A salesman's defense of NH ad #1
Submitted by JimmyLiberty on Sun, 10/28/2007 - 15:36Some people are upset with me for being aggressive with my criticisms of critics of the first ad. Frankly, I thought their opinions were uninformed and dangerous to the campaign. Especially when many were threatening to withhold donations, calling the campaign to waste their time, and flat out threatening the campaign... when they have little experience with the subject matter.
I'm not saying the ad is great, but it's much better than most give it credit for. The acting is terrible, but that may or may not have an effect on the ads effectiveness. I know for a fact that cheesy ads can work very well, especially when the message is on target.
The message within the ad, is most important. And it's a strong one. There are several strong sales arguments. Here are most of them..
1) "I don't always agree..." This is important. It's a damaging admission that shows honesty from the Ron Paul camp. It lowers people's guard. Plus, people who have only heard of Ron Paul most likely believe they don't agree with him, because he's described as "fringe." It's a line that allows them to listen to what follows. (Notice it's the first line of his entire tv ad campaign.)
2) Social proof. Showing several different people supporting Ron Paul, bad acting or not, will build social proof. Especially if word continues to get around that they're supporters, not actors. This will encourage people to feel comfortable supporting Ron Paul, and to seek him out.
3) The pamphlet. The pamphlet the guy is holding encourages people to look at that pamphlet when they get it in the mail or some other method.
4) "Name dropping" the word "doctor." That's very strong before an election where "health care" will probably be a large topic.
5) Switching from undeclared to Republican. Throwing that in there puts the idea in the head of any one on the fences, or that needs to be reminded.
6) "New Hampshire, Live Free or Die". Shows Paul is clearly the torch-runner for that slogan.
7) Catching on. It describes the movement and people naturally want to jump aboard movements. It'll make people want to hear what Ron Paul has to say, which sets up the following ads perfectly.
My criticism of this ads critics, is that they're judging it based on the "acting" mostly, and not on how effective it will be. Granted, most of these critics have no way of judging how effective the ad will be... because they've never had experience in advertising or watching the results of ads... those results routinely make a fool out of people who claim they know what will "sell."
As I said before, I'm watching one product get more sales at around $100 than at the mid $70 range. Same product, same sales message, big difference in sales. "Common sense" would tell you that people would prefer the lower price, and you'd be wrong. These kinds of results teach people in advertising to stop assuming so much, a message that could be brought to this board.
STOP ASSUMING SO MUCH.
Again, a quote from Thomas Sowell, the prolific author who actually brought me to supporting Ron Paul in a roundabout way (I don't know if Sowell endorses Paul, but their domestic policy would be very similar):
"Perhaps it is one of the fruits of the "self-esteem" emphasis in our schools that so many people feel confident to voice strong convictions about things they know little or nothing about -- or, worse yet, are misinformed about."
I'd consider that when denouncing this ad, purely based on it's poor acting and ignoring it's purpose (which it fulfills) and effectiveness (which is yet to be seen).
It's great that others are making commercials and airing them. I think many of them are great. But none of them contain all the strong sales arguments above.
http://www.jimmyliberty.com loves Ron Paul
For all those with a
For all those with a creative streak and willingness to give the ad game a try, take a look at our new Ron Paul Ad Competition! Will be running through November and if the campaign likes what you have to say, your ad could be running in one of the key primary states before the end of the year: http://www.youtube.com/RonPaulAdCompetition.
I agree that the ad contains
I agree that the ad contains all the critical sales arguments. But those arguments have to be delivered in a believable way. It's not just about *what* you say, it is *how* you say it. And saying "I really do!" is a not-so-subconscious tell-tale sign to people that you are lying. I'm not saying that the guy was ACTUALLY lying, just that this is what is perceived whenever you say something like that. I think they should keep the basic concept and everything, just re-shoot it and do as many takes as it takes to get a convincing performance out of the "actors". Heck, the first guy in the ad is actually pretty good. They needed performances more like that throughout the ad.
Great Analysis of "Catching On" Ad
To counteract all of the viral negativity that spread yesterday and is still around today in retrospect, I have been posting links to this article. Great job!
You have made my task much easier by articulating what I have been saying on a number of sites. The negative reactions are coming from the true blue RP BASE. These folks would follow RP to hell and back.
The ad as you suggest is devoted to speaking to the non-BASE voters, which we need to win. What will get their interest is very different from what excites the BASE.
