The British Conservative leader, Mr William Hague, has an uphill task in trying to develop a new profile as a "man of the people", according to image consultants.
The warning came yesterday after a leaked Conservative memorandum revealed plans to depict Mr Hague as a man firmly grounded in his Yorkshire roots.
The memorandum - said to come from his PR adviser, Ms Amanda Platell - suggests a number of photo-opportunities with members of Mr Hague's family. They include a holiday photograph with his wife, Ffion, or perhaps an "evening walk on a beach".
Many of the proposed photo-opportunities would show Mr Hague in casual dress, reflecting a desire to banish his image as a suit-wearing "nerd" obsessed with politics.
But the plans received short shrift from the PR guru Max Clifford, who is well known for his pro-Labour views. He said that Mr Hague should stop trying to rebrand himself and try to concentrate on "a long-term project to give him stature".
"The public does not like the approach of creating an image," he said. "Giving him stature is a long-term project."