Alan Eyles Labour Candidate- Cinema Advertising Slide
In 1978 Alan Eyles was a candidate in the brand-new electorate of Horowhenua. He came second to National's Geoff Thompson but still managed to get 39.30% of the vote (Thompson got 42.86%). Eyles did not contest the seat again.
The Horowhenua electorate changed boundaries over the years, gaining and losing Shannon and Waikanae. Foxton constantly remained in the electorate. With the advent of MMP in the 1996 election, electorates were redrawn and Horowhenua was largely replaced by the Otaki electorate.
With the average New Zealander making four or five trips a year to the cinema in 1978, an advertising slide was a great way of getting your face in front of voters. Eyle's photo was in black and white- perhaps to associate him with newspaper publicity. With each slide only shown for a few seconds at a time the message had to be quick and to the point.
