The sad thing is that, really, a lot of local campaign ads in my area really seem to be put together like this.
This group of film-makers, Dead Gentlemen Productions started as a film class or film club at Pacific Lutheran University. They have created a couple of feature-length movies, some of which have quite the following at comic-cons and gamer-cons, from what I hear...
[ April 18, 2008, 11:48 PM: Message edited by: BandoCommando ]
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Does anyone actually decide who they will vote for based on TV ads anyway?
I'm sure they must or Candidates wouldn't be spending megabucks on such ads. But serious who are these people? Do they actually think, thats a great TV ad, I'll vote for him? Its sad to think that so many people put so little rational thought into selecting our leaders.
Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
"Does anyone actually decide who they will vote for based on TV ads anyway?" Not really, but that's not the point. The idea isn't to change voters minds about the candidates, but to change voter's minds about voting.
According to this article, "negative ads make supporters of the attacker more likely to vote and followers of the victimized candidate depressed and less likely to vote". The article also says that attack ads tend not to sway independents.
EDITED for formatting.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Ads DO matter, for a variety of reasons. Policy oriented people often aren't going to be as swayed by the ads, but then, policy oriented people, by and large, have done their homework and know who they are voting for regardless of ads.
Ads like that will get out or depress some of the vote, but really they are for waffling or undecided values voters. Swarm them with either false or misleading numbers, and use the tactics specifically enumerated in that one false ad above, and people automatically attach good/evil labels in their minds. I think a lot of it has to do with how smart the person watching the video is, or, if not how smart, then how much they care. If they don't care, they aren't going to double check facts for themselves and they'll let themselves be swayed by such ads.
But they most CERTAINLY work.
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: Does anyone actually decide who they will vote for based on TV ads anyway?
To quote Hobbes, of Calvin & Hobbes fame: "I hear the sound of millions of advertisers laughing."