This Is Your Brain On Hope

by Todd Beeton, Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 02:41:31 PM EDT

Has anyone seen the pathetic new attack ad from Let Freedom Ring that calls Barack Obama "worse than a flip-flopper, he's Both Ways Barack"? It's like a sad attempt at replicating something Democrats might have run a cycle or two ago -- in fact it completely rips off the meme Democrats ran against Colorado's Republican gubernatorial candidate "Both ways Bob" Beauprez in 2006. Unlike the successful Both Ways Bob campaign, however, this campaign does not have any basis in reality and the folks at Let Freedom Ring apparently have no money for real graphics nor any fresh ideas. But what they do have is a platform -- they are airing the ad on MTV -- the very first political ad the network has ever aired.

In response to Let Freedom Ring's ad, MoveOn.org has decided that the second political ad MTV airs should be one with a slightly different take on Barack.

From their e-mail blast:

MTV just started accepting political ads. And the first political ad that millions of young people will see is a negative attack on Barack Obama--saying he's "worse than a flip-flopper" and accusing him of no longer being against the war. It's outrageous.
The Republicans' strategy is clear: kill the hope that's brought millions of new young voters out of the woodwork.
We can't let that happen. And as it turns out, we've got a funny, positive, hopeful way to fight back.
The "funniest ad" award winner in our Obama in 30 Seconds contest is a perfect counterpoint to the cynicism-mongering ad on MTV.

Watch it below:

It's a solid, funny ad and a perfect counter to Let Freedom Ring's lame and outdated anti-Obama campaign. MoveOn would also like to get the ad up on Comedy Central and they're calling on us to help raise the $150,000 cost of the entire adbuy -- that's just $25 from 6,000 people. So, go HERE to contribute to getting this ad on the air. MoveOn is the quintessential people-powered organization and the Obama in 30 seconds ads were produced by MoveOn members, so it's only appropriate for us to be the ones that pay to get it on the air.

Tags: 2008 Presidential election, Barack Obama, moveon.org (all tags)

Comments

24 Comments

Sort by

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

Awesome!

Man, I would love to contract hope from that brunette!
Lucky Guy!

Also, the egg thing, man for those who grew up in the 80's and then spent the next ten years watching lame parodies for "This is your brain on Drugs" frying campain, wow, FINALLY a good parody of that.

by DemsLandslide2008 2008-07-28 02:48PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

Isn't that the guy from Boy Meets World who played Shaun...

I went to High School with the Indian guy on the stool. He was in Barbershop and Barbershop 2 and has had bit rolls in several TV shows.

by yitbos96bb 2008-07-28 03:24PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

you really think that's a good ad?

gotta admit i think it's kind of lame.

by CalDem 2008-07-28 02:54PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

I will not concede Lame, not at all.

It was funny for a political junkie blogger crowd, but if I was MoveOn I wouldnt pay for TV adds showing it.

It would be a great Superbowl ad, if the SuperBowl was in October :D

by DemsLandslide2008 2008-07-28 03:08PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

Old political ads get boring with repetition, this one skews more to annoying.

by Endymion 2008-07-28 07:14PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

I like it. One concern, though. I thought outside ads could not explicitly support a candidate.

by TheUnknown285 2008-07-28 02:57PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

Hmmm, well let me preface this with the fact this this the MoveOn PAC, not the MoveOn 527.

Main difference is that a person/corporation can donate as much money as they can to a 527.

A PAC can get 5000 per person.

A political candidate can get 2300 per race (primary/general)

Now at the end of the day, any 527 liberal or conservative can run an add.

To take the higher ground (one I didnt agree with) Obama chose to ask 527's not to raise money in his name or for his campaign.

The VERY same day MoveOn closed it's 527 group and is now justing running the PAC.

For as much as I am called a Dem-purist, or an obamabot, I have to say I was disappointed in this move.

Its insider politics that America does not understand or get, and a higher ground that the republicans won't respect.

Thankfully it seems that his campaign will do just fine. And MoveOn is doing just fine.

