Like half the nation, it would appear, I chose to spend the first waking hours of 2024 washed out on the sofa in a booze and cheese-induced haze binge watching what I assumed was going to be a quaint, easy-going ITV drama. How wrong I turned out to be.
Fast forward five hours and both me and my wife were creased over in tears and bubbling over with rage at an institution we’d always assumed was as warm and cuddly as its branding appears to suggest. Turns out we’d all been taken for fools.
I’m talking, of course, about the “based on a true story” drama “Mr Banks vs The Post Office.” Christ, it even sounds like one of those comfortable Sunday night dramas, doesn’t it? The story, for those not based in the UK, cantered around the scandal involving Fujitsu’s Horizon IT system used by the Post Office, which had been falsely indicating cash shortfalls for decades, leading to hundreds of post-masters being falsely fined, imprisoned and, in some cases, even taking their own lives.
It's an age-old David vs Goliath story about a group of wronged individuals facing up to an institution that had been covering its own tracks for years and it’s one that’s actually catalysed real-world action. Just a week after the drama finished airing, former Post Office boss Paula Vennells officially declared her intention to return the CBE she’d been given years ago for “services to the Post Office” under a shroud of shame and Fujitsu has been invited to answer questions in parliament next week.
It has been called the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history and while it’s a truly monstrous thing that has ruined countless lives, what many of us in the creative industries are asking is, could this TV drama actually lead to the irreparable downfall of one of the country’s most treasured brand? And, if that’s the case, does it prove that television, and storytelling as an artform, holds as much power today as it ever did?
The Power of Drama
In the realms of public perception, television has always wielded a pretty potent influence. It's a medium that not only reflects societal values but also shapes them and, while documentaries might explore the facts on a more practical level, dramas have a unique way of engaging audiences more intimately. I mean, I read extensively about the Post Office scandal last year, but it wasn’t until I sat down with a large cup of coffee on a hungover Monday morning that the real weight of the story was really brought home to me.
Dramas, you see, bring stories to life. Yes, the disclaimer that “certain facts might have been slightly fudged” to make it all flow in a more compelling way should always be considered but in this case, I truly feel the ends justified the means. The filmmakers used dramatic flair to accentuate the pain and injustice at the heart of the scandal and the results have been literally transformative, both for the lives of those impacted and, of course, the Post Office brand.
Dannié Mughal
The question then arises: can a TV drama alone really destroy a brand like the Post Office with decades of goodwill behind it? Is one rogue thread enough to undo thousands more? While it's unlikely to be the sole factor in a brand's downfall, the impact on public trust and perception has been shockingly immediate, so much so that I think you’d struggle to step foot into a Post Office branch in the UK this week and not hear grumblings about it.
The Power of Storytelling
The whole thing is a little surreal and shows that a well-produced drama that highlights corporate wrongdoing can lead to a widespread public outcry, loss of customer trust, and even influence regulatory or governmental action.
ITV's dramatisation of the Post Office scandal serves as a powerful reminder of the influence of television drama. While a single TV show might not destroy a brand outright, it can ignite public discourse, change perceptions, and leave an indelible mark on a company's reputation.
Oliver Page
There are hundreds of examples of in the annuals of entertainment history of individual reputations being ruined by a quality piece of drama, but a brand as beloved as The Post Office? This could very well be a first, but it does prove, above all else, the sheer power of dramatic and creative storytelling. In the digital age, where stories are amplified and spread rapidly like never before, the power of this storytelling should never be underestimated.
