Story: Media and politics

Dancing Cossacks, 1975

The National Party's 1975 'dancing Cossacks' commercial is arguably the most famous, or infamous, piece of election advertising in New Zealand's political history. With the introduction of colour television, National's advertising agency, Colenso, engaged the American cartoon studio Hanna-Barbera to produce a series of animations. The 'dancing Cossacks' advertisement suggested that the Labour government's recently introduced compulsory superannuation scheme could lead to Soviet-style communism. National, led by Robert Muldoon, swept into power in a landslide victory in the 1975 election.

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How to cite this page:

Kate McMillan, 'Media and politics - Journalists and politicians: an uneasy relationship', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/interactive/35759/dancing-cossacks-1975 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Kate McMillan, published 20 Jun 2012