Liar, liar, pants on fire. Will the Republican nominee for President of the United States say anything and do anything to win? Of course, and he's not the first man to lie and cheat his way to the top, nor will he be the last. Honestly, I'm not that interested in the psychology of male dominance. What does interest me greatly, is the consistent use of the media to distort, confuse and control. Take a look …
The Sky Is Falling. Grab Your Wallet.
Restore Our Future, a super PAC supporting Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, unleashed a new $17.7 million television ad buy Tuesday that will pay for commercials to run in 10 battleground state markets. This is President Obama's economy? No. Presidents have a lot of power, but they are not omnipotent and they do not "create jobs" (outside of the Executive Branch), much to the chagrin of pundits and …
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Prospective Voters Are Hearin’ A Lotta Lip Flappin’
Are you planning to watch the Romney versus Obama debate on TV tonight? It's not a prize fight, but the media enjoys that frame, since it adds action and excitement where there is none. We need so much more from this process, and at the same time so much less of it. Meanwhile, Americans with something to add to the debate have formed Super PACs and put their own pitches on the air. Look, here's one from Tea …
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Voting For The Better of Two Weak Candidates Is Far From Good Enough, But Do It Anyway
Are you planning to vote this fall? David Jones, advertising cartoonist and Chief Creative Officer at Third Street in Chicago, believes it's a great idea to do so. In fact, Jones and team remind that it's the price we must pay, if we feel like kvetching at a later date. "Our campaign celebrates complaining and explores the essential role that complaining has held in America," says Jones. The campaign …
The Ad Industry Has Lots Of Laborers, But No Unions
From the perspective or organized labor, this year's Democratic Convention in Charlotte is something of a bust. After pumping $8.5 million into the 2008 Democratic convention, unions decided against funding this year's convention because North Carolina is the most hostile state in the union to the very idea of, and practices of organized labor, as evidenced by the lowest unionization rate in America at 2.9 …
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Politics Is Marketing, So Don’t Tell Me Political Ads Don’t Work
If there’s one thing many voters of different political stripes agree on, it’s that they don’t like political ads. And ads are more pervasive than ever. That’s why politicians and Super PACs spend much of their time fundraising—they need to pay for the ads. So count me as incredibly skeptical when I see articles like this one from USA Today, which says that TV ads rarely swing Congressional elections. In the …
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When A Dislike Becomes A Like
Here in Washington State in November, we'll be voting on Initiative 502, which is designed to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana. Obviously, it's a controversial issue, although it has a lot of support. One of the pro-502 spots airing heavily on TV is this one. Note the jarring first line of the spot: "I don't like it personally, but..." Right from the start, we're supposed to feel sympathy with this …
Regardless Of Party, Voiceover Talent Get Plenty Of Green During Election Cycles
Man, if only I smoked 2 packs a day for the last 15 years, I'd have a pretty good voiceover voice. So how are voiceover artists doing? Some do very well in an election year. The Hollywood Reporter looks at the money--and the party loyalties involved. Once a voiceover artist works for one major political party, he or she is unlikely to get a call from the other. [Voiceover artist Pat] Duke says his Washington, …
