A marketing strategist says he’s “very, very surprised” a Labor ad taking aim at Matthew Guy is being aired.

Marketing strategist Toby Ralph, who has worked on more than 40 election campaigns across three continents, including campaigns for former Liberal Prime Minister John Howard, says a Labor ad targeting Mr Guy is a “really inappropriate way” to start an election campaign.

The ad accuses Mr Guy of standing by shadow treasurer David Davis, who was kicked out of a gala event in March after drinking too much, and Tim Smith, who was forced to resign from the shadow cabinet after crashing his Jaguar into the fence of a family home in Hawthorn while drunk last year.

“I think they’re pushing a point a bit too hard here and I’m not convinced it’s going to work,” he said.

But Mr Ralph thinks an ad (below) featuring Reason Party leader Fiona Patten stripping off her clothing and highlighting issues including reproductive rights is “pretty sensible”.

“The people who are most likely to change are women so she’s targeting women very squarely here,” he said.

“She might do well.”

Press PLAY below to hear why Mr Ralph thinks the Labor ad is “really inappropriate” + why Fiona Patten’s ad means “she might do well”

At this election, I’m putting women first.
Abortion rights are under threat and I won’t hesitate to strip bare to get this message out. #AbortionRights #AbortionIsHealthcare #PuttingWomenFirst #springst pic.twitter.com/eVeuCivMLZ

— Fiona Patten MP (@FionaPattenMLC) November 2, 2022

Image: Victorian Labor