Politics and Advertising
There is a time, usually around 3 am, that many people who work in advertising wake up in a cold sweat. A panicky thought flits across the conscience; Maybe I’m doing something that is less than noble. It’s happened to me: ‘Perhaps these people’s lives won’t be complete and free from discomfort, pain and inconvenience upon using this product. Perhaps I’m promising a panacea to the human condition which simply does not exist.’ It usually passes when I assuage my vestigial conscience that while I may be a whore, I at least don’t make political advertisements.
To be honest, I don’t even have that much of a problem with political advertising since it is complete shit and everyone expects it to be shit and it really doesn’t make any difference. That is actual political advertising. What twists my little blackened capitalist soul is the utterly stupid advertising used by anyone who wants to be seen as ‘getting it’ and hip to the modern world. The worst is obviously MTV, but if you are still watching MTV you likely have suffered such brain damage as to not be able to read these letters. So this is a warning to advertising people and kids who might be considering experimenting with MTV and politics. Don’t do it.
If you are in advertising: Please, please, for the love of Ogilvy, avoid using clichés in reference to not voting. It’s twaddle. It’s rubbish and so stupid that anybody smart enough to vote in the first place will now feel retarded.
Do not tape mouths shut. Do not place zippers over those mouths, gags or menacing hands. And do not, do not, use bondage fetish imagery to make your point. Don’t convince actors to do this. Especially if you’re going to make them cry. They don’t know better, but you should. Jessica Alba, you are cute. You do make a lot of crap movies though so the last time I was familiar with you was fast forwarding through a Fantastic Four movie on a BA flight to San Francisco. So you imploring me to vote is a bit… shit, really. In fact this ad would be so bad that it wouldn’t warrant a post if not for the fact that it resembles a bondage fetish ad. Somewhere, I suspect an art director is drinking heavily and distancing himself just as I suspect a 14 year old FHM reader is hiding this ad under his mattress. So the point of the ad? Jessica Alba cares. Or is a fetishist. Or something. Just vote. Or you’ll be taped up like the gimp in Pulp Fiction.
At least I know I’m not the only one losing sleep.
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October 22nd, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Welcome to PIMPS (Politics is money, power and excrement)!
October 24th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
As a viral marketer, I also wake up in cold sweat, that maybe that stupendous idea and rigorous guerilla marketing will not catch fire and will stay dormant. But when you wake up, you do what you can.
October 26th, 2008 at 1:26 am
After seeing this ad, I honestly went and registered to vote.. made me feel good
October 26th, 2008 at 3:43 am
You cant actually believe people still watch MTV. I mean they can’t, right? guys?
October 26th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Wow, Jordans. You’re really full of shit.
October 26th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Wow. That ad is something.
That really some ad.
Only you can shut yourself up, I dont know why but it gives me goosebumps.
Its like hearing a good quote.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Matt, I sincerely hope you’re taking the Mick.
October 27th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Agree with cliches - and these ads are full of them. It’s lazy ad people with limited imagination.
October 27th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
I studied advertising and with advertising, you have to stand out and be creative. Advertising is trying to convince people to see their business. But I agree with you. Politics is different. People know what is going on and it’s up to them. Why be cliche with politics. It’s a slap in the face for the people who know the current events. Political advertisements should be precise and direct. Why do anything else? What for?
As for MTV ads? You have to be over 18 to vote. So advertising in MTV is the wrong target. Wouldn’t you say?
October 28th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
I love that advert ^_^. It wouldn’t make me want to vote (I do anyway, for the record) but it is a supremely cool advert. Good colour scheme too.
October 28th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
A picture of a women duct tapped is a bit extreme in my opinion.
October 30th, 2008 at 11:47 am
It’s some kind of an interesting idea to gain voters. It catches attentions really so it usually yields positive results. But I’m a true fan of Jessica Alba.
October 30th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I agree. It is a total oxymoron to try and get people to vote, with an ad that shows something constricting against voting. I think they could have come up with something more creative and less dramatic.
October 30th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Well, i thank the americans that must vote if i had the chance to see a fetishist Jessica Alba!
