October 22, 2002

7:12 AM

And my opponent was all like beepbeepbeepbeepbeep...Bob Ehrlich is running for governor of Maryland. Bob Ehrlich's ad agency has seen the Apple ads and likes what it sees. Bob Ehrlich and his agency think it would be a great idea to jump the Zeitgeist Train: "I used to be a Democrat, but I'm switching."
posted by baltimore (14 comments total)

Ehrlich's running mate, who tells viewers, "African-Americans need to look at the record. We don't Balkanize Maryland

"We don't Balkanize Maryland".
That's a great tagline
posted by matteo at 7:21 AM on October 22, 2002

It makes sense. The Republican Party, much like Apple, is a cult brand. The tagline could be "Think. Only About Yourself."
posted by Mayor Curley at 7:21 AM on October 22, 2002

"We were looking for something different," said Ehrlich spokesman Paul E. Schurick.

I guess they were looking for it on apple's website.
posted by Robot Johnny at 7:26 AM on October 22, 2002

This convinces me that the choice of music is critical. The music provides a narrative pacing and continuity that really sells the Apple spots. Seen here, without "spit" by John Murphy in the background, the format is not as compelling. They at least should have tried to make the stories told more personal in focus.

Nostalia 2000:The Nader Priceless ad was great.
posted by putzface_dickman at 7:34 AM on October 22, 2002

Too slick.
posted by mcwetboy at 7:39 AM on October 22, 2002

new Metafilter tagline: "MetaFilter: We don't Balkanize Maryland."
posted by Vidiot at 7:55 AM on October 22, 2002

I'm with putzface on this one (heh). The music is a pretty critical choice, and while Apple chose a jaunty sort of off-kilter music that fits perfect with their quirky characters, these ads feel like they're just trying too hard to be funny. It's like those people who are not only late jumping on the trend, but then do it completely wrong when they get around to it (in the web world, it's the equivalent of illmitch.com spoofing supergreg.com). Churl.
posted by almostcool at 8:13 AM on October 22, 2002

I guess it's better than an "All Your Votes Are Belong To Us" ad.

"Vote GOP for great justice."
posted by grum@work at 9:05 AM on October 22, 2002

Almostcool, Putzface and Robot Johnny, I totally think you're right. They plagarized badly, they didn't get it the naturalness factor right, and the music is all wrong. But you know what? If the damn Dems had thought to do it, I don't think i'd be so rankled. If it's not a paroday, can Apple (or its agency) sue?
posted by DenOfSizer at 9:11 AM on October 22, 2002

I'm not rankled at all. I loved the fpp. beepbeepbeep... is funny. I don't even think the commercials are that bad compared to some of the claptrap I have to see in my home state, like Taftquack which is a poor rip off of AFLAC by an out-of-his-depth Democrat. It's interesting to think about these ads in relation to product campaigns. I'm not sure that I would have caught the Apple reference if it hadn't been pointed out. Now, in the Nader ad above, I got the reference and thought they did a brilliant job, regardless of what you think of Ralph.
posted by putzface_dickman at 10:14 AM on October 22, 2002

Oh, I loved the FPP, too (any reference to Eileen Fleiss pretty much wins me over) - to clarify, what rankles me is that the Repub's stole a clever ad before the Dems did.
posted by DenOfSizer at 10:26 AM on October 22, 2002

"All Your Votes Are Belong To Us"

lol! Christ, someone give this man a microphone.
posted by armoured-ant at 11:43 AM on October 22, 2002

"I used to have scruples, but I'm switching."
posted by skimble at 11:57 AM on October 22, 2002

That's funny -- I've seen a swing away from the Republican party, not towards it. For all the problems that the Dems have, they don't have the warmongering image that many are not happy seeing from the Bush camp.

I know quite a few Repulicans who are leaning Democratic in this election -- it doesn't take a genius to understand how extreme Bush's leadership has become. Apparently it takes a Democrat to see what kind of harm it's going to do in the long run.
posted by jragon at 12:28 PM on October 22, 2002