This document provides guidance to students running for election on developing publicity materials, including a manifesto. It explains that a manifesto should be no more than two pages and outline up to three or four of the candidate's key issues and concrete actions. It emphasizes that good publicity, including posters, flyers and digital content, is necessary to help students learn about the candidate beyond just a headshot to influence their voting decisions. Various publicity pack options and material deadlines are also outlined.

1. Publicity Guidance:
how to write a good manifesto
University of Salford Students’ Union
Elections 2013

2. Agenda
• What is publicity?
• What publicity should I produce?
• What is a manifesto and why do I need one?
• Good examples
• Posters, flyers and other print media
• Non-print publicity material
• Deadlines!

3. What is publicity?
• Publicity is the deliberate attempt to manage
the public's perception of a subject.
• You need to manage students’ perception of
you and your ideas
• Without good publicity, students may make
their voting decisions based on little more
than your haircut in the elections photo!

4. Would you vote for
this guy?

5. What should I produce?
• Responses to the three nomination questions
• A manifesto no more than two sides long,
which may include your picture
• A maximum of two designs for use in your
publicity pack (posters, flyers, t-shirts etc)
• Anything else you like! Videos, digital
material, bedsheets, cardboard models….!

6. Publicity packs:
Sabbatical positions
(President and Vice Presidents)
Pack A Pack B Pack C
4 x t-shirts (front print) 2 x t-shirts (front print)
500 x A5 flyers 1000 A5 flyers 700 A5 flyers (double
(double sided) (double sided) sided)
50 x A4 (single sided) 20 x A4 (single sided) 60 x A4 (double
sided)
You may choose ONE pack

7. Publicity packs:
Student Council positions
Pack D Pack E
200 A5 flyers (double sided) 300 A5 flyers (double sided)
20 x A3 (single sided) 30 A4 (single sided)
1 x t-shirt (front print)
You may choose ONE pack

8. You may also choose ONE paper colour
for use on your posters and flyers
Paper colour choices:
• White SO you need to:
• Pink
• Lilac 1. Choose a publicity pack from the list
• Purple 2. Prepare your design files
• Green 3. Choose a paper colour
4. Email your files and choices to the
• Blue
elections account by 10am Monday 4
• Yellow March

9. What else?
• Videos work well! You can borrow a flipcam if you
need one.
• All digital material created will be shared, so please
send through your links!
• Play the competition! Stunts and public displays will
be promoted and filmed where possible
• You can spend up to £40 of your own money on
publicity, remember to use the expenditure form and
submit this with your receipts before voting closes.
(You can have this refunded if we reach 3000 votes!)

10. What is a manifesto
and why do I need one?
• A manifesto is a published verbal declaration of the
intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an
individual, group, political party or government.
• In other words, it should tell students what you
would do if elected.
• It should also give them an idea of you as an
individual, why you are right for the job!

11. Where to start?
• Write a list of all the things you care about, or that
you know students at Salford care about; these could
include issues that are academic, social,
environmental, financial, security-related etc….
• If you don’t have a very long list – do some research!
• Once you have a list, pick your top three or four
points and base your manifesto around them.
Include some concrete actions.

12. Who are you?
• Include a brief summary of your suitability for
the role i.e.
– Do you have relevant experience from the Union,
work experience or volunteering?
– Do you have specific skills that are relevant to the
role?
– Is your background important? What you study?
– Do you have an interesting (and memorable) fact?

13. A good example….

14. Another good example….

15. Just one more….

16. Posters and flyers
• Make sure your poster is eye catching – use the
paper colour to your advantage
• Use a good, clear picture of yourself (your packs are
made up of black print on coloured paper)
• Use a slogan – tie it into your manifesto, be
consistent.
• Think about the type and size of the font that you
use
• The quality and colour of graphics

17. Non-print material

18. Deadlines
Publicity pack requests must be in by
10am Monday 4 March
Please make sure your files are saved as .pdf
You can check any designs you like via the
elections email or by dropping in to the
session on Friday 1 March

19. Get cracking!!!