Political attack ads don't work: study

New research has found negative political ads push voters away from major parties and to independents, who don't employ the same tactics.

That voters don't like political attack ads is hardly news to most people.

Nor that voters are less likely to remember negative messages.

But in a finding that will worry the major parties, an academic study has found the ads are pushing voters towards minor parties and independents who don't employ the same tactics.

The Australian National University research also found most political advertising is generally ineffective and not well remembered.

"Whilst attack adverts certainly bring up the emotions, they don't convince people to change their vote," political marketing researcher Andrew Hughes said on Tuesday.

"If anything, negative advertising made people angry with the political process."

Dr Hughes reckons the results could in part explain the popularity of independent senator Nick Xenophon, who's team could pick up three Senate seats and possibly a lower house seat on Saturday.

"He seems different, he seems positive because he's not using these campaign methods."

The research, which measured biometric changes in the body when exposed to historical political ads, found when people did remember the ads it was because they hated them.

That's not a good thing, Dr Hughes says.

Voters were less likely to remember the message than if they liked the ads.