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* If you’re an angry Republican and you live in the 10th Congressional District, you might love candidate Dick Green’s new TV ad…
I’m not sure I’ve ever heard people repeatedly yelling “Yeah!!!” at the end of a campaign ad before, but it may be right for these “town hall” times. More info…
The first Republican is on the air in the race for Rep. Mark Steven Kirk’s (R-Ill.) suburban Chicago seat. The ad buy is significant for businessman Dick Green (R), who is relatively unknown in the district with the GOP primary exactly two months away on Feb. 2.
Green, who pumped $230,000 of his own funds into his campaign last quarter, is up with a $100,000 cable buy over the next three weeks, according to his campaign. […]
There are several candidates running to for the GOP nomination, and the most competitive of the bunch are Green, fellow businessman Robert Dold and state Rep. Beth Coulson.
* The Question: Rate it?
…Adding… You should always watch an ad a couple of times before you rate it. Try watching it without the sound off first, since viewers get the vast majority of their information from the visuals, not the audio.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:06 am
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It captures the mood among the average citizen.
Comment by Pulse Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:09 am
Good Ad. Not sure if it works in that district or not.
Comment by Cosmic Charlie Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:12 am
I agree with Pulse. It does a very effective job of capturing the mood and intolerance of the average citizen. It also may very well prove to be a snapshot into the media playbook for all well-capitalized 3rd party initiatives across the country and GOP initiatives across the country.
Comment by Area 2 Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:15 am
A good red-meat spot. I’m not sure “Harvard-educated” plays to that audience, though.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:16 am
All things being equal, the add is effective and moderately well-produced. It would be great in the 14th–not sure about the 10th though. Didn’t see anything I have a major problem with, I give it an 8.
Comment by Obamarama Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:21 am
OK Rich, I watched this first without sound: lots of anger in the faces. Then I watched it with sound, and it seems to me Dick Green will fit in perfectly with the Party of No.
Anger is a simple message. That came through loud and clear. No is a simple message too. Not sure the 10th is the best district for an angry white man to run this kind of ad, but it certainly drives home the message of “we’re mad as heck and we’re not going to take it anymore.”
4/10. YEAH!
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:21 am
Reminds me of the trailer for that tea party movie.
Comment by Dirt Digger Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:22 am
I would rate it A-. Good straight forward add, Shows conservative conviction. Still not sure if that conviction plays into a win in the 10th
Comment by downstate hick Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:22 am
5 Stars. That’s the perfect tone for this election cycle. That’s not just going to attract angry Republicans - that’s going to attract angry independents and centrist Democrats.
Comment by Steve Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:26 am
I dont’ see that playing in Lake Forest…….
Comment by I'm just saying Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:26 am
A good ad that plays well to the base instincts.
After seeing that ad, would I consider voting for him? No way. Apparently Green wouldn’t mind if BoA and GM and Chrysler all closed up because of lack of government intervention.
Still, I think that the ad will do well with many GOP voters, and will do especially well with those on the far right. The ad looks good and sounds good, right until the time that you start thinking about what he’s really saying.
Since the goal of the ad is to win the GOP primary, I give it 8/10.
Comment by OdysseusVL Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:34 am
Short, sweet, and to the point. I liked that he is Harvard-educated (although any college education would suffice), I liked that he is a businessman (and can probably quickly see what needs to be fixed), and I liked that he can relate to the frustration and anger felt by the majority of the Illinois voters (regardless if they are Republican, Democrat, or Independent). However, I do not know anything about the 10th so that will be the unknown.
Good campaign ad.
Comment by The Prophet Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:35 am
Good message, and I kind of like the “Yeah!”, but the Harvard-educated doesn’t fit and the image of him pointing and yelling at the crowd isn’t attractive. “Not another dollar” is catchy, too.
Comment by State Sen. Clay Davis Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:36 am
Great sense of the mood out there in “Voter-Land”.
The message is concise and simple in the 30 seconds. By grabbing that mood, it makes you wonder, “what about this Green guy?”.
By making you wonder more about Green, it reaches one of the goals of an intro commercial, so I rate it very well.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:36 am
So the dude’s message is no? Where is the Havard educated business solution to creating more jobs, or revamping the economy? The ad was well produced, but I have no clue what the guys stands for, or what he is bringing to the table accept a promise to say no to increased spending.
Comment by Bring Back Boone's Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:41 am
The tenth is a very strange and complex district. It is home to the very poor, (Waukegan, North Chicago) the ultra rich (Glencoe, Winnetka) and big swaths of middle class (Wheeling, Arlington Heights, Glenview). Being a candidate in that millieu is always a challenge message wise. Green’s ad with its simple, unequivocal and bold message will appeal to many, but probably not enough to elect him. Within a sea of boring and predictible it is one of the more memorable ads I’ve seen for 10th candidates this year, though. For that I give it a B+
Comment by Responsa Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:51 am
3/10.
