I find the “dead cat” strategy a really fascinating one. Deadcatting, as it is also known, is the introduction of a sensationalist topic aimed to divert the public from something far more serious. 

The “dead cat” tactic has been credited to Australian political strategist, Lynton Crosby. Crosby has worked with political figures such as David Cameron, Australian PM, John Howard, and of course, current PM, Boris Johnson (during London Mayor Elections in 2008 and 2012).

Johnson’s Friend

Here is what Johnson said about “deadcatting”.

 “There is one thing that is absolutely certain about throwing a dead cat on the dining room table – and I don’t mean that people will be outraged, alarmed, disgusted. That is true, but irrelevant. The key point, says my Australian friend (Crosby) is that everyone will shout, ‘Jeez, mate, there’s a dead cat on the table!’ In other words, they will be talking about the dead cat – the thing you want them to talk about – and they will not be talking about the issue that has been causing you so much grief.”[

It might appear quite simplistic but that is how Crosby has built a successful career. His methods are crass, brutal, gauche even, but most importantly; they work. Crosby is credited as taking Cameron from coalition to majority in 2015 at a time when hope was fading. It was a crude campaign, but Crosby identified his target voters and played a blinder.

Flogging a Dead Horse

What I find remarkable is that Johnson continues to unashamedly use this strategy and get away with it. You would think that by now that “throwing a dead cat on the table” would have ended up (I am going into metaphor overdrive here) the equivalent of “flogging a dead horse”. Apparently not.

Johnson’s recent covid-19 addresses to the nation, are classic deadcatting. He has made everything about populist slogans, such as “jabathon” and “giving omicron both barrels”. Therefore, Tories having Christmas piss ups (whilst the rest of the nation sat indoors counting the days away) have become yesterday’s chip paper. ‘Plan B’ is against his instincts but if it is a dead cat that gets him off the Partygate hook, it’s worth it.

Public Understanding

Until the public understand the “dead cat” strategy, Johnson will keep using it. He’d be mad not to. When I popped into see a client the other day, predictably, Covid came into the conversation. I mentioned that the Prime Minister’s Covid press conference had “dead cat” written all over it. It was somewhat surprising to see that everyone was looking at me, nonplussed. I asked if they had heard of “deadcatting”, but they hadn’t. When I tried to explain it, I ended up feeling awkward and a bit like a conspiracy theorist.

It almost feels like “deadcatting” is a secret that Johnson has made no attempt to…well, keep a secret. I guess that’s what makes it such an excellent strategy. Johnson can “dead cat” his way through crisis after crisis and if anyone pulls him up on it, they are the wack job. It is utterly bonkers, but we are living in a period where no one knows what is true anymore.

Anyway, have you heard that Shamima Begum is trying to get her citizenship back?