Creigh Deeds Clonks Bob McDonnell A Good One

The Virginia governor race is getting nasty. (I know you're shocked.) Creigh Deeds lays a pretty good lick on his opponent with this very nicely produced ad about women's rights. It plays in DC, but will it work outside of NOVA?

Click here to see "Why Did You?"

DCCC Ad Has Finally Gone Too Far

The DCCC's ad tearing into Republicans for their opposition to Obama's health plan didn't even move the meter here at PAG World Headquarters until we hit the :34 second mark.

Make fun of Rush Limbaugh? Fine.
Abuse Glenn Beck? Go for it.
Talk trash about Grassley? Ho-hum.

But when you start attacking Fox News uber-hottie Megyn Kelly, well, them's fightin' words.

DCCC, we're calling you out. After school, by the swings. Apologize for sullying Megyn Kelly's good name or we're gonna have to step outside.

Megyn, we got your back.

Click hear to watch the DCCC's "Fight Fear"

Chris Daggett Steals (borrows?) An Uplifting Idea

I've read some nice reviews about the new ad produced by NJ Independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett. The same reviews I read when a company called Becel did the ad the first time in Canada.

For some reason "independent" and "copying" don't go together so well. Stealing ideas is bad. Fire the agency. Today.

Click here to see Chris Daggett's "Escalator" Ad
Clck here to see the Becel "Escalator" Ad

RIP, Ted Kennedy

Senator Kennedy worked the airwaves right to the end. Here's his last spot in support of Sen. Dodd's work on healthcare. Godspeed, sir.

Americans United For Change "Hammers" Home The Metaphor

In their new ad called "Blueprint," Americans United For Change urges Congress to support the Obama budget plan. Hopefully, we can get some money for new metaphors because the construction ones are all used up.

Build your opinion, click here.

The Dallas Hotel Battle: Going Up?

There's a big fight brewing in Dallas. The city wants to pay to build a $500 million convention center hotel. Hotel owners aren't so excited, so they managed to get it on the ballot.

Now, the day after the city started demolition on the selected hotel site, the anti-hotel people have gone on TV. (One odd note, the "anti" hotel people are campaigning for a "yes" vote. Ask the Prop 8 people how well that worked out for them.)

This is gonna get nasty. Oh wait, it already has. Click here to watch "Anti-Hotel."

President Obama, Can You Buy The DNC A Microphone?

The DNC has pooped out another "he-said, she-said" internet spot that seems to keep both sides busy during these political dog days. This one is noteworthy only because the voiceover appears to have been recorded via cell phone.

I'm sure the Obama campaign has a little cash left over to spring for a nice, new Neumann M-149, right?

Click here to watch the DNC's "Economy"

Scott Murphy Runs From Cameras

It's time for shaky tracking video and the good ol' "ripped from the headlines" effect in the New York-20 race. Things are getting tense.

Click here to watch "Doesn't Want You To Know"

Jim Tedisco borrows a tagline from Darrell Aubertine. Hey, taglines don't grow on trees.

Apparently upstate New York has only one tagline, "he's one of us." The Tedisco campaign is using the line just months after Darrell Aubertine used it in his successful state senate campaign. Hey, if it works, uh, borrow it.

Click here to watch Darrell Aubertine's "One of Us"

Click here to watch Jim Tedisco's "One of Us"

Tedisco Is Off To The Races in NY-20

In what should be the hottest Congressional special in the country, Jim Tedisco has come out of the blocks with this RNC-funded bio piece.

Do me a favor, will you? Leave the overcoat home.

Click here to see "One of Us"

I Thought Tom Daschle Had A Limo?

From the Political Ad Guy archives located deep beneath the sub-sub-basement of an abandoned J. Walter Thompson corporate retreat camp, here's an old campaign ad from Tom Daschle talking about how he drives to work every day in an old Pontiac.

My how times have changed.

Click here to watch "Old Car"

My Favorite "Congratulations Obama" Ad So Far

From a surprising source with an angle that actually moves the advertiser's position forward. Check out this spot from CatholicVote.org.

