US Midterm Election Ads
YouTube has attracted mainstream media attention for more than just Google’s acquisition price. YouTube serves as the perfect outlet for amateur videos of U.S. political gaffes during the current midterm elections.
Perhaps in an effort to attract some attention themselves, it is remarkable to see the lengths that both Republicans and Democrats are going to this Fall with their advertising strategies. The Tennessee Senate attack ad featured by The New York Times this morning looks like it was produced as a lark by the RNC, but then someone mistakenly put it on air anyway. Perhaps they should have produced the ad, and “leaked” in on YouTube to generate some viral buzz.
Oh, and by the way, this attack ad stuff usually works.
MRM
YouTube has also had an impact on the senate race in Virginia where George Allen’s racist remark was captured on tape and uploaded to YouTube. In that case, the remark was “egged on” by a worker for Democrat James Webb who trailed Allen for days. If Webb beats the incumbent Republican it will be thanks to YouTube for taking what was said – and then repeated for emphasis – in front of a small group and bringing the offensive words to mainstream media attention. With such help, some candidates can defeat themselves faster than any attack ad.