Aren’t we lucky! New campaign ads have started to hit the airwaves in the L.A. and Sacramento media markets. And by the looks of the races up and down the state, we’re going to be seeing a lot more in the weeks and months to come.
For weeks now, Rick Caruso has been the only candidate on TV in Los Angeles. His ads deliver a warm-fuzzy-everyone loves the guy with his “Caruso Can” message and comes across as the guy next door (if you live among the 1% in a gated community). But now, L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva‘s campaign for re-election, and L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer‘s campaign for Mayor has joined the mix while Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones’ Congressional campaign is hitting the Sacramento market. All campaigns are taking different, yet attention-grabbing approaches.
Jones’ ad promoting his run for the 3rd Congressional District boldly touts that he stood up to Black Lives Matter and stopped the riots in Sacramento, as well as his support for former President Trump.
Villenueva’s ad definitely grabs a viewer’s attention. However, Calpeek wonders why two of the three female actors are wearing skimpy clothes. Does the campaign’s media budget not include pants? But, again, it caught our attention. We’re choosing to skip over the fact that the incumbent Sheriff is criticizing the rise in crime while he’s been the person in charge of stopping crime for the last few years.
The Feuer ad is also engaging. Like Calpeek, it has some fun with politics. And, most importantly, it has a cute dog. It delivers a good message, but we also wonder about the first meeting with the media strategists when they suggested the “underdog” theme. The real irony of the ad is that, in a recent debate, Feuer told an audience that he has never owned a pet. Apparently, political candidates can borrow a pet when needed to save the day.
The real question is: Can Feuer’s Underdog help the Sheriff fight crime?
No, I do not think Feuer has ever prosecuted a case in his life…