Click here to watch "Imagine."

Rod Blagojevich: A little older, a little wiser?

Cleaning out the archives, I ran across this little gubernatorial tidbit where Governor Blagojevich touts his many accomplishments and then promises to do better because he's a little older and a little wiser. Hmm.

Obama Wants To Be President

In his new spot "Our Moment Is Now" the Obama campaign does the right thing by keeping their man on camera. In this spot, he seems to take a little poke at Hillary Clinton by making reference to the old style Washington campaign. If he wants to make up some ground he's gonna have to poke a lot harder than that.

I feel bad for the GMMB guys, though. Sure, they have to put their guy on TV, they should put their guy on TV, but don't they get bored doing the same thing week after week. I'm guessing they secretly hang out with the Romney ad guys to commiserate.

Here's "Our Moment Is Now."

John Edwards Hates Democrats and Republicans Equally

In his new spot, "Rigged," John Edwards tells people that the system is rigged against them and that we should replace corporate Republicans with corporate Democrats.

He did exercise some restraint in not using the phrase "don't let the man keep you down."

See John Edwards do some hatin' in the spot "Rigged."

Freedom's Watch Is Too Hot For NBC

It's not news for a network to reject a political spot it considers too controversial. This spot, from Freedom's Watch, contains the works "Thank" and "You" in very close proximity and is directed to our troops fighting overseas. It also contained the type "freedomswatch.org" which pushed NBC right over the edge.

Click here to watch "Thank You." (I'm sure someone at NBC would want me to make sure your children leave the room first.)

UPDATE: Under pressure from groups like Americans Who Think It's Okay To Say Thank You, NBC as changed its position and will allow the ad to run.

Fred Thompson Had Awesome Sideburns

Apparently Fred Thompson has been in the Senate since the Civil War. At least, he's throwing down some very mid nineteenth century burns.

In the spot called service, Fred lays out a pretty typical service bio complete with a photo of him looking much taller than Chief Justice Roberts.

Here's a look at "Service"

Mitt Romney is a Cliche Machine

The message here is that Mitt Romney works hard to stop illegal immigration.Works hard. Get it. He's really hard at work on this deal. Working hard. Hard. Hard. Hard.

And in case you didn't get the message, they actually show an artistic close up of Mitt ACTUALLY ROLLING UP HIS SLEEVES. Which is, as we all know, the universal sign that hard work is about to begin.

Because Mitt is working really hard.

Here's Mitt's boring immigration spot.

Hillary Clinton's Ad Agency Knocks Off Early for the Holidays

After a string of well-produced ads, the Clinton Campaign has issued this bit of art attacking Republicans for attacking her. Basically a half-hearted response to the half-hearted attacks that are coming her way. Her team can do way better.

I'm thinking they farmed this one out to somebody who got iMovie last week. Either that, or somewhere a car dealership didn't get their commercial done this week.

Click here to see what Hillary says about those mean Republicans.

Barack Obama Is Hardly On TV

If you're doing a spot with the candidate talking directly to voters shouldn't, you, oh I don't know, show the candidate talking directly to voters?

In Barack Obama's new spot "Chances I Had", he's hardly in it. Think of it as the "Where's Waldo" of political spots.

Click here to see "Chances I Had."

Barack Obama Makes Our Lawyers Nervous

Ad Geek Alert: The following deals with an ad's most arcane details. If you're the guy who actually reads the legal type this is for you. If not, well, you're probably bored already.

Most political ads end with "I'm Sally Jones and I approved this message." But in his new spot "Conventional" Barack Obama gets unconventional. The ad BEGINS with "I'm Barack Obama, etc." and has type that says the "paid for" line. Then at the end it has type that says "Approved by Barack Obama."

These are the things that make our lawyers crazy. But, hey, for $400 an hour they can afford to go a little crazy.

Here's the rather conventional (except for the legal) "Conventional."

Hillary Clinton Returns Phone Calls

Constituent services is a big part of running a successful Senate office. In this spot, a man talks about how Hillary Clinton's office helped him get his son a transplant.

