04.19.2012 06:56 AM

That Alberta ad

One, if the media don’t like a political ad, it usually means it’ll work. Two, the ad isn’t aimed at old people – it’s aimed at young people. If what works with young people worked for old people, my Mom would be listening to Lady Gaga right about now.

18 Comments

  1. Tiger says:

    Fortunately, we can test this.

    Wildrose was up by, what, six or seven points? If the PCs close the gap, the ad worked (or at least probably didn’t hurt). If the WRA pulls away, it probably was an epic fail. (Flail?)

    Just a few days left to know.

  2. Sorry this ad doesn’t work on any level.

  3. William says:

    Ineffective ad.

    The youth vote cannot be counted on.

    Just ask Michael Igniatieff.

  4. Volkov says:

    I like the effort, but I’ve got to say, it didn’t connect with me at all, and being a youth and open to the idea of voting PC to stop the Wildrosers (if I lived in Alberta, anyways), I felt the add was more than a bit silly.

    Besides, Climenhaga is right – when you need to trot out the line “I’d rather gouge out my eyes than vote PC” in order to try and appeal to these youths to vote for the 41-year dynasty their parent’s parents put into power, you’ve got a major problem.

    • pomojen says:

      Yeah, I agree that the eye-gouging line was a bit over the top… but overall, I thought it was pretty good.

  5. pomojen says:

    It works. Not sure it will turn a whole election around, but I think it works.

    I am one of those Gen Xers you speak of and would never consider voting PC. Neither would my friends. Except in this important case. I suspect this will resonate with Gen Y too. Question is, will it motivate a non-voting Gen X or Y to do something more than nod and agree…like actually go to a polling station.

  6. MississaugaLibPeter says:

    We know which Bishop Carroll alumnus you are cheering on.

    http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120329/CGY_bishop_carroll_120329/20120329?hub=CalgaryHome

    Mr. Wozniak is right, Alison didn’t even run for students’ union. However, she was deeply involved with PC Youth. Like one of her mentors/bosses, Joe Clark, she is genuinely a good person!

  7. Mike in Toronto says:

    I like the ad — and I’m an old guy!

  8. Dan says:

    Because youth are motivated by such powerful messages as “fear is better than hope”, and “get off your ass and compromise”.

    I thought the PCs had a hope before I saw that ad. Now I realize they’re completely out of ideas.

    Wildrose proves that right-wing principles are better (electorally) than no principles.

  9. Cameron Prymak says:

    what could also work is to have this kind of internet ad running on more topics and in-between elections.

  10. Dan says:

    “The gay-feminist project has become a social engineering project – to use the coercive power of the state to undermine the existing family.”

    Ted Morton,
    PC Energy Minister
    Edmonton Journal, May 26, 2009

    “To affirm homosexuality is to distort the image of God, to insult the nature and being of God.”

    Ron Leech,
    Wildrose Candidate Calgary-Greenway
    Calgary Herald, January 1, 2004

    … and there’s far more where that came from. Reminds me of the Federal Liberals finally finding religion on corporate taxes, and losing religion on peacekeeping. You can’t selectively talk around your actual track record.

  11. HonestB says:

    My thoughts:
    1) Personally, I thought it was a bit overdone but it certainly got my attention.
    2) I’m absolutely delighted at how much this has pissed off the right-wingers on twitter. They are shockingly quick to take offense and I think this sort of thing helps them to show themselves as the whiners they are.
    3) I suspect it’s sadly too little too late

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