Libertarian presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) is taking to the airwaves with a “fun and energetic” new ad that’s heavy on graphic animation…and gumption. The spot—titled “Big Dog”—is laden with so much lush, manly word salad that NPR’s calling it one of the “coolest commercials” of the season. “What’s up with these sorry politicians?” the ad’s gravely narrator growls. “Lots of bark, but when it’s showtime? Whimpering like little shih tzus. You want BIG CUTS? Ron Paul’s been screaming it FOR YEARS!”
Take a look:
Original, no? Actually, no. If you’ve watched any football on TV since the middle of 2008 NFL season, you’ve seen something like this:
That’s Denis “No Cure For Cancer” Leary doing a voiceover for Ford pickup trucks. Seems like Paul’s campaign is trying to appeal to the same demographic targeted by Ford when it went after “core truckers” who are into “football, NASCAR, pro bull riding, or country music.” Bloomberg Businessweek ID’d those consumers less flatteringly as “‘image’ buyers…folks who are weekend warriors/Home Depot shoppers who liked the idea of a pickup when gas was $1.50 per gallon.” The political analog for Ford’s “image” buyer, I suppose, are folks who occasionally follow politics and liked the idea of Atlas Shrugged when their college tuition was being covered by government loans. If you’re male, youngish, into proving that you’re male and youngish, and a sucker for ads that suggest you’d never be a sucker for ads, then Ford wants to be your truck, and Ron Paul wants to be your candidate.