Harvard works up here, because this is one of the best educated districts in the country where higher education is a big deal, certainly in the state. There’s nothing of substance in this ad and this campaign was tried in 2006 and 08 in the district next to ours which is much more conservative and it failed for messrs, mcsweeney and greenburg.
Comment by shore Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:53 am
It would have been better if he was carrying Jim Edgar with a flagpole.
Comment by John Bambenek Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 11:55 am
I’m gettin’ tired of the right’s “no” message. I mean, if “No” then what do you want? How about a real plan. Even the standard, “Create more jobs” is better than “NO!”
Comment by Deep South Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 12:01 pm
The ad is obviously targeting older voters.
Too many people nodding their heads in assent.
But the message is simple enough and people like leather bomber jackets.
Four stars.
Comment by Jake from Elwood Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 12:13 pm
The ad taps into the anger I’m experiencing when I run up against average voters.
Certain Democrats are fond of using the expression “The Party of No” to disparage those appalled by wild spending initiatives.
Perhaps if the word “ENOUGH” was used?
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 12:17 pm
YEAH!
And the only people who still think conservatives are just saying “no!”, are the ones not listening. Stop treating citizens like they are idiots!
YEAH!
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 12:23 pm
“For too long we’ve watched politicians tax and spend us into debt.”
This makes no sense to me. The debt grew because there has been lots of spending without taxes to pay for it.
If people see this ad more than a couple of times, they might start to wonder about that opening line as well. (Who am I kidding?)
Overall, it might leave a good first impression, but if he just repeats the same ad over and over, he’ll end up looking shallow. 7/10 first view 3/10 multiple views
Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 12:24 pm
I suspect you will see a lot more like this in the general.
Without the audio, A. With audio B
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 12:24 pm
Louis,
Since I’m certainly a Democrat, and one who used the Party of No phrase in my earlier comment, let me assure you it was not to disparage anyone appalled by wild spending. The “Party of No” is meant to disparge all of those DC Republicans (and their apologists) who spent wildly and never concerned themselves with deficits until January 20th of this year.
Now, all of a sudden, your party discovered the gi-normous federal deficit, which it created during the past eight years. I’m sure the jacket is a little tight right now, but you and your party own it my friend.
Now that a Democrat is in the White House, you’ve had enough? Tough. Voters are smarter than that. Especially in the 10th. Coulson is your best shot there, and she doesn’t do angry well.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 12:33 pm
I think its a pretty decent ad. I don’t think there is anything wrong with a message of “no.” There doesn’t have to be a novel solution to out-of-control spending other than saying no and cutting. However, the ad takes a giant leap when it says all this spending will stop when Dick Green goes to Washington — nobody is going to buy that — wouldn’t he be more credible just saying he will fight to cut spending?
Comment by Just Observing Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 1:13 pm
I watched once without sound, once with.
Both ways show a lot of really depressed people who are angry in the end. Not a warm and fuzzy ad like some of the ones the candidate walking in the sunshine. This was dark, and the outdoor scene at the end was obviously on an overcast day. Not a bright promising ad, more of a doom and gloom. C
Comment by Third Generation Chicago Native Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 1:43 pm
I rate this ad a B. i agree with many previous comments.
Comment by Will County Woman Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 1:53 pm
Best ad so far this year. he understands what regular people are feeling
Comment by Altgeld's Ghost Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 2:00 pm
This is more of an observation, but it’s fitting.
Anyone ever been to the Lincoln Presidential Library in Spfld? You know the section with the late Tim Russert doing intros for the psuedo-ads for the candidates running in 1860 where they lay out their party’s platform? Same voiceover guy. Heck, I think this ad was done by the same consultants. It’s a caricature of the “Angry White Man Party” of 2010.
I tend to agree that it probably doesn’t play well in the 10th CD, but I’d sure love to see it next October if I’m the D candidate.
Comment by Rubbernecker Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 2:29 pm
–This makes no sense to me. The debt grew because there has been lots of spending without taxes to pay for it.–
That’s a basic point that can’t be emphasized enough. For the most part, on both the federal and state levels, we’re BORROWING and spending, not taxing ans spending.
On the fed level, we float T-Bonds and devalue the currency. On the state level, we just keep extending the payment cycle and borrow from our vendors.
I thought Ald. O’Connor make a salient point yesterday in the budget debate. If you think this year is bad, “buckle up” for next year. We’ve already used all the razzle-dazzle, on every financial level — global, national, state and local.
Next year, it’s real money.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 3:03 pm
He spent the money to hire Peter Thomas as the narrator, and Peter sounds way better than the guy on the Andy Mckenna spots.
I agree it communicates anger and frustration, which works for an anti-incumbency spot, but anti-incumbency in a primary divides the attention away from beating the other guy(s) in your own party, so I don’t give the spot all that high a rating. B-minus maybe, and only that high for Peter’s somewhat strained narration.
Comment by Gregor Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 5:32 pm
I’ll give it a B. It matches the mood of the times.
Comment by Levois Thursday, Dec 3, 09 @ 7:32 pm