At SHOOT, we’re fans of great advertising. It’s our beat, our business and our passion. That’s why the political campaign season is one which makes me cringe in that–like it or not–there’s a prevalent, sadly somewhat justified school of thought that negative advertising can help win elections. And while politicians frequently declare that they’re taking the high road, when push comes to shove they often wind up on the lower, more expedient trail.
We’ve already gotten off to an uninspiring start this presidential election with the initial ads out of Sen. John McCain’s camp (8/1 SHOOT e.dition), one in particular–“Celeb”–which attacks Sen. Barack Obama’s economic and energy policies while referring to the Democratic nominee as a rock star, paralleling his popularity to lightweight personalities Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.
“Just because you’re a celebrity doesn’t mean you’re ready to lead,” McCain campaign manager Rick Davis told reporters in a conference call about the ad.
At press time, it remained to be seen whether Obama’s advertising will respond in kind, meaning an execution that is equally mind numbing and sophomoric at best.
Indeed the qualitative bar–even for negative advertising–has been lowered over the years, actually the decades. Consider the infamous “daisy” television commercial which ran only once in 1964 and in many circles was credited–or more accurately, blamed–for ushering in what has proven to be a lasting era of negative political advertising.
Tony Schwartz, who had a hand in creating that “daisy” spot in collaboration with a team from Doyle Dane Bernbach, passed away a couple of months ago at the age of 84. His death jogged my memory of the commercial which was part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s reelection campaign.
The ad featured a little girl counting aloud as she pulled petals from a daisy. The scene then switched to a countdown to an atomic blast. A voiceover by President Johnson paraphrased a noted W.H. Auden poem by relating, “We must either love each other, or we must die.”
The ad featured a little girl counting aloud as she pulled petals from a daisy. The scene then switched to a countdown to an atomic blast. A voiceover by President Johnson paraphrased a noted W.H. Auden poem by relating, “We must either love each other, or we must die.”
The “daisy” spot–clearly unfair to Sen. Goldwater and promoting fear over his candidacy–was pulled after public criticism. Still the ad was a classic and currently resides in the Museum of Television & Radio archives.
So while we’ve had our fill of negative campaigning over the decades, the mudslinging, character assassination and fear mongering figure to continue. Advertising’s role in political campaigns for the most part represents a figurative black eye for our industry. And while such negativity is bad for society in that it comes at the expense of–and frequently as a substitute for–intelligent dialogue, I’d settle for something less than ideal as a sign of progress in today’s seemingly dumbed down world. Admittedly this in and of itself reflects lowered standards but I can’t help but think that if we have to be subjected to negative advertising, can it at least be inventive, clever and creative?
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More