Okay, this idea has been done a million times, but it still works. Hillary's team did a nice job. Very credible guy, good looking film. Nothing tricky, but very sturdy. And I'm sure the dad is a considerably more sympathetic character than the candidate.

Check out "Joe Ward."

Mike Huckabee Gets Tough

We're looking to Mike Huckabee for a little spark in the political advertising world and with his first ad, he's delivering.

The ad features Chuck Norris in a take off of the Internet phenomenon "Chuck Norris Facts." It's a fun way to deliver the point that Mike Huckabee is a tough guy who will do the hard jobs.

Now I like Chuck Norris, way back to "Good Guys Wear Black" (the REAL Chuck Norris fans know where I'm coming from), but in this spot Chuck seems stiffer than a Joan Rivers facelift.

Not the greatest script, the acting's a little stiffu, but I like the graphics and, overall, points for Norris and Huckabee on taking a chance.

Check out "Chuck Norris Approved."

Fred Thompson Needs A Background Check

No question Fred does a great job to camera, but he might need to look over his shoulder once in a while.

In this spot, there's some crazy kind of stuff going on in the background. What is that woman and the child doing at the bar? Why are children sitting at bars in the first place? And why does she drink coffee so aggressively?

Watch the background in "No Amnesty."

Rudy Giuliani Carries The Water

For months, Giuliani spokespeople have been saying that Rudy is the best carrier of his own message. Are they right?

In a word, yes.

Rudy does a great job of delivering his New York City credentials and trying to make those relevant to a national audience. The cut is not too fancy, but very contemporary which helps separate Rudy visually from the rest of the (extremely dull) Republican pack.

Click here to watch "Tested."

South Carolina Makes John Edwards Act All Silly

In his new jobs ad for South Carolina, Edwards laments the loss of jobs that left with the mills.

As is the tradition with these kinds of ads, he blames greed and big business, but instead of throwing China and Wal-Mart on the fire like others have, he appears to be blaming Bush.

I know blaming Bush is a strategy that's working these days, but I don't think George Bush has run too many South Carolina mills out of business.

Watch John Edwards succumb to "Good Ol Days Syndrome" here.

John Edwards Will Be A Mean President

In his newest healthcare spot, John Edwards says that if Congress doesn't pass universal health care by summer 2009, he'll take their healthcare away from them.

Meanie.

Hey, at least you know where the guy stands. It may be in unreality land, but he's got two feet firmly on the ground their.

Watch John Edwards' "Healthcare"

Apparently Tom Tancredo Is Still Running

Presidential non-candidate Tom Tancredo is up with an ad largely designed for its shock value.

Disguised as being something that the other candidates are too wussified to say, Tancredo's ad talks about terrorists that are running loose in our country. And, according to this spot, leaving backpacks in shopping malls in a series of poorly shot vignettes.

Click here to see the Tancredo spot.

Chabot and McConnell Get Put In Time Out

The Americans United for Change have a new ad up taking Chabot and McConnell to task for not compromising on the SCHIP bill.

B-roll shots of sweet children, innocent families and doctors cut together with headlines from newspapers. It's 10 pounds of flour in a 5-pound sack. And the candidates they're chastising go by so fast I had to watch it twice to remember who I'm supposed to be mad at.

One neat thing: the AUG has a website link right under the spot that takes you directly to the back up they used. Smart.

Here's the moderately okay, but too cluttered, "What If?"

John McCain And A Big Bag Of Nothing

There's a lot of hub-bub about this new spot from The Foundation for a Secure and Prosperous America. It's a nice little standard-issue political spot trashing Pelosi, Reid, et al and praising pro-defense politicians like Lindsey Graham and John McCain.

The ad was produced by Stevens Reed Curchio who worked on the Swift Boat Vets ads, but more importantly, used to be John McCain's agency until he downsized them in the summer.

Basically, McCain isn't a big fan of third party spending so he wants the group to pull their ads. When they get around to it. But he understands that these. Things. Take. Time.

Here's the ad from Secure and Prosperous.