Amen to that my Brother!
Yes, I cannot agree with you more. Great observation.
In sales, perception and emotion are key. Great salemen have always sold you back, an emotion, not the product; other than basic food, clothing, and shelter, when presented with two products of similar functions within a range of budget, my experience, time after time, have shown me that people in the end, really only buy what makes them feel good, or better. So I gather from that experience that the essence of selling anything, like it or not, is based on the assumption that someone else takes what you already have, or own to begin with, and sell it back to you as if it's new and unattainable unless you buy into the said product.
That's why it feels real, or fitting to a person buying something to fulfill a need or want. Because that said product, to them, subconsciously embodied an emotional need they felt they were missing, all the while not realizing that, that person is selling back to them something they already owned to begin with. So in the end, people never really buy a product. They "buy" an emotion.
Except in our case, Ron Paul is really irreplaceable commodity in this race. No one else in the field, has the level of intellect, integrity, experience, or the common sense that Dr. Ron Paul has.
In the sales sense, everyone is a potential customer who is looking to have a need fulfilled, be it a pre-existing, want, or need, or need for emotional or supplemental fulfilment of some type. And the country needs the Good Doctor's medicine to restore the Republic and the Constitution, which is in absolute dire straits.
Also, my fellow Ron Paulites, I'd be very wary of where all the negative comments are coming from. There's been a sudden surge of negative comments, defeatist attitude, on this site, lately. I've been posting, for more or less, only in the last week or so, but been surfing this site, since its inception. So believe me when I tell you that we may have hacks, sycophants, and infiltrators from the Neocon faction camping out here. Plus, all this talk of witholding funds due to bad ad, is all nonesense, I ask you who your other alternatives are, if that is the case.
So don't fret. Believe. I assume that's why you all were inspired to begin with. A person can always sense honesty in a face, depending on your level of interacton with different types of people over the years. I'll bet most of you are with the Ron Paul because, either his message made intellectual as well as common sense to you, or that you instantly felt in your gut that we have a real sincere gentleman running for public office for the first time in our lives.
SO ENOUGH with the undue cynicism. If we were coming from such defeatist disposition, none of us will be supporting the underdog, to begin with.
Believe. Believe that Ron Paul will win the Presidency. Believe that he is winning already. While pragmatic cognizance is natural for the rational mind, you lose nothing by believing and hoping for a win, when the deck is already stacked against you, to begin with. You lose nothing, but you can win everything. You manifest what you internally believe in. Everything outside of us, first began with an honest inspired intent, inside of us.
Believe, but act in accordance with that belief. As the saying goes, the Universe/God helps those who help themselves.
Ron Paul 2008, BELIEVE IT!
Amen to your Amen, Bleu!
Sales guy here too. We were (accurately) told years ago that there are only two things people ever buy: (1) good feelings or (2) a solution to a problem. With Ron, we get the best of BOTH worlds! He is someone we can "feel good" about putting in the White House knowing what we see and hear is what we get-- consistently! And the second is also true in that he does have a plan of action to solve many of the problems we currently face.
I also agree with you regarding many of the negative and divisive comments. I'm all for "constructive criticism" but that's not what's happening when people post "I'm going to withhold funds if...."
Those of us who bought into this campaign are still buying in. Why? Because of two things: a good feeling and the solution to our problems!
Keep on selling...!
I wonder if
members of the online RP community needs a little introspection. This might be news to some, so I will state it:
The college and the online communities alone WILL NOT get Ron Paul elected.
Without the 50+-year-old crowd RP has no chance of winning. Remember: the primary goal is not to advance ideas, but to GET RON PAUL ELECTED.
This ad (shockingly, to some) does not appeal to the college/online community. This is intentional: it is not addressed to them!
Now, go make more online ad for the online community; the campaign has to make ads for the TV crowd.
Good Video
I agree with this posting 100%. Here's why. I was definitely turned off by politics and thought all politicians were crooks. The first time I saw Ron Paul was on a documentary which I'm sure most of you all have seen, "Freedom to Fascism." He came off as a genuine person in that documentary and I believe that this commercial captures that essence. You can not ever agree with someone all the time, and the media has been smearing him continuously. Talking to people about him on the street has shown me that if they've heard of him, they either LOVE him, or they have heard only bad things. This opening line of the people saying that they don't agree with everything is, in my opinion, brilliant. And I certainly don't care about the acting. The message is right on. You all are being WAY too critical.
