Positive campaigning, how to deal with disappointment and why PR loves Wimbledon

With the UK general election upon us, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the two sides of campaigning of all kinds – positive PR and negative PR. Who decides whether to go for optimism or fear, and what works? In the great game of persuasion that is PR, connection is key. When Banksy’s migrant boat was carried across a sea of hands at Glastonbury it was a moment of powerful positive communication. But in the world of short-term political campaigning, negative PR can be an equal but opposite strategy. Also, as many MPs and prospective MPs face the possibility of defeat, David and Simon dsicuss the art of being disappointed in public. How best to lose with cameras whirring? And the power of being seen in the right place with the right people at the right time – why the PR industry loves Wimbledon. Producer: Eve Streeter Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: William Miller Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur production for BBC Radio 4