Opinion: The top 6 videos of Vancouver's civic election campaign

Oct 12 2022, 1:31 am

Written for Daily Hive Urbanized by Anna Lilly, who is a principal with Earnscliffe Strategies in Vancouver, specializing in local government affairs and advocacy campaigns. 


Vancouver’s municipal election features a crowded field of candidates and a multitude of serious issues up for debate. Ahead of this Saturday’s vote, affordable housing, crime, and public transit have been taking up most of the oxygen.

Aside from the substance of this campaign, I’ve also been paying attention to style. Specifically, the video content offered up by the main parties and their candidates.

Video has surpassed most other formats in terms of its appeal and its ability to get across simple messages, especially for politicians. While more traditional campaign tactics – such as lengthy policy platforms and all-candidate meetings – may be preferred by more “seasoned” voters who don’t have a TikTok account, most people in this digital age will watch (or at least be exposed to) videos.

For campaign teams, there are many approaches to connecting with voters via video. If you have a relatively unknown candidate who is approachable and well spoken, it offers the chance highlight their personality, build familiarity, and trust.

For incumbent candidates, video is a good format for showcasing accomplishments, particularly when you can have something in the background – like a social housing project or new community centre – for which the candidate can claim some responsibility.

And what campaign would be complete without video footage of the candidate out in the community, walking in slow motion, laughing in conversation and shaking hands?

In this Vancouver civic election campaign, a few videos have stood out to me, both good and bad.

In no particular order, and with no endorsements intended, here are my picks for videos worth watching ahead of election day:

OneCity Vancouver

The first video is appealing because it’s fun. OneCity Vancouver got attention in the 2018 campaign for their rewrite of Trooper’s hit “We’re here for a good time (not a long time)” and they’ve done it again by reimagining Doug & The Slugs’ “Who knows how to make love stay.” It’s well known that many Vancouverites are struggling to find and stay in affordable homes in this city, and this clever music video picks up on that theme. (Bonus points for Canadian content this time.)

TEAM For A Livable Vancouver

When you want to differentiate your candidate from a competitor who’s got momentum, you can’t afford to be fun. Your video has to be serious, and it has to sting. TEAM for a Livable Vancouver, headed by city councillor and mayoral candidate Colleen Hardwick, offers up this hard-hitting attack ad targeting ABC Vancouver mayoral candidate Ken Sim. It’s short and definitely not sweet.

Forward Together Vancouver

Okay, back to fun. A humourous video can be a winning strategy, as long as you get it right. First-time city council candidate Alvin Singh, with Forward Together Vancouver, offers up this amusing slice of life featuring a moment of deadpan genius from his parents.

ABC Vancouver

Mike Klassen, who’s running for council on the ABC Vancouver slate, has produced a steady stream of in-the-moment videos as he’s out and about campaigning across the city. He even interrupts an early morning workout to stump for votes – complete with steam rolling off his shoulders. This video’s got heart.

Non-Partisan Association (NPA)

I’ve been digging the content from council candidate Cinnamon Bhayani lately, but her party, the NPA, has turned out some awkward video content, including this clip: Fred Harding asking people on the Downtown Eastside about their challenges getting treatment. The mayoral candidate (dressed in a suit and tie) interviews people struggling with addiction and living on the street. I don’t doubt that Harding empathizes with these individuals, but this feels exploitative. If you’re going to feature members of the public in your video, ideally they will be actual supporters and not props.

Vision Vancouver

Smile! Few people want to vote for someone who looks miserable. You’ll often hear a campaign manager whisper “don’t forget to smile!” right before a candidate goes into a debate or public meeting. The candidates running for Vision Vancouver sure are enthusiastic in this video, with smiles abound. There’s no message here, just some candidates who look happy. It’s a quick and easy way to use video to connect with voters, even virtually.

Running a campaign is tough business and it’s hard to get it all right, all the time. Regardless of party affiliation or political stance, civic election candidates deserve our thanks for stepping up and putting themselves in the spotlight (and on camera) as part of the democratic process.


Sign up for a free post-election webinar Anna is hosting at 12 pm on October 18, 2022, with guest panelists Jonathan Cote (outgoing Mayor of New Westminster and Chair of TransLink’s Mayors’ Council), Elizabeth Model (CEO of the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association), and Erin Seeley (CEO of YWCA Metro Vancouver).

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