Ron Paul is my hero :)
I've had careers in both
I've had careers in both marketing AND campaigning, so I can say from a position of authority that this is NOT a bad ad. The acting is terrible, yes, but the post is correct, it does convey a LOT of important information. As such, it's a good tool for the campaign. In the future, I'd rather they do a few extra takes of each actor saying their lines, but all in all it's a good commercial.
PHONY, FAKE and CHEESY SALESMEN
I've had 35 years of successful sales and marketing experience. I attribute that to being HONEST and TRUTHFUL with my clients.My clients buy my services because they TRUST me. When I encounter a PHONY,FAKE and CHEESY salesman with their "SCRIPTED" sale pitch, I'm turned off, and don't TRUST them or their "PRODUCT". The people will not BUY our "PRODUCT" Ron Paul, even though he is HONEST, TRUTHFUL and TRUSTWORTHY because the sales is PHONY, FAKE and CHEESY. AD #1 is HORRENDOUS and will DAMAGE Ron Paul's credebility DEEPLY!! The ad needs to be PULLED PERMANATELY!!! Even some of the RP supporters in ad #1 AGREE!! Replace it with ad #2 a good HONEST ad pure "Ron Paul"!! All the other candidates are DISHONEST. Why would you want to throw Ron Paul into that cesspool of DISHONESTY when he's the only one that stands with INTEGRETY, HONESTY and TRUTH !!!
How do you know?
You already know a great deal about Ron Paul. Most people have only heard the garbage fed to them by the media. The ad is brilliant because it counters that media bias and presents Ron not in a positive light, but as a real person. I really don't see how this is making you angry. Stop being so critical.
Ron Paul is my hero :)
Excellent anaylisis
Spot on.
So bad it's good??
If FEMA were commissioned to do an ad for Ron Paul, I don't think they could have done any worse. Still, the publicity over the "controversy" could end up being an unintended positive "blowback."
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1st of MANY ads...!
Let's keep some perspective here, folks. This is/was the first of MANY ads to come, plus it was "targeted" for NH voters, not the whole nation. It's just that we are so wired into this campaign, we take it as something "personal" if we don't agree with every line and move. Already there has been notable support for the second ad with Ron himself. Guess what? There will be more, and more and more. Let's not lose perspective or focus.
There will always be the internet, our first and foremost means of targeted education, unlimited in its creativity as we've seen by the many, MANY videos online. There are also the grassroots efforts of signage, mailings, Meet Ups, and so on. We are now also seeing Ron get more exposure via interviews such as The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, The View and others.
Let's not get carried away in our criticism of these initial ads. We have a looooooooong way to go and there will undoubtedly be things we all don't necessarily agree with, but just keep it in perspective and within the context of the big picture :-)
See "New NH TV ad MUCH BETTER!" forum
I left you a reply there, JeffnDallas.
ALL YOU GUYS should check out what we discussed earlier re the ads at that forum. It might cheer you up!
Jimmy Liberty - spot on!
Well said, well said.
People need to get some perspective aswell. The ad's alright.
Not actors, NH residents
They are not actors. They are genuine Ron Paul supporters who have the real benefit - for the purposes of the ad - who live in New Hampshire.
They are people many other people in the state will recognize, making the ad one giant set of personal endorsements for Ron Paul.
Only one complaint I can see about the Ad
Dr. Paul needed to be similing in the intro.
Of course the people in the ad weren't actors. THAT'S THE POINT!
It was simple, crisp, clean, and concise.
I agree with you on all
I agree with you on all points, but still, acting could be better.
(No offense to supporters in the video).
Why not have all those points covered with good acting?
Might help...
It might help if the acting was better. But it might help even more if the press talks about the ad being composed of being real supporters. Sure, it's bad acting... but I'm not so sure that will really matter as far as results.
http://www.jimmyliberty.com loves Ron Paul
completely agree
Excellent points. The ad is for old people, plain and simple. Seniors don't want to support someone seen as crazy (hence the comment, you don't have to agree with everything, plus it gets their attention at the beginning and then ends on a positive note), they want someone who's a doctor and they want that doctor to be honest.
It's genius. Old people, for the most part, don't have ADHD and don't need or want flashy graphics or slick production. They remember black and white TV, and for that matter, they remember when there was no TV.
Finally, have you ever watched some old movies with horribly bad acting? Even some classics have terrible acting in them. People forgive that because they know it's movies/tv/whatever.
