Zack Polanski and the rapid rise of the Greens: a lesson in leadership PR

“I call bullshit.”

In July, the Green Party’s soon-to-be new leader, Zack Polanski, released a promotional leadership video on Instagram with straight-talking rhetoric: he’s standing on a beach, passionately speaking down the camera lens as dramatic music underscores his words. It was a sign of things to come. 

In early September, he won the party’s leadership vote by a landslide. To mark the occasion, another video was released in a similar manner: powerful shots, filmed on location, with Polanski saying it as it is: “Why is everything so shit?”

Now, in the space of just over a month, the Green Party has received more new members than the total membership of the Lib Dems. Its membership number has now usurped that of the Conservatives, making it the third largest party in the UK (130,000 to the Tories’ 123,000). Quite the feat for someone who was little known by most even two months ago. 

This is not to say voting intentions will swing enough for him to win an election. We all know how social media echo chambers, algorithms and swathes of silent voters can distort true voting habits and make calling elections a guessing game; Corbyn in 2019 was the epitome of that. 

But when it comes to campaign tactics and success rates, the numbers (just like KPIs) paint an undeniable picture: he’s absolutely smashed it. 

• The party’s nearly doubled its membership since he took over
• Highest ever polling for the Greens, according to YouGov, at 15%
• Huge surges in social media views/followers, press coverage and interviews

Truth be told, I was going to write this blog on tips for writing opinion pieces – the next blog in an opinion series. Yet this relentless wave of momentum has tipped my writing scales to firmly focus on this. And the parallels for opinion pieces are perfect anyway. 

So, how has this impact been achieved in such a short space of time? And what lessons can B2B tech leaders take from it? 

A maverick masterclass in leadership PR

Regardless of your politics, the way Polanski – and the party – has harnessed social media, interviews and, pivotally, expressed his opinion could form the basis of a modern leadership PR playbook. That’s how much of a seismic impact he’s had. 

It’s a maverick masterclass in leadership PR. Why maverick? Well, this is a straight-talking politician not pandering to the status quo, toeing the line or diluting his arguments. That’s maverick behaviour in the political world. 

And not only is he boldly taking on the fight, but he’s rooting his opinions in sound reasoning and relatable comparisons for the everyday person. So much so that the best other leaders and public figures can do to thwart his ascendancy is to make cheap and, frankly, low-blow jibes at his appearance or character.

Lessons for B2B tech leaders?

B2B tech leaders may not want or need to be as brazen in their approach. But there are some definite lessons of note. 

• Maximise your (main) channels

For Polanski, that’s social media, specifically Instagram. Causing a stir, being bold and attracting attention, even if controversial, are the tactics. Noise leads to more members and support, which leads to donations, which leads to better campaigns – momentum takes off exponentially. 

With a growing following and presence established, it’s also far easier for Polanski to expertly rebuff any opinions against him. He frequently posts articles and describes the headlines as “clutching” or “playground taunts”. 

For a B2B leader, main channels are generally LinkedIn, podcasts and publications. But not everyone will want to be in front of the camera. So, this is where my tech PR parallel arises from: you don’t have to speak on videos to express an opinion – you can write it in an article.

• Make strong, authentic opinions

One of Polanski’s main appeals is that he’s not making vague, middleground comments. He’s producing strong, defined arguments that are very hard to push back on. You know his thoughts on critical issues. 

In B2B spaces, you’re typically not trying to appeal to the masses, but honing in on your sector and audience. So, there’s even more scope to adopt this approach. How many times do people over-egg the messaging of what they want to sell (the product, the service) without honestly and authentically talking about the sector’s issues?

It doesn’t always have to be controversial, either. Speaking eloquently and passionately on the most prominent trends, the most pressing pain points, the new ideas shaping the industry’s development, are what people want to hear and learn about. 

• Understand your audience

Polanski and the Greens know there’s an appetite for change and a counter-populist movement – “a power vacuum on the left,” as one reel describes it – so Polanski is latching on to that and appealing to this audience. 

B2B leaders should have an innate understanding of their own sector’s audience and the challenges they’re facing. The message from a leader that ‘gets it’ and doesn’t appear out of touch will of course land with far more success. 

The power of a leader

There’s so much more analysis and discussion that could be made here on leadership PR – communication, language, rhetoric, taglines etc. 

There’s lots still to come too. How can Polanski maintain this momentum moving forward? How will other leaders respond? And in spite of all their differences, are the Greens mirroring some tactics of other populist movements? Time will certainly tell. But for now, Polanski’s impact continues to take hold. 

If you didn’t know Zack Polanski a month ago, you probably do now. It shows just how much a leader can amplify awareness of their party, or, for B2B tech leaders, their business.

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