We have to wait to see how these ads resonate with actual people, but to date, it's fair to say the attack ad "reception" hasn't be charitable. In fact, these ads have brought more connecting of the dots, more reinforcement of Harper's negative characteristics, traits that have handicapped his ability to truly connect with Canadians.
This latest round has one "positive" ad you could say, but even that is lost in the sheer volume of the attack ads, not issue based like the Liberals, but personal and nasty, something no one seems to deny. Have these Conservatives ever had a solely positive ad campaign? Go back to all the outside of writ campaigns, every single one is personal in nature, like a one note bully that doesn't know it any other way. The question then becomes, at what point does the kneejerk "attack ads work" perspective become complicated by WHO is delivering the message? Do voters get to a point where they see more to dislike about Harper than they do what they say about Ignatieff? I believe we are at this tipping point right now, and I would suggest the reaction to date supports this emerging recalibration.
There was a story a few weeks ago by Linda Diebel, that canvassed a wide range of Ottawa opinion to get a read on the Harper government. Again, with this subset, the now common negative themes emerged, that of the "super-partisan", preoccupied with besting his opponents, strategy over substance, basically a political animal with little in the way of redeeming qualities. Canadians have this sense as well, although it far less pronounced or truly understand. That said, the achilles heel is available and these ads only serve to lend weight to detractors.
I might be wrong, maybe my own bias as a Liberal fails to understand the effectiveness of the latest batch of ads, but there is a credible logic developing that suggests Harper on the attack, in this way, is actually a net negative from the Conservative perspective. Time will tell....
4 comments:
You're right on both counts. The public increasingly realizes Harper, and any other member or politician within the CPC, is a jerk. On the other hand, there has to be a sense of "that's politics" since it doesn't seem to register that much in the polling.
So the Libs need to get out parallel ads with the Iggy on a boat one from before, lots of shots of his campus tours, him on the ice (without showing the fangs of course!) to combat the "they're all the same" thought and fight the media imposed characterization of him as being aloof.
| notice some conservative talking heads seem edgy today about the ads, which might mean they are worried of "backfire". Let's see if this ad buy ends up being as big as advertised. If these ads disappear in the next few days, it will be a testament to the reception...
Oh, they've had a few days to digest the internal over-night samplings from their latest drive-by smears... if you see some being a tad nervous it's likely that there's some blowback, ala Gordon Campbell's 2-generous by half offer to buy voters' proxy if they forgive and forget that h-s-t-thingy... it didn't work for gordo, and we both are thinking the lame-O CON ads (including an antiquated effort at mining Reagan vibes) are sinking like a stone.
As shiner suggested, it would be beneficial to get out in front of this with more positive coverage/stories/ads featuring Ignatieff... create a schmaltzy ad like those ol' coke teach-the-world-to-sing etc style with canadians of all backgrounds holding hands as a camera pulls out and reveals this great land, then soft-fade in the liberal logo on white... or something to that effect.
I'll also offer to do a 'goodbye harper' one for after the peeps kick him out, using bing's buddy can you spare a dime as the soundtrack...
The public just loves to say and be told the worst about politicians.
When they criticize "attack ads" it's just another way to criticize politicians while puffing themselves up about how much better they are as they simultaneously absorb and accept the negatives of the attack ads.
A tipping point maybe someday be reached but I think most people are still all too willing to accept anything negative about a politician from whatever source, even a source that they purport to despise, attack ads.
However, I was struck by how these ads were the same old same old, that if anything will blunt their impact. The public wants new dirt!
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