Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Ads of the Damned: Scott Walker, "Results"



After moving in the right direction, Scott Walker's latest TV ad regresses. It looks a lot like Walker's first spot, "Salary," and that's not a good thing.

First and foremost: way too long. We actually turned off the ad at around 0:43. For that reason alone we're going to fail it. This ad should have been half as long.

There are two really hard and ugly edits at around the 0:20 and 0:40. If you're going to do an ad like this, it's gotta be in one take -- and that means reading the script with the camera in the talent's face as many times as it takes until he gets it right. If the talent can't do it, get some b-roll to mask the audio cuts.

Lastly, the print on screen is too light, does not contrast well with the background and, thus, is hard to read and ultimately distracting. Instead of emphasizing the script, it's drawing attention away from the audio, and that's counterproductive.

Bottom line: viewers need a reason to keep paying attention to the ad and this one doesn't offer one.

Final Grade: F

Previously on Ads of the Damned:

"Roll Tide"
"Spots from the Hinterlands"
Sean Duffy, "Untitled"
Greater Wisconsin Committee, "Remember"
Citizens United, "No on Obamacare"
Mark Neumann, "Insiders"
60 Plus Association, "Deals"
Mark Neumann, "No Bailouts"
Terrence Wall, "Fed Up"
Scott Walker, "Saturn"
National Republican Congressional Committee: "David Obey: Obama's Spending Architect"
Scott Walker: "Brown Bag"
Russ Feingold: "Forward"
Mark Neumann: "Kicked Off"
Democratic National Committee: "Shots"
Americans for Prosperity: "Tracy Walsh"
American Future Fund: "Pig"
Scott Walker: "Salary"
Terrence Wall: "Rebuild"

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