36 Comments - dave - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:03 am: This is a pretty good ad - creative and catchy. But with that said, I am convinced that the Madigan message is simply not resonating with voters. It is only resonating with folks that weren’t going to vote for the Madigan-backed candidate anyway. - wordslinger - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:07 am: Great spot. Just want to keep watching those ducks — which will keep you from flipping and let the message sink in. - J - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:10 am: A lot of Anti-Madigan ads just sort of say “Candidate X is a Madigan Puppet” and expects voters to understand that that’s a bad thing. This ad actually explains why it’s bad, and uses a creative frame to package it. If the State GOP was doing stuff like this, I’d be far more concerned about them taking over the Legislature, but they’re not. - amalia - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:13 am: very cute ad. still hope he loses. - Just Me - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:14 am: The ducks are too cute to create a real negative stigma. Should have let the ducks play in some mud or something before filming them. - unclesam - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:19 am: Creative and different…which is why I think it will have an impact. Spots like this stick in your head for a while because it was unique. - Willie Stark - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:31 am: Too little, too late. Doesn’t matter how clever it is, or whatever high opinion of it the readers of the blog may have. It’s going to get lost in the sea of ads that are already saturating that particular part of the world - especially on cable. Also, Skip hasn’t sealed the deal with voters, many who don’t even know him in the new district. For those who do see it, attacking a woman and dismissing her as a “duckling” - well, maybe that gives the fellas a little charge and a good chuckle, not so sure the ladies will find it so amusing - especially in an area where the Walsh/Duckworth race might be making some people a bit queasy about R male attitudes towards women. Last, ducklings are cute! They put a smile on people’s faces. That’s the vehicle to deliver a negative association? Too clever by half. But, hey, you get to use some insider-lingo that no average voter knows or cares about. - Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:37 am: Sorry, but I disagree with most of you. This is not a good ad. This district is majority Democrat. I doubt people care all that much about Madigan. And, even if they do, Saviano isn’t even properly identified. And do you really think lots of Democrats care that she didn’t answer the Trib’s questionnaire? Not to mention… Ducklings? Cute ducklings? How is this supposed to work? Skip is one of my favorite people in the business. But this ad ain’t gonna get it done. - Anonymous - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:41 am: Fun ad. False, of course, in its specific claims, but better than most in attractiveness and interest. Works better for the ILGOP generic message, than for Skip specifically, because Skip stands out as an occasional Madigan supporter in the house. Perhaps they will use it across the state, and just change the names. - hisgirlfriday - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:46 am: This ad does a good job reinforcing that Madigan is awful but not that Kathleen Willis is awful. I couldn’t even remember her name at the end of the ad. So if as Rich says this is a generic Dem district, then not sure how effective this is. But as with the paint can thing yesterday, I’m glad this one feels a little less cookie-cutter attack ad. - Chicago Cynic - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:46 am: I know the Speaker has a 16% approval rating and in some districts it’s even worse, but my guess is the intensity of those feelings is pretty mild. Kind of “Madigan isn’t a good guy” as opposed to “Madigan is Satan.” National politics tells you the only times this kind of guilt by association works is when their is not just dislike, but intensity among the bad guy. Other than a handful of select districts, I don’t think this approach will work. All that said, I really liked the ad and think people will at least pay attention (which is a huge challenge this time of year) before yawning it off. - train111 - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:48 am: Saviano’s District voted for Quinn 54.62% to 45.38% for Brady. The district was drawn to be Democratic. As of this morning the Democratic Party, Dem Majortiy and other affilliated groups have poured about $317K into defeating Saviano–including a $63,500 dump yeaterday. That’s alot of cash. They wouldn’t be spending that kind of dough if they weren’t expecting a win. Saviano is in the battle for his political life. train111 - GOTV - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 10:58 am: this may be a really harsh hit on the north shore, but Addison and Melrose Park can handle some tougher content. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:01 am: Bad Ad … Ducks ain’t selling how “bad” Kathleen Willis is, and how the heck are you suppose to follow the “narrative” and verbage with the ducks all over the place. Confusing, poor execution … and This ongoing narrative of “Dems this …Madigan that” is not …NOT going to work, and definately not working in this stand alone ad about that narrative. Saviano deserves better. Cripes, most members of the House, on both sides of the aisle mind you, have been helped, aided, or assisted by Saviano at one point or another … But, this is bigger than all that. It’s quite personal on the Speaker’s end, and that makes quite troublesome for re-election on Saviano’s end. Saviano should win … but the way the ILGOP, and the HGOP are going after this cycle, this strategy ain’t helping, and this ad ain’t helping Saviano. Saviano should be able to out-work Willis and run out the clock on her, but “to the ad”, that ain’t helping in either. - 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:02 am: ===And, even if they do, Saviano isn’t even properly identified.