[Note: For an updated review of YouTube campaign material go to this Sept. 27 post].
Prediction: By the end of the election year, a majority of candidates in Internet-forward states, districts, and cities will be posting their campaign commercials to You Tube-like services (see examples after jump). Well-funded pols won't be the only ones doing it -- people running for the local school board will whip out their video cameras and create/post their own ads, too.
(Note to the uninitiated, the value of YouTube or Google Video is that, one, they are massively popular stand-alone sites, and, two, even more importantly, they allow you to easily re-post your videos all over the Internet on blogs and Web sites. This theoretically means that you can upload a video, email the link and get it posted to hundreds of sites within an hour).
Second Prediction: Some smart consultant(s) will figure out that posting 30-second made-for-TV ads of a well-coiffed candidate hugging his kids is kind of lame and start utilizing the immediacy of the Internet. How? By using YouTube video to provide instant responses to opponent's charges; by creating a daily vlog that allows the candidate to set the agenda for the day; and, by capturing and posting all the good thing that folks from key constituency groups said that day. Conversely, you could also video your opponent's missteps and fun shots of costumed protesters and get them up and across the Web ASAP. Bottom line, instead of totally relying on your media consultants super-charged, expensive TV ads that touched the focus group just right, you can get a few ads out a day.
Click below to see a few first generation YouTubed campaign ads.... (and hat tip to "A VC" for the posting idea and one of the ads)...
Steve Westly is a former eBay exec, so he better have his ads up, and he does. He's been pretty religious about putting his up on YouTube and has a few up on Google Video. Here's one that was posted yesterday. It's been viewed on YouTube a whopping 15 times so far...
In the spririt of equal time (something that will soon be antiquated), here's the most recent Phil Angilides for Governor ad on YouTube... It was posted a couple weeks ago and has nearly 200 hits (still tiny for YouTube). You also get the sense that a well-meaning supporter put this up and not someone with access to the original ad...
But, much more interesting, and for better or worse, YouTube gives a platform to political ads from....
The (clearly) underfunded and slightly hyperventilating (Pennsylvannia congressional ad)...
Bigots and racists...(North Carolina congressional ad)...
The bizarre...(San Diego congressional ad)...
And, of course, pirates...(successful NC State student body ad)...
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Posted by: Melchior | October 16, 2007 at 05:11 PM