Fred Thompson Should Consider Acting

Okay, bad joke. Everyone expected Fred Thompson to be good in front of the camera and in this first official TV spot Fred doesn't disappoint. He comes straight to camera with a folksy charm that really works.

Message-wise he delivers God, pro-life, defense and borders to check off all the necessary conservative boxes. Kudos to the campaign for not getting too tricky and for putting the candidate in a position to do his best work.

A little yellow flag: the 60 second version works great, but when you look at the 30 second version (without the b-roll, no shots of Reagan, fewer credentials) it misses the mark. Can Fred get his story out in 30 seconds? Hmmm.

Check out "Consistent Conservative."

Obama Keeps Detroit Quiet

In his latest Iowa-focused ad, Barack Obama brags about going to Detroit and demanding higher gas mileage standards. He jokes how that comment quieted down the room.

Okay, so what's his Michigan ad going to say? "I went up there and told those farmers we were gonna need some higher corn yields." Be careful what you say, TV spots have a way of slipping across state borders.

Here's the rather unremarkable "Quiet" from the Obama campaign.

Chris Dodd Must Have Really Nice Hair

The latest installment in the Chris Dodd barbershop saga is a spot called "View from the Shop."

It's really a good idea. Two barbers talking. Very down home, approachable, etc. Set looks good, it's shot well, good color correction, casting is well done. But the writing, puh-leeze. George Lucas wrote better dialogue for Jar-Jar Binks. (If you get that reference, you probably need to get out of the house a little more.)

And when they look at each other and say "How about Dodd?" in unison? Well, let's all be glad I didn't have the fish at lunch.

Nice try, but no cigar. Click here to watch "View from the Shop."

John McCain's Done It All Before

John McCain's newest spot "Guts" plays out in a very deep rut of political advertising. "Other candidates say they will [INSERT IMPORTANT ISSUE HERE] but our candidate has already done it."

I know, I know -- McCain has to turn "age" into "experience." In this particular spot he has chose to highlight his efforts against the folks at Boeing, oh well, no one in Seattle is voting for McCain anyway.

A perfectly awful spot. It looks dated, feels ponderous and is completely devoid of McCain's personality which, IMHO, is the campaign's best asset.

The kind of spot you run when either a) you don't know any better, b) you don't want to take a chance or c) well, does it really matter?

Click here for "Guts."

Delbert Hosemann Has A Funny Name

What do you do if you're a candidate with a funny name that's hard to remember?

You can either spend time trying to get people to remember it or you can jump in and make fun of it, too. Mississippi State Auditor Delbert Hosemann chose the latter by having a little old lady butcher his name for 30 seconds.

A little self-deprecation goes a long way. Click here to watch "Gilbert."

Hillary Clinton Hates George Bush, Likes Seniors

I think I'm finally figuring out the format for a Hillary Clinton spot: say something bad about George Bush in the first 5 seconds, say Hillary's plan in the next 10, talk about how Hillary's already doing in the next 10, disclaimer in the last 5.

Actually, this is a nice commercial (if a little formulaic) put together by ad guys who know what they're doing. Interesting that Hillary does not carry this message herself, does she not test well with seniors?

Check out Hillary's latest here.

Why Would Al Gore Want This Job?

Here's a spot from draftgore.com urging Al to take a drastic cut in pay to jump into the race.

Why would he want to? He's like Ed Begley in a suit. No one knows what he does but everyone listens to him. It's a great gig. Kind of like this only I didn't get a Nobel.

Here's the ad that's running on a very tiny media buy in New Hampshire. More people will probably see it here.

Click to see "Imagine."

John Edwards Says He's No Hero

Take one speech, mix with b-roll shots of the audience you want to appeal to, add stirring soundtrack (reminiscent of the song "Clocks") and -- voila! -- you have John Edwards' newest spot. Pretty traditional political fare, this time with Edwards putting a stake in the ground for healthcare.

Odd to see this many people shots without any of them being African-Americans.

Love him or hate him, the man can give a speech.

Check out "Heroes" here.

Mitt Romney Lives In A Funhouse

Okay, I've been pretty hard on the Romney campaign's spots. Mostly because their spots have been, on the good days, dull.

