How Not To Do A Political Ad
I just saw an ad for Michael Badnarik. It’s interesting that he has the ability to run TV ads, but it’s the worst political ad I’ve seen in a long time. First of all, if you’re going to run an ad on national TV, it’s a good idea to have actors in it that have better talent than a fifth-rate community theater group.
It’s also a good idea not to hire an actress who looks like she’s stuck in a permanent sneer and has eyes that resemble one of the kids from the Village of the Damned.
I know he has to be on a tight budget, but after seeing that ad I’m rather certain he could have done better by taking the money he spent to make that ad, turning it into stacks of dollar bills and setting them aflame on his coffee table…
9 Responses to “How Not To Do A Political Ad”
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Trackback By Confessions Of A Political Junkie
October 26th, 2004 at 7:17 pm
Jay and I Saw the Ad
Jay Reding saw the ad. I saw the ad. It was absolutely horrible. It will drive libertarian voters to Bush. Dear God. If you are running for President, do not make a commercial like Michael Badnarik. It was awful. The actors were terrible, the “approve…
Comment By Mark
October 26th, 2004 at 9:47 pm
I have not seen Badnarik’s ad and don’t anticipate I will unless it makes the Minnesota markets. Having not seen his ad, I have to award the 2004 Hammy award for the worst campaign commercial (or in this specific case…the worst campaign period) to Minnesota’s 6th District Republican Congressman Mark Kennedy, who is facing untested political novice and child advocate Patty Wetterling. Kennedy’s district is safely Republican and all he needed to do to ensure another term was confirm that he’d continue to be a rubber stamp for the Bush administration and pretend to not even recognize his opponent’s existence.
Instead, Kennedy stepped right into the Wetterling campaign’s trap, launching a character assassination against her worthy of Karl Rove. Predictably, Wetterling fired back with her legion of allies, including America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh, expressing their disgust at Kennedy’s “outrageous attacks.” And of course it hasn’t stopped there. By branding this very sympathetic figure as someone who wants to “negotiate with the Taliban”, Kennedy has also turned himself into the Grinch in all the major newspapers in the state, who are falling over themselves denouncing Kennedy as the kind of guy who slaps around a woman who lost a son to an abduction.
Kennedy’s lucky his district is as Republican as it is or he’d be cruising to almost certain defeat right now (certainly if he were still in the old 2nd district where he narrowly upset incumbent Democrat David Minge in 2000 before redistricting, he’d be toast). Even if Kennedy does squeak out a win, he’s made himself damaged good for his likely Senate run against Mark Dayton in 2006. And all he needed to do is quietly run a positive campaign to be assured of victory.
Comment By Nicholas MacDonald
October 26th, 2004 at 10:13 pm
“It was absolutely horrible. It will drive libertarian voters to Bush.”
Or, in my case, to Kerry…
Comment By Tom H.
October 26th, 2004 at 10:18 pm
Why should a libertarian vote for Bush again?
Comment By Tom H.
October 26th, 2004 at 10:18 pm
Meaning…tell me again. Not that I ever did in the first place.
Comment By Stankleberry
October 27th, 2004 at 7:17 am
Hahaha, it’s funny to watch the lefties get frantic in the comments.
Comment By vincent
October 27th, 2004 at 8:04 am
another type of “terrible” ad:
http://www.factcheck.org/article291.html
Comment By Jay Reding
October 27th, 2004 at 2:35 pm
Rather than take my word for it, read what John Hospers has to say on the subject. Hospers was the first Presidential candidate for the Libertarian Party and wrote the book _Libertarianism_ – and is a supporter of President Bush’s reelection.
Comment By vincent
October 28th, 2004 at 5:16 am
And after watching the last ad of the reps (“the wolves”), who can argue that Bush,inc is not trying to scare the population to get support? The Bush administration is hiding the Truth and “increase alert level to orange today with a special warning on the east side” (just like the weather forecast).
Come on, defend this ad if you can!