Pothole Politics: turning a rough road into a campaign win
The gift that keeps on giving (cars a beating)
They appear after every downpour. They can swallow tyres and wreck your wheel alignment. But potholes aren't just a road problem, they're a political problem.
For the community, a pothole is a nuisance. For a politician, it's a symbol. A bad road says: no one's looking after this place. A fixed road says: someone cares. That's why roads, and the holes in them, will never go away as a political issue, no matter who's in charge.
This week in the bright spot, we're breaking down pothole content strategy. Whether you're the one pointing at the hole or the one filling it — I've got you covered.
Buckle up. It's a bumpy ride.
Using potholes to puncture the government
If you're in opposition, potholes are pure gold. They're visual, they're relatable, and they cause real damage. The trick is turning a hole in the road into a whole lot of engagement.
British pothole stunts are on a different level — community members and politicians have planted petunias, played pothole putt putt, and filled them with baked beans in protest. Ridiculous? Yes. Effective? Absolutely. These stunts create viral moments and media coverage by making a frustrating problem funny. That's the magic formula: real problem + creative execution = content that travels.
But you don't have to be silly to be effective. Sometimes honest is more powerful. Driving through a pothole — the bump, the wince, the shake — is instantly relatable. Pair it with talking points about the government running out of money, or bad policy and you have a solid campaign.
Another way to drive home the real impact of these bumps is actual damage to cars. Being able show a real pothole and a really big hole in a tire, not only shows that you’re out and about and connected with the community, but also that inaction or a lack of spending is a real problem that people should care about.
What makes great pothole content for the opposition? Real roads. Real reactions. Real impacts. Authenticity is everything.
Taking care of the hole business
Anyone can point at a hole. But patching up those holes and your administration’s reputation for caring about the state of your roads - that’s trickier. But it’s absolutely possible to use social media to help smooth out those bumps in the road.
Strategy 1: Educate.
A lot of people don't know why potholes appear, how councils prioritise repairs, or that reporting them actually matters.
That's an opportunity. Teach people something useful — like how to lodge a report that gets action — and you become a trusted resource instead of a target.
A clear and engaging explainer on the pothole lifecycle, such as environmental and traffic causes, or how to report the problems can build credibility, and engagement.
Strategy 2: Make the fix a moment.
Instead of quietly filling potholes and hoping people noticed, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani turned complaints into a coordinated blitz.
One big day. Multiple locations. Content captured from every angle. The repair itself became the story. And residents loved it.
As journalist Allison Lirish Dean noted:
”Americans eat up this stuff about filling potholes because we are so desperate for government that tangibly improves our lives. There is an unbelievably large amount of low-hanging fruit in America in this regard.”
The lesson? Doing the work is only half of the job.
Showing the work, with energy, context, and a dash of drama - that’s the other half.
The do’s and don’ts of pothole content
Before you hit the road to record, review these tips to create better content that connects.
Do film after rain.
Potholes look far worse (and far more convincing) when they're filled with water. Smooth repaired roads? They look newer and fresher. Water works in your favour when filming a road.Do use real locations people recognise.
That pothole on Patricks Road that everyone swerves around? Film that one. Recognition = engagement.Do get up close.
Get down low, get in close and capture movement. A still photo of a pothole taken while standing over it won’t generate the same reaction as cars bumping around, water splashing, or close ups that show the depth of the problem.Do capture the pothole being filled.
The different stages of what is a relatively quick and simple job with a visible result makes great b-roll content.Don't use AI-generated or stock images.
Like the cracked pipe under the road surface, it undermines everything. If the road isn't real and recognisable, neither is your concern about it.Don’t just film yourself filling a pothole.
Groundbreaking in 2004. A bit cringe in 2026 if that’s your only contribution. People want systemic action, proof of ongoing activity and results. Not just a photo op with a shovel.Don’t forget to check the road surface around a fixed pothole.
If the patch looks like a quick fix that will fall apart quickly, filming that bit of road will do more reputational damage than good.Don’t overlook the opportunity to have a bit of fun.
It’s a serious problem, but silly stunts, or magical reveals can help your content and efforts in pothole politics to gain traction.
