Team Mitt to America: Create Our “New Official” Campaign Ad!

September 26, 2007 6:51 PM

Taking a cue from Doritos (Frito Lay) which sponsored a contest for a user-submitted video ad to be aired during Super Bowl XKL, Mitt Romney’s campaign decided to follow suit, challenging “…you to make his campaign’s new official TV advertisement...using images and materials supplied on the campaign website.” “An online vote will help determine the winner.” Folks create ads. Folks vote for their favorite ad. “Way! He'll Set America Straight” [video] (produced by Bruce Reed) garners more votes than the other top nine finalists combined. “[T]he campaign promised 10 finalists, but today it posted only nine...” Guess which one is missing?

Another entry from Slate, “Five Brothers” [video] didn’t make the finals, either.

“Our fearless leader promised us online democracy, not a Soviet-style election run by totalitarian Mittistas.”^*

posted by ericb (16 comments total)

“In August, the Boston Globe characterized the contest as 'the latest example of how the 2008 presidential candidates are using the Internet to engage supporters in unprecedented ways.' But it looks like it's also turning out to be the latest example of campaigns not recognizing how little control they have over their own Web efforts.”^*
posted by ericb at 6:57 PM on September 26, 2007

“[T]he campaign promised 10 finalists, but today it posted only nine...”

You're entitled to your math. Mitt is entitled to "the math".
posted by Poolio at 6:59 PM on September 26, 2007

Well, come on I mean obviously he's not going to run an ad that makes fun of him, and neither would any dem candidate.

"Five brothers" was also a lot funnier then "way"
posted by delmoi at 6:59 PM on September 26, 2007

Err -- *Super Bowl XLI*
posted by ericb at 7:00 PM on September 26, 2007

Guess which one is missing?

No WAY!
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:00 PM on September 26, 2007 [1 favorite]

...Sorry...
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:01 PM on September 26, 2007

Reminiscing about how this fine campaign turned out, I was expecting... a lot more.
posted by dreamsign at 7:21 PM on September 26, 2007

60,000 views and rising!
posted by humannaire at 8:04 PM on September 26, 2007

America: A vote will help determine the winner!

Offer void in Florida, Ohio, and wherever it doesn't suit us.
posted by Riki tiki at 8:58 PM on September 26, 2007

This contest is an odd decision for the Romney campaign, given Mitt's recent beef with the YouTube snowman.
posted by Rangeboy at 10:16 PM on September 26, 2007

The abundance of all these "contest" based advertising/marketing campaigns is pointing to a very sad, depressing fact:

Ad agencies have not only completely run out of creativity, but they're also bunch of lazy fucks who now resort to bribing amateurs into doing their homework for them.

The pressing question I have is, why do I still allow myself to work for people like this?
posted by melorama at 10:45 PM on September 26, 2007

I'd kill to see each and every one they didn't pick. I'll bet it is scary shit.
posted by Ironmouth at 11:16 PM on September 26, 2007

Ad agencies have not only completely run out of creativity, but they're also bunch of lazy fucks who now resort to bribing amateurs into doing their homework for them.

They co-opt the rebels via low production values.
posted by Ironmouth at 11:18 PM on September 26, 2007

I would definitely vote for an Infiniti G Coupe.
posted by srboisvert at 1:28 AM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

So, his name is "Mitt," which I've never understood. His son is named "Tagg"?!? Is playing "tagg" with you "mitt" something I don't even want to know about?
posted by marxchivist at 9:18 AM on September 27, 2007

Who's Mitt Romney?
posted by Smedleyman at 3:04 PM on September 27, 2007