MA Gubernatorial Candidates Looking for an Edge in TV Advertising
Wednesday, October 08, 2014
Both campaigns had been pumping out advertisements that appear both on television and online, in an effort to great appeal to voters for the upcoming election.
“Right now, I think it is a wash from an advertising perspective,” said Tobe Berkovitz, Associate Professor of Advertising at Boston University. “Neither campaign has had a break out ad or an ad that has caused problems. Both candidates are trying to nail down key demographics of voters that they need support from. It may not be the most important part of a campaign, but it is certainly a needed part; not advertising could lead to one candidate overshadowing another’s message.”
Coakley has been outspent in television advertising compared to Baker until more recently, but the current Massachusetts Attorney General holds the advantage of beginning as the more well-known and well-liked candidate.
Two Candidates, Two Strategies
Because Coakley began with the advantage of being more well known, she has been able to target specific groups and initiatives with her advertising; most recently her television advertisement in Spanish has garnered her the endorsement of the Massachusetts Latino Democratic Caucus.
While Baker hasn’t shied away from releasing television advertisements, his strategy has been much more broad and welcoming. Featuring family members and broad messages about how he is a proven jobs creator, Bakers ads have focused on making him a family man, the type of guy that you wouldn’t mind voting for or having as a next door neighbor.
The SuperPAC Debate
Another portion of the television advertisement equation is SuperPAC groups who release advertisements designed to destroy a candidates reputation.
The most recent SuperPAC controversy in the Baker v. Coakley feud was an ad released by a national SuperPAC in support of Baker. This ad – which Coakley and Coakley’s supporters have called on Baker to disavow – accuses Coakley of ignoring the mismanagement of the state’s Department of Children and Families and also implies that her inaction resulted in abuse, neglect, and even death.
There is no one in the Commonwealth who has done more to protect kids than Martha Coakley,” said Steve Kerrigan, Coakley’s running mate for Lt. Governor. “For Charlie Baker and his national Republican friends to run this misleading attack ad to question Martha’s commitment to keeping kids safe is unconscionable. We already knew that Charlie Baker would say anything to get elected, but using abused kids as a political tool steps far over the line. Charlie should immediately disavow this disgusting ad and call on his SuperPAC to pull it down immediately.”
And while Coakley has repetitively talked about how SuperPACs have no place in elections and that candidates should sign a people’s pledge, MassGOP points to a recent Boston Herald article where Coakley dodged questions about her utilizing of a Super PAC advertisement to aid her own campaign.
“The Boston Herald's Jaclyn Cashman couldn't get a call back from Attorney General Martha Coakley's campaign to explain how the AG can blast Super PACs while turning a blind eye to ads that bolster her cash strapped campaign,” said MassGOP in a press release. “It's not surprising the AG ducked the Boston Herald - Beacon Hill double-talk is hard to explain to voters.”
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