moveon.org officially endorsed Barack Obama – who’s about to fall over and die from not surprise — and hosted an intriguing Contest: Create your own commercial about Barack Obama. Now, in full disclosure, I am an Obama supporter and should probably find some of the competition’s commercials to review. Although I heard that Hilary’s asking Chelsea for loans now, so who knows when we’ll see new commercials or even an arm reaching out to the people from beyond the pulpit.
moveon had some excellent guidelines and this next part was especially pertinent. From their website:
Judging Criteria: Both MoveOn.org members and the panel judges will be asked to rate each ad based on three criteria:
- Overall Impact: How persuasive, memorable, and moving is it? (50%);
- Originality: Did the concepts/ideas/format seem fresh and new? (25%);
- Positive Message: Is it consistent with the positive message fueling Obama’s campaign? (25%)
Who can participate: Anyone over 15 years old who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien.
Once I got over the use of the term “resident alien,” which I despise, I took a look at the winners.
The top winner turns out to be a friend of a friend:
Straightforward, softly intense. There’s something I like about it. But was this the best? It absolutely captures the tenor of the Obama campaign, which ultimately tells people to make their own decisions. A lot of voters don’t want that. So, will those people get this ad? Will they get it but ignore it? Will they think about it at all? Artistically, there’s something very meaningful in the pace and the general straightforwardness of it all. So I decided to move on – no pun intended – and watch the rest of the finalists.
I love it for all the same reasons that the Winner attracted me, but this one made me laugh. I do have faith that any Republican who at least laughed at the joke would dream in purple hues that night, since that was such a strong image. I also wonder how many people decide to vote for someone based on an ad they see? That is a topic for another time……
“Hi, Head? This is the Nail. Hold still while I hammer—”
I was amazed they got this to happen, and appreciate the imagery, but I’m not sure it would get people to change their vote.
This one is Campaign Ad Lite. This is what you show the kids when they ask why the big bad GOP bully in the schoolyard says Obama’s a loser. But it is cute. It did make me smile.
Interesting idea but poorly written.
Very cute but wouldn’t change my vote.
That just made me feel kind of icky. What did I say about the GOP bullies?
OK, besides the fact that we could see that coming a mile away, it just didn’t sit right. Maybe because this comparison is inaccurate, at best. Maybe because they touted the race card and Obama’s campaign doesn’t.
(Off topic, I read in an article today about West Virginia’s Primary, and the first time they mentioned Barack Obama, they clarified “If Obama won, he would be the first black President.” I was so happy they brought that to my attention a week after he was essentially declared the presumptive nominee. There was good reason to think we’d forgotten, with West Virginia’s Primary and all.
Great rally cry, but is it an ad? I always think an ad is meant to sell you on an idea. If you would even imagine calling your campaign ad “come together,” then clearly you’re voting for Obama.
My question is: since when does a presidential campaign look like an after-school special? Where’s Viggo Morgenstern playing a druggie? (Look it up.)
Now THIS is an ad. Gives you logical reasoning and sentiment. If all it accomplishes is to make you think of that pleasant music when you think of Obama, it’s planted the seed.
I like this for the same reasons I liked the last one. It gives you nuggets to nibble on and make your own choice. Plus, it directly appeals to the right people who might need a nudge to change their vote.
See, this one goes a step further than the Winner, and I appreciate that. It is extremely effective without being too cutesy or clear. Why didn’t this one win? (Sorry to my friend whose friend created the Winner).
i would have to put this one into the Category of “Confirmer Ad.” It won’t change anyone’s mind, but if anyone was on the fence and their demographic is represented in one of those people, seeing this ad will “Confirm” their vote.
I am going to investigate more of what goes into a campaign ad: what is its ultimate purpose – to convert or confirm?