November 4th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I agree that using cliches in advertising isn’t always the best idea. But hey, if it works, which it obviously is this year, it can’t hurt. Rock the Vote registered over 2 million youth voters this year and other organizations have registered record numbers, as well. Advertising with cliches like the image you included here may be not be innovative or extremely creative, but something about it is working and that’s the most important thing - that it’s achieving its objectives and goals.
November 11th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
I like the advertisment. I think if it grabs your attention then it’s done it’s intended purpose. I give it 2 thumbs up!
November 14th, 2008 at 10:08 am
I have never seen this advertisement before, in part because I don’t watch MTV. I am 22, so I still consider myself a young person, who would likely fall into a category that is likely to watch MTV.
I am not sure what to think of that advertisement though…. personally, I am the type of person that, hey if it doesn’t appeal to me, I just move on.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:31 am
i must admit that i like this ad. it is striking and to me that is the most important thing an ad can do. however, it is cliche, as you have said, and somewhat exploitative (using sexual images to make you vote…..ah yes….but i suppose, in a way, doesn’t that just epitomize this USA of ours?….)
November 20th, 2008 at 6:45 am
What a great adv. I really liked it and also what it says.But i don’t agre with you when you target MTV as reference….There are some norms which you have to follow when you vote their, like age constraint.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Funny article. Love the sentiment. I’m reading George Orwell’s “Keep The Aspidistra Flying” at the moment and the main character has the exact same loathing of advertising cliches. What’s even more galling is how advertising people think they’re so clever with this kind of simplicity.
December 1st, 2008 at 4:53 pm
whoever made this ad has been successful in attracting people, but not so much creative idea…according to me..
December 4th, 2008 at 6:31 am
However, as we look at political advertising across the country during this last silly season, we must conclude that we saw nothing that conformed to the standards to which politicians insist that private business adhere.
December 7th, 2008 at 2:39 am
It seems to me any value in advertising is really in the item or idea it is selling. If the item or idea has no substance or value to me, I don’t buy it or but into it and vice versa. Advertising, to me, has no inherant substance, but I’d concede it can be conveyed well or badly. On the ad in question, I quite liked it, although I’d agree and I didn’t really feel seduced by the image and how it was presented in terms of it’s subject matter. I’m in the UK, but we see advertising like that over here too.
December 8th, 2008 at 1:42 am
Great points to ponder, and thanks for the laugh or two!
Cheryl Beckham
December 8th, 2008 at 1:47 am
I fear that you are not even close to being alone dealing with the lack of sleep over this issue. Wish they would face up to these facts.
Cheryl Beckham
December 14th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
What makes this advertisement somewhat likeable is that it is not patronizing a particular politician, it even urge people to practice their rights. And if you don’t want yourself to be gagged up like jessica, you might as well just do what the ad says.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
i agree that using cliches all time cnnot be a good idea . and these ads are full of them.I think they could have come up with something more creative and realistic
December 18th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Majority of people who are involved in advertising or internet business always live in the same condition. I have an insane life without any schedule of sleeping or awakening. I was happy to join this world but I am really restless, brainless and idiotic.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:02 am
It would be interesting to study the overlap between marketing and politics - more specifically how large corporations change their image and branding to feed off of political happenings to make a profit.
January 2nd, 2009 at 9:51 pm
it’s not totally unfair to involve politics in advertising. i would rather say it innovative.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Good point. It is a crap advert. The bird’s quite fit though which is alone probably enough to convince a few teenage boys to vote.
January 6th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
yeah I always wanted to see Jessica Alba with the tape over her mouth. I guess I’m a little kinky.
January 9th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Yeah I guess Jessica Alba would have been more fun. But on a serious note - we live in a sick and twisted world.
January 11th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Agree with cliches - and these ads are full of them. It’s lazy ad people with limited imagination.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:26 am
It sure is somewhat unrepresentative when individuals that are not known for their political affiliations are depicted as icons for a side of a political issue. Their use represents the advertisers hope that people will connect the successful person with the decision or choice that they are advertising, so that it becomes assumed that success comes with supporting it. It would seem that it continues to work well as a method of political advertising.
January 19th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Politics and advertising are not different aspects. The politicians try to advertise their party to win in politics. Canvasing is nothing but advertising.