----------------
Sorority Girl Gets Ron Paul License Plate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtdaK1UPNkQ
haha
Thanks for the support.
There are old movies with great acting too. Some of the "horrible acting" from old movies can be attributed to "stage actors", who have to be more dramatic because they're farther away. Watch "A Street Car Named Desire," Brando was fantastic.
http://www.jimmyliberty.com loves Ron Paul
Another point I'd like to hit home...
Is that the success of the 2nd ad (that people seem to like better) depends heavily on this first ad... because of the damaging admission, social proof and "catching on" slogan.
http://www.jimmyliberty.com loves Ron Paul
Still bad
It's still bad because it gives little or no information, is unartistic, the message can't be remembered, and should be pulled.
I can show you 3 or more similar ads that are much better. Heck I could have done a better one myself if I had the time to fool with video editing programs.
I'm still wondering how you can think these are real actors if the acting is so bad? They are supporters plain and simple, and the ones I've talked to don't like the ad either and want it pulled.
Thank you, Jane. Your words are very reassuring.
I read your article about being directly involved with the campaign and that you will be giving them direct feedback. Your comments really put my mind at ease. It is very, very reassuring to know that we have a liaison between the grassroots and HQ. And after reading your post and realizing that you are reading the threads concerning the ads I have a lot more trust and confidence that you will represent us well and give them fantastic feedback. Thanks a million for everything you do!!!
Cole N., Marina del Rey, CA
delete
oops, sorry, double-post.
Well..
I try not to stick my nose in where not wanted, but I was asked for my opinion. I knew they were making this but wondered just what the format would be. It's ironic because if you see candid shots of that same woman here in this video, what she says is so much more natural. You will recognize her at around 4:29
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmfj14vFS54
This is what I'm talking about...
(I understand they're supporters, not "real" actors. I stated that.)
But again, why do you think it should give more information? I think that's the wrong approach for the first ad, because of reasons above. The "damaging admission" will lower people's guards so they DO listen to the more information filled ads to follow. Like the 2nd ad.
3 or more similar ads that are much better... in what way? Production quality? Do they make you tingle? How about effectiveness and the overall "message?"
The sales tools I mentioned are very powerful and are packed neatly in to the first ad. It's an important ad. It could have been made better... but again, I'm not going to say that would have increased it's effectiveness.
http://www.jimmyliberty.com loves Ron Paul
I agree with a lot of the
I agree with a lot of the points you made but the production quality is bad and I hope they will pull it and reshoot. If the supporters are open to it they can be coached to relax in front of the camera and just be themselves so as to come across more sincere and enthusiastic not like they are reading a script. The opening shot is not great. It looks like he is in front of a blue screen or green screen. The background needs to be improved. A lot of the talking points were good and the idea of social support from those in the community is fantastic and complimentary as some have said previously. However, I must STRONGLY disagree about the opening statement. It was TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE please do NOT insert at the beginning. This is an immediate turn off and make RP look like a joke. "Ha Ha Ha, this is a campaign video. His own people don't even agree with him. What a bunch of idiots to put this in their promotional commercial." Most of the public has heard these political ads for years and this opening is much more damaging than potentially beneficial. People will not "let their guards down" they will dismiss him entirely and tune out the rest of the ad. I think it is a powerful statement because it let's people know "hey, it's still okay to vote for him even if you don't agree with everything he says" but it absolutely MUST NOT be at the beginning. Putting it towards the end after people are engaged in the ad and have heard some positive discussion about the good doctor is a much better strategy. It is a good "closer" but not a good "opener".
On first ad
........even though we're over it now! In thinking about it, probably should say, "I don't always agree with everything he says, but I agree with him a lot more than any of the other candidates," just might be the ticket.
Just my 2 cents, which equals about a thousand dollars in comments on dailypaul in the past 6 months.
Bob W., Naples, FL
It's imperative
It's imperative that it's the opener. The MSM paints Ron as an extreme figure. So most people who've heard of him, assume they don't agree with him.
Many of my friends have become Ron Paul supporters. One friend, who is a mainstream Republican, was disgusted when I said I liked Ron Paul. Because she had only heard the media's assessment.
The damaging admission at the beginning gives people permission to listen to the ad with an open mind. They won't listen to a word he says if it's at the end. It completely loses it's purpose.
http://www.jimmyliberty.com loves Ron Paul