The SUSU elections are coming up, where every year students run for the various different Sabbatical positions.

Every year, candidates do both fantastic and stupid things. These generally include:

• Stripping for votes
• Buying drinks for votes
• Pulling for votes
• Giving out free condoms

Other more conservative strategies include:

• Explaining policies to drunken people
• Writing on people’s faces

At the Soton Tab we’ve been researching for the best previous campaign slogans, ideas, and videos.

Best and Worst Slogans:

“Fitz up look sharp”

Billy Fitzjohn won the election last year in a landslide due to the fact that he knows every single student in the Uni by name, and of course – because of this fantastic slogan. He’s actually been a pretty good President as well.

The Trees and the Woods

Last year Charlotte Woods came up with both the best and worst campaign slogans of the year:

• “Vote for a Woods that won’t cheat on you” (in reference to Tiger Woods)
• “You can’t see the trees for the Woods”

Unfortunately, she went mostly for the latter option. At the Soton Tab we’ve been racking our brains for what on earth it might mean and we still have no idea.

“Vote Brown”

Lenny Brown went for President against Steve O’Reilly in 2008, with the somewhat classic slogan “Vote Brown.” I’ve never met the guy, but after hearing that slogan  – I’d vote for him. Other campaign strategies of his included flooding the campus with hot girls wearing cowboy hats, and having pink as his campaign colour.

“Harry Potter”

In 2007 Henry Potter went for AU President and won, simply by using the phrase “Harry Potter”. The slogan worked so well people genuinely thought that was his name. A much loved Sabbatical.

“O’Really? O’Reilly!”

Steve went for President the year before Billy – and won because of his incredible name, and because of his supreme banter. Unfortunately, he ended up insulting feminists half way through the year which turned into a bit of a PR disaster.

Best Campaign Videos

The Teddy Dance

Possibly one of the most surreal moments of my life watching Jon Brooks, (who’s going for VP Sports this year) dancing with a Teddy in front of hundreds of people. (He was campaigning for Teddy Wilkes) Thank you to Sasha Watson for helping us find this once lost relic.

When Tiffin met Billy

This has to go down as our second favourite. James Tiffin, desperate to prove himself after last year’s Peruvian story, told an epic tale of “how he met Billy”. Don’t simply leave the video if you don’t immediately get it – it’s pure brilliance.

Tiffin is campaigning for Jess Staff, a candidate for SUSU President this year. We only hope he can better this video.

The Pole Dance

One candidate from a couple of years ago was a pole dancing fanatic, so she decided it would be a good idea to put a Pole on concourse. I don’t know if she intended to spend the entire week trying to seduce voters, but if so – it didn’t work. It backfired with the more ‘laddish’ (Steve O’Rielly) candidates spent most of their week on it instead of campaigning.

How many people can you fit in a tent?

Sophie Paterson, who successfully won VP Welfare & Societies in 2009 because of her skills with a megaphone, came up with the quirky idea of having a tent on concourse. Sure, it might have been more fitting for a Welfare Candidate to have a huge tent of condoms instead, but heck – she won.

You’ll want to skip to about 1/3 of the way in to get to the interesting bit.

Vote Derek, Not War

Last year Derek ran for SUSU President, and now he’s running again. He previously campaigned to fill in church lane with concrete, and to rename the University to “The University of Portswood”.