Was This the Best TV Ad in the Governor's Race?
There were lots of TV ads in this election cycle - lots. Some great, some just OK, some horrible. Eliot Cuter probably takes the prize for having the most ads - very slick, most of them very well done, and his repetitive tag line - "Independent, just like Maine" - was at least memorable. I'm convinced that if he'd run his ads heavy over the summer (as Angus King did in 94), he'd be governor-elect today. (Cutler's incessant and rather embarrassing whining that voters didn't discover his candidacy until late in the race is no one's fault but his own.)
But for me, one TV ad stood out. OK, it's probably because I wrote it. But it's also because it received praise from some notable political analysts and observers, and because it was entirely written and produced here in Maine by Maine talent - unlike almost all the other candidate ads this cycle.
If anything, Shawn Moody's TV ads destroyed the myth that candidates have to look to high priced, Washington, DC consultants for their ad production. Moody's was produced by the very talented Jason Nelson of Blackfly Media right here in Portland, Maine. Previously, Jason did the campaign ads for Pat McGowan, the Democratic candidate in the June Primary. He was one of the first people I called after joining Shawn's campaign in June.
The ad we came up with did almost everything we wanted it to do. It introduced Shawn as a smart, successful businessman. It displayed his character and common-man concern. It also introduced some key issues like welfare reform. It was just coincidence that only days before the ad appeared, a report on Maine's welfare deficiencies was front-page news.
Above all, the ad was "Maine-centric." By that I mean it hit on issues and ideas that were on the minds of Maine people. Too often, ads produced by DC consultants ring hollow in Maine. (Just because a national poll showed that voters are concerned about China's growing influence or the minimum wage doesn't mean they feel the same way in Maine). If the ads have a cookie-cutter feel to them, it's because many consultants reuse the same ads they produced for candidates in other states. "It worked in Iowa, so it should work in Maine," their thinking goes. Trouble is, they often don't work. You can sometimes spot these reused ads a mile away.
We were flattered when some notable political analysts singled out Shawn's ads during a discussion of political ads on MaineWatch. Amy Fried, associate professor of political science at the University of Maine, said, "There's something about that Moody ad that is extremely compelling. He's in it, it's direct, it's critical, but it doesn't have an underlying angry tone in it at all. It shows how you can be critical without those tendencies." Michael Franz, assistant professor of government at Bowdoin College and co-author of Campaign Advertising and American Democracy, agreed. "I particularly like the Moody ad," said Franz . "It's well done, his authenticity comes across. His ads are a lot better produced than I would have expected."
Mission accomplished. Of course, the one big problem with the ad was that not enough people saw it. It just didn't air enough times to have a major impact. Shawn's campaign was underfunded. But that's a story for another day.
But for me, one TV ad stood out. OK, it's probably because I wrote it. But it's also because it received praise from some notable political analysts and observers, and because it was entirely written and produced here in Maine by Maine talent - unlike almost all the other candidate ads this cycle.
If anything, Shawn Moody's TV ads destroyed the myth that candidates have to look to high priced, Washington, DC consultants for their ad production. Moody's was produced by the very talented Jason Nelson of Blackfly Media right here in Portland, Maine. Previously, Jason did the campaign ads for Pat McGowan, the Democratic candidate in the June Primary. He was one of the first people I called after joining Shawn's campaign in June.
The ad we came up with did almost everything we wanted it to do. It introduced Shawn as a smart, successful businessman. It displayed his character and common-man concern. It also introduced some key issues like welfare reform. It was just coincidence that only days before the ad appeared, a report on Maine's welfare deficiencies was front-page news.
Above all, the ad was "Maine-centric." By that I mean it hit on issues and ideas that were on the minds of Maine people. Too often, ads produced by DC consultants ring hollow in Maine. (Just because a national poll showed that voters are concerned about China's growing influence or the minimum wage doesn't mean they feel the same way in Maine). If the ads have a cookie-cutter feel to them, it's because many consultants reuse the same ads they produced for candidates in other states. "It worked in Iowa, so it should work in Maine," their thinking goes. Trouble is, they often don't work. You can sometimes spot these reused ads a mile away.
We were flattered when some notable political analysts singled out Shawn's ads during a discussion of political ads on MaineWatch. Amy Fried, associate professor of political science at the University of Maine, said, "There's something about that Moody ad that is extremely compelling. He's in it, it's direct, it's critical, but it doesn't have an underlying angry tone in it at all. It shows how you can be critical without those tendencies." Michael Franz, assistant professor of government at Bowdoin College and co-author of Campaign Advertising and American Democracy, agreed. "I particularly like the Moody ad," said Franz . "It's well done, his authenticity comes across. His ads are a lot better produced than I would have expected."
Mission accomplished. Of course, the one big problem with the ad was that not enough people saw it. It just didn't air enough times to have a major impact. Shawn's campaign was underfunded. But that's a story for another day.
Posted by Dennis Bailey at 11/17/2010 11:53 AM 
Categories: Maine politics, Maine governor, advertising
Tags: Shawn Moody Savvy Inc political advertising advertising
Categories: Maine politics, Maine governor, advertising
Tags: Shawn Moody Savvy Inc political advertising advertising
Dennis, I have come late to this party, just finding your website now because of the much ado about The Cutler Files. I just want to say something about Shawn Moody's candidacy, because I know from friends that I am not the only voter who wanted an alternative to LePage and Mitchell: I could never get over Moody's driving record. I simply could not. To me it spoke to an immaturity that I simply couldn't overlook. I just wanted to put that out there by way of explanation. It wasn't his positions on the issues that made a difference - it was that record. I couldn't get past it.
Reply to this
You might have him confused with Kevin Scott, whose recent driving record was indeed an issue. I believe his license had been suspended many times. Shawn had some violations when he was much younger, 30 years ago or so, but he's been responsible driver ever since.
Reply to this