But here's a spot called "Our Home" featuring the candidate's wife, Ann. This is the only Romney spot I've seen that made me feel like Mitt was an actual carbon-based humanoid life form.

And how do you not like a spot with a shot of kid sliding down a flight of stairs on a mattress? I may go to the Romney house for vacation.

Click here to see "Our House."

John McCain Gets A Little Trippy

Short of yelling "do not take the brown acid," John McCain takes his message of hope to the Woodstock generation. In this hastily assembled response to Hillary Clinton's request for $1 million to fund a Woodstock museum , McCain casts himself as a long-term cost-cutter. How long term? Check out the Colonnade shot of McCain with Ronald Reagan.

Kudos to campaign for responding on the air so quickly, but the production is just one step above iMovie.

Click here to check out "Woodstock."

Bobby Jindal Clowns Around

The Jindal camp goes on the attack. This time with clowns. (No doubt their polling shows that a majority of people are frightened by clowns.) Actually, it's a nice spot harpooning the easy -- and deserving -- targets of Baton Rouge politicians.



Meanwhile the Democrats in Louisiana are pummeling Jindal on everything they can think of. I'll save that for another post. Who says this is going to be an off year?

Ernie Fletcher Is On A Mission

Does Ernie Fletcher have a chance to keep the Kentucky Governorship? Six months ago, no way. Now, maybe so. Looks like he's taking a single issue approach to the race with a "No Casinos" theme. Fred Davis delivers spot number one and it's very good. Except for closing graphics. Can someone please send a designer over to Strategic Perception?

Click here for Ernie Fletcher's First Ad.

MoveOn.org: What happened to Oliver Stone?

Okay, so you want to do a hard-hitting commercial and sign a big name director to shoot it. No miss, right?

Hold on.

This latest effort from MoveOn's VoteVets campaign doesn't look like Oliver Stone's work at all. The performance is stilted and canned and the editing looks like it was made while doing the iMovie tutorial.

My guess? Oliver Stone never even saw the rough cut. Embarrassing.

Max Wells Likes His Wrinkles

What do you do if you have an age "issue?" If your Max Wells, candidate for Dallas mayor, you embrace it.

A simple idea that does a nice job of changing the equation from wrinkles = old into wrinkles = experience.

See it here.

Jonathan Miller and Dixon/Davis Go Positively Negative

Or is it the other way around? We're almost amazed at Dixon/Davis' inability to do positive advertising. They love going negative so much that even their bio pieces look negative.

C'mon guys, take a walk in the woods, do a little aromatherapy, but lighten up a little.

Check out "Talk."

Republican Jewish Coalition Isn't Too Thrilled With Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi, otherwise known as the greatest gift the Republican party could possibly imagine, went to Syria. The first to step up and shoot the fish in the barrel is the Republican Jewish Coalition with this ad.

Nothing to write home about, but a good look at where we're going. Extra points for working in the word "thug."

See "Dangerous" here.

Elect Susie for President

It's always interesting when non-political ad agencies like Fallon Worldwide jump into the political world. Here's a really nice campaign that's encourage lawmakers to push for health insurance for children. The entire concept is couched in a mythical 10-year-old girl running for president. The experience is carried over really well onto the website.

Check it all out here.

Mitt Romney Is Ready to Veto Some Stuff

This new spot for Romney from National Media is a bazillion times better than the first one. Here we actually get to hear him speak with a little passion and discover that, wait a minute, the guy has a sense of humor.

But what's up with the giant red star behind his head? Didn't anyone check this camera angle before the event started? The editor tried to hide it as much as possible, but you can only do so much. They need to get better fast.

See "I Like Vetoes" here.

Americans United Sure Knows How To Waste Money

Americans United has gone up with an ad opposing Mitch McConnell's support of the Iraq war. And they're running it in Kentucky. A place that a) has a LOT of veterans and b) really likes Mitch McConnell. Or could this just be a clever ploy to get coverage on the national news channels?

Those Americans United are a very cagey bunch.

The ad is actually pretty well done. For a total waste of money. See for yourself here.