=== I’m going to quibble just a little. In an attack ad, the attacker doesn’t really wish to be properly identified. The focus is on the target of the attack. I think it’s a good ad. The duckling concept is supported by the $250K and (if true) the idea that she was instructed not to fill out questionnaires. It raises the question of her independence, and on that count, the ad is a home run. Rich is asking whether this will move Democratic voters away from her, and that is a really good question. - badabing - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:06 am: Why is it natural assume that he is trying to attack or dismiss her because she is a woman. Does she get to say whatever she wants in her ads, even if its not the facts because she’s a woman. He drawing attention to the Madigan machine that makes our great state the laughing stock of the USA. Very Funny ad and so true. I’m am a woman…..VOTE SAVIANO - Just Me - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:17 am: How is Madigan polling in the district? It may be a Dem district, but that means the district is even more likely to know who Madigan is and would have an opinion on him. - Skeeter - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:21 am: If you get the terminology, it is very effective. If not, it sort of bring back memories of the angry sheep ads from a few years ago. “What? Ducklings are evil now?” - Skeeter - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:23 am: Also, if you are going to do a baby duck theme, then have a “mother duck” tucking the baby under a wing. That still would be odd, but at least the viewer would get the idea that the duckling is being controlled, which you really don’t get from the ad. - badabing - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:24 am: factural - Cheswick - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:29 am: I watched it just to see if it these were the baby ducks that fell into the sewer grate. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:31 am: Now, if it had baby Pandas … - Esquire - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:38 am: It’s kind of cute, but the Tribune editorial board tried to label Madigan’s disciples as “ducklings” over two decades ago and that charge did not stick. It is also odd that “Republican” Saviano is being targeted since Skippy has always been one of the Democrats’ favorite friends in the legislature. He was best buddies with Blagojevich back in the day. Saviano always behaved like a member of “the West Side Bloc” — nominally Republican legislators who always crossed the aisle and voted with the Democratic Machine. - anon - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:49 am: Word on the street is that Skip is in a lot of trouble. Madigan has some top captains flooding the district (and who knows what they are saying at the door to get voters to go their way with Willis). The Hispanic vote is going for Willis also. This win for Madigan will be even bigger than McAsey (over Hassert) 4 years ago and may cause the demotion of Cross as Minority leader. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 11:55 am: ===Saviano always behaved like a member of “the West Side Bloc” — nominally Republican legislators who always crossed the aisle and voted with the Democratic Machine.=== There is more “there” there between Saviano and Madigan … it’s personal and its getting ugly and getting uglier every day. Concur, that a Saviano defeat would be as big a loss in the last 20 years, (throwing it out there, I am sure there are big ones, but …) but Saviano is a firewall of sorts for the HGOP, I guess, and if Saviano loses, (i don’t think he will …) then Cross could not withstand a Coup. That is very true. - Just Me - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 12:17 pm: The districts are gerrymandered. Of course the republicans are going to lose. And Tom Cross can’t call up Preckwinkle and find do nothing jobs for his professional campaign “volunteers” that he brings in from outside the district. - L.S. - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 12:23 pm: The ad is weak and won’t stop the tide. Skip is slipping fast and I doubt he can recover. Cutesy little stuff like this won’t cut it. I like Skip but his duck might be cooked here. - 36 ward - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 2:51 pm: To little to late. Billy, Jimmy, Skip and then Pete bye bye - just sayin' - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 3:39 pm: Kathleen Willis likes cute ducklings. She’s got my vote. - badabing - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 4:01 pm: Madigan shouldn’t count his duck eggs before the hatch. Where is Kathleen Willis, the phantom canidate anyway? - Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 4:03 pm: ===Where is Kathleen Willis, the phantom canidate anyway?=== From what I hear, she’s been knocking on doors 50 hours a week. That beats bowing to the trib edit board any day. - badabing - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 4:23 pm: it’s not her knocking on doors, who you kidding - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 4:34 pm: ===it’s not her knocking on doors=== Never underestimate the power of a field operation … you have to believe knowing how Saviano and works, he will NOT take 1, 2, or Tens of bodies on the streets, walking against him, lightly. Saviano won’t, nor should you. Still say Saviano wins the day, but be careful, - badabing -. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 4:39 pm: ===you have to believe knowing how Saviano and works, he will NOT take 1, 2, or Tens of bodies on the streets, walking against him, lightly.=== Should read … You have to believe knowing how hard Saviano works, he will NOT take 1, 2, or Tens of bodies on the streets, walking against him, lightly. Thanks … - badabing - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 4:51 pm: Oswego you have now confused me. why would anyone running for office take it lightly…..would you????? My point was obviously missed - Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 19, 12 @ 4:56 pm: I don’t expect Saviano to take anyone lighty … you may be, but not Saviano … Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.