just like George Bradley, Brian managed to get himself some air-time on Radio 1, but his video only has a disappointing 23,000 views.

The decision to wear a green suit and carry a cane was questionable, but it doesn’t detract from what is a top effort.

Johnny Lawrence, Nottingham

Time travel? Check. Parseltongue? Check. Hand-puppets? Check. Sacrifices? Check. Courgettes? Check.

Perhaps the most insane video you’ll ever see, Johnny Lawrence’s effort deserves endless praise. It doesn’t make sense, but who cares? Nothing about SU elections makes sense these days.

Tom Dixon, Leeds

Deciding between this and Leeds’ Melissa was very difficult. I was about to relegate Tom Dixon to a special mention but then I remembered that The Tab is a highly reputable institution and didn’t want to be seen promoting anything dangerous like bicycles or rap music.

So instead I went for clean-cut Mr Dixon, who demonstrates stellar vocal ability as well as a cheery outlook towards life.

I think we can all get behind that message.

Bradley ‘Super’ Cooper, Cardiff

Bradley Cooper was clearly feeling pretty Limitless when he made this video.

And judging by his enthusiasm, he doesn’t seem to have a Hangover either.

It’s not a great start to the video but the real Silver Lining is when he somehow manages to fly alongside a moving car.

Brad clearly managed to (American) Hustle himself a strong campaign team, and their backing singing has really cured my Hangover Part II.

Luke Dzierzanowski, San Diego

Yeah, he’s not from the UK, we know.

But Luke’s campaign video has kicked up such a fuss over the pond that we simply had to include it.

After releasing his video, which is just him smoking a cigar while bikini-clad girls swim, playfight, jump and bend over next to him, Luke came under fire from various US media outlets, who accused him of objectifying women and generally being a bit of a sexist.

Make your own mind up…

Special mentions go to the Fresh Prince of Welfare, Tab legend Rachel Donald and Newcastle’s Caleb Jones, mainly for having the balls to walk down Newcastle high street in nothing but Speedos.