A better ad

Being that my ipod is broken, this morning I was flipping through the radio stations on my way to work and caught Thao Dill talking about the recently launched UBP cartoon. He suggested it is so bad that even he feels sorry for them, to which I've got to say I agree.  He said he felt like writing them a better ad because he feels so bad for them and he got me thinking that I could do the same.

Here's the ad I'd make if I were the UBP, it'd be a take off of the "I'm a Mac and I'm a PC" ads from Apple to capture a bit of popular culture that many people are familiar with and offer a parody to poke fun at the structure of local campaigning by each party.

 

Setting

UBP: Young Bermudian dressed in a suit

PLP:  Young Bermudian dressed in jeans and PLP paraphernalia (Green PLP t-shirt and Green PLP #1 novelty finger) 

Background: all white like "I'm a mac" ads

 

Script

UBP:  "Hi, I'm a UBP supporter"

PLP:  "and I'm a PLP supporter"

UBP:  "We're here to talk to you about the issues for the coming election"

PLP:  Produce noisemaker, banners and flags from behind back.

UBP:  Attempt to speak

PLP:  blow noisemaker in the ear of UBP as UBP attempts to talk, jump up and down, wave and attempt to distract the viewer from paying attention to the UBP supporter. 

PLP:  wave banners, shout "all the way PLP, PLP all the way" while running back and forth across the screen, in and out of camera view as if sprinting across a huge room with a PLP banner flying past the screen

UBP:  Calmly pull out a tv remote control from pocket and point it at PLP, pressing pause button

PLP:  stops mid action, perfectly still as if paused

UBP:  "The PLP is going to do it's best to distract you away from dealing with the issues"

UBP:  "Real issues that impact the lives of Bermudians that need to be addressed like housing, crime, etc". 

UBP:  "Issues with solutions the UBP is proposing that we'd like you to study and compare against the PLP's proposed solutions to determine if we're the right choice for Bermuda's future"

UBP:  "On December 18th, make the right choice for our future"

UBP:  point remote back at PLP and press play

PLP:  continues jumping up and down, distracting until he realizes UBP has stopped talking.

PLP:  Compose himself, face camera and put a contented smirk on face as if success has been achieved in distracting the audience while having no idea that UBP paused things.

end.

Comments

[Letariatpro]

Nice job, UBP should get you on the payroll, hell, I should get you on my payroll!

Thinking about it though, I would have them introduced "Hello, I am the UBP" and "Hi, I am the PLP"

That way you would not be taking a stab at PLP supporters, only the politicians.

[32n64w]

very good idea ...

[Hi my name is Somers and I am Bermudian]

Classic... made me laugh.

[MAT]

I like the fish ad because it shows things the way the PLP wants us to see it. Remember the Then Minister said BHC was not having issues I worked in GOVT and saw otherwise

[silencedogood]

Great job. I get the message of the fish ad, but the ad concept is just plain clumsy and bizarre. You would think they test these ads...

[the truth]

That would be a funny ad. The fish stuff didn't quite work, but I don't think it was intended as an 'ad', more like an amusing diversion in the face of some real nastiness coming from the other side. Unfortunately when these things don't work they really don't work. But it's a minor event in the campaign. And the PLP screaming racism is even worse than the ad itself.

[ken]

But remember you arent a UBP supporter, right Denis? You are non-partisan.

Right........

[DeOnion]

Brilliant.

[Denis Pitcher]

Ken,

If I were a 'UBP supporter', I'd be running as a candidate for them this election and full well dedicating the time to give them a leg up in their campaigning. If I were a UBP supporter there'd be no way I'd be allowing such crappy fish ads being let out to the public.

If Thao Dill (A 'PLP supporter') can suggest that he feels so bad for the UBP for their crappy ad that he's going to put together an ad for them, why can't I?

[ken]

Denis

Your rationale makes no sense. You can support a party and do much more for the party than be a candidate.

I just find it interesting that you declare yourself to be neutral but your work speaks otherwise. it is ok if you are a closet UBPer.

If you were really neutral, as you profess to be, why don't you do a write up on what a PLP ad on the UBP should be like?

[Denis Pitcher]

Ken,

Over the last 2 years I have given a great deal of contemplation to running as a candidate in this election. If I believed strongly in either party, I would have run for them.

However, because I don't strongly believe in either party and have come to the realisation that running alone now would do more to damage my reputation, career and future prospects I decided to abstain from running.

Despite this, I shall still need to vote in the coming election for the party that I feel closest represents my views and if you go back to when I wrote an open letter to our leaders on both sides in January of 2006 (http://www.limeyinbermuda.com/latest_news/2006/01/an_open_letter_.html), you'll note what issues I feel strongest about and can deduce who has come the furthest in living up to them.

If you think that means I'm a 'closet UBPer' then so be it, I don't stop you from making any conclusion you want even if I disagree with it. This is my blog and noone forces you to read it and I operate it at a net loss. Noone pays me for my opinion.

However, if the UBP do win the next election, don't hold the false expectation that I'm suddenly going to stop being critical of things I disagree with as I far from believe the UBP is ideal, but at least they've committed to the kind of reform that the PLP should have implemented years ago. The reform that the PLP promised and then renegged on and have had full opportunity to implement.

If the UBP does win I know you'll be praying for the reforms they proposed to ensure that they're not corrupt and suspect you will gladfully stand by my side in a rally outside of Dunkley's house demanding they live up to their promises of reform should they even think to reneg after they've won.

[Howard]

Mate,

Funny? Yes

Insulting? Yes

Bad Taste? Yes

Overwhelming Partisian? Yes

Does it help to balance the scales? No

This election has got the worst of people(yourself included) on all sides left right and moderate. I can't wait till its over.
I've been home for 16yrs, make close to 100K and enjoy a reasonably comfortable life..... me and my expat wife have chosen to purchase real-estate elsewhere and are planning an exit strategy. Until then, we'll keep milking the cow like everyone else has been doing(and I do mean everyone). More and more Bermudians are looking at Bermuda differently now, not as 'home' but as a business. When business gets bad enough, I'm gone with no strings (or money) attached.

[Denis Pitcher]

Howard,

"me and my expat wife have chosen to purchase real-estate elsewhere and are planning an exit strategy. Until then, we'll keep milking the cow like everyone else has been doing(and I do mean everyone). More and more Bermudians are looking at Bermuda differently now, not as 'home' but as a business. When business gets bad enough, I'm gone with no strings (or money) attached."

Do think the position is different for others (myself included)?