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?
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Reach Divorce Settlement After 8 Years
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement, ending one of the longest and most contentious divorces in Hollywood history but not every legal issue between the two.
Jolie and Pitt signed off on a default declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, saying they have entered into a written agreement on their marital and property rights. The settlement was first reported by People magazine.
"More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt," Jolie's attorney, James Simon, said in a statement. "She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over."
The filing says they give up the right to any future spousal financial support, but gives no other details. A judge will need to sign off on the agreement. An email late Monday night to Pitt's attorney seeking comment was not immediately answered.
Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, were among Hollywood's most prominent pairings for 12 years, two of them as a married couple. The Oscar winners have six children together.
Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, after a private jet flight from Europe during which she said Pitt physically abused her and their children. The FBI and child services officials investigated Pitt's actions on the flight. Two months later, the FBI released a statement saying it would not investigate further, and the U.S. attorney did not bring charges.
A heavily redacted FBI report obtained by The Associated Press in 2022 said that an agent provided a probable cause... Read More