Speaking of 527's for context and my own knowledge, are there any other famous liberal 527's out there?

by DemsLandslide2008 2008-07-28 03:06PM | 0 recs

permalink

oh come on

Moveon's 527 was technically "shut down" already. It wasn't operating so "shutting it down" wasnt really a big deal.

by sepulvedaj3 2008-07-29 05:32AM | 0 recs

permalink

I love it! Especially the egg and the

baby chick at the end, "...and this is your brain on hope." Great ad for MTV.

by Rumarhazzit 2008-07-28 03:27PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

Honestly, I don't really get this ad. It actually seems like it makes fun of Obama supporters to me.

by leshrac55 2008-07-28 03:49PM | 0 recs

permalink

I Want My MTV!

Thanks Todd, I really like this ad. It's effective, it's fun, and it defuses the anti-hope hype.

by January 20 2008-07-28 03:55PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

Is this what my money is paying for.

by Sylden37 2008-07-28 03:59PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

So you donate to MoveOn and are suprised they would make an ad like this

by DemsLandslide2008 2008-07-28 04:21PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

Why is Move On targeting one of Obama's strongest constituencies? 18-24 year olds will vote for him no matter what. It's the independents that need to be convinced of his promise.

It's also a really, really lame ad.

by rayj 2008-07-28 04:30PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

This doesn't really do it for me. But like MTV itself, maybe some people just don't get it. And maybe I am those people.

Having just watched the attack ad in question, all I can say is that although it is lame, at least there's some actual substance in there. This commercial, even if some folks find it funny, is just total fluff.

I'm not saying it's not an effective response - obviously I'm not the target audience - but if it is effective, I'm actually sort of embarrassed.

by Steve M 2008-07-28 04:30PM | 0 recs

permalink

just total fluff

careful steve hehe people might call you a meanie!

by sepulvedaj3 2008-07-29 05:34AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

Lame ad, in my opinion. They could have shrunk it to the last 5 seconds with the egg (the only actually good bit), instead of going on and on and on with a lame Hope-as-Drugs parody that's actually not very good at all for our side if you come to think of it.

I hope if people have 25 dollars to spare, they'll choose to give them to the Obama campaign directly.

by Aris Katsaris2 2008-07-28 04:45PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

This finalist in the Moveon.org contest would be far far better for MTV. (MTV itself has a long history of airing weird mini cartoons / animations for their own announcements.)

by barath 2008-07-28 05:36PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

I like that one a lot better.

by Steve M 2008-07-28 06:27PM | 0 recs

permalink

My God,

is this ad for real?

Look, SNL could run this ad unedited as parody.

Really, could you put together a more saccharine, cheesy piece? Are no MoveOn members embarrassed by the drooling sentimentality and woolliness of this?

MoveOn members: Have you no taste, sir, at long last? Have you left no taste?

by frankly0 2008-07-28 06:17PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: My God,

the ad is for MTV, get a grip. People who watch MTV will get this ad, I am related to 2 of them and they both thought it was funny.

I think too many people here are showing their age. If you are over 22, this ad wasn't really made for you.

by tlhwraith 2008-07-28 10:31PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: This Is Your Brain On Hope

well....i'm the "target demographic" for this ad, and my take-- it's not so hot. it's sort of what i would imagine would happen if a bunch of early forty-somethings sat down and decided they were going to come up with a "cool, funny" ad to pitch obama to young people. Unfortunately, it's a little like the mom with the nasty belly-ring> trying too hard!

by bluedavid 2008-07-28 09:57PM | 0 recs

permalink

I liked it.

The 18 to 22 year olds believe they are the ones who chose Obama, that he is the candidate for their generation. An ad like this just reminds them that they have to get out and vote to make it happen.

I'll ask my grandson if he thinks it's a good ad. Could be as bluedavid said, an older person's idea of what would they would like.

by GFORD 2008-07-29 01:02AM | 0 recs

permalink

all i can say about the ad is

"BOY MEETS WORLD"

Where's Tapanga!

by sepulvedaj3 2008-07-29 05:30AM | 0 recs