Agreed - the argument the ad makes is just too simplistic for this opponent of the war, even though it is basically right. I can't imagine the undecided voter who will suddenly go Kerry because of this ad - but then I don't understand why there are undecideds at this point.
No kidding, I had the same reaction after Matt posted the link. The writing was too clever, and it diminished the emotional impact by seeming manipulative. A more impassed conversion speech might have been more effective, but Errol Morris really has this covered with his switch ads (on the Move On website).
On the other hand, the two debate ads on the DNC website that Mark Kleiman just mentioned work pretty well for me. But I'm pretty far from the target audience.
Didn't do much for me either, but then I don't think the ad is aimed at any of us. Where it might be powerful are the people who insist that criticizing the war is showing disrespect for the troops. That mindset gets difficult to maintain when it's the troops criticizing the war.
However, I find 95% of all advertising of any sort utterly insipid, and yet it's making somebody buy the product. Perhaps we aren't a particularly representative sample.
Agreed - the argument the ad makes is just too simplistic for this opponent of the war, even though it is basically right. I can't imagine the undecided voter who will suddenly go Kerry because of this ad - but then I don't understand why there are undecideds at this point.
Posted by rilkefan | Link to this comment | 10-15-04 1:57 AM
No kidding, I had the same reaction after Matt posted the link. The writing was too clever, and it diminished the emotional impact by seeming manipulative. A more impassed conversion speech might have been more effective, but Errol Morris really has this covered with his switch ads (on the Move On website).
On the other hand, the two debate ads on the DNC website that Mark Kleiman just mentioned work pretty well for me. But I'm pretty far from the target audience.
Posted by cw | Link to this comment | 10-15-04 6:14 AM
Didn't do much for me either, but then I don't think the ad is aimed at any of us. Where it might be powerful are the people who insist that criticizing the war is showing disrespect for the troops. That mindset gets difficult to maintain when it's the troops criticizing the war.
However, I find 95% of all advertising of any sort utterly insipid, and yet it's making somebody buy the product. Perhaps we aren't a particularly representative sample.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 10-15-04 1:27 PM