Vote or Die

Tomorrow is election day, and as we prepare for this year's historic election (Isn't it funny how events can be "historic" before they even occur?) we here at Drink Moxie would like to reflect on the Presidential campaign not by looking at this year's ads, but by going back to a classic ad. Actually, the classic ad, the one that started it all, that made us believe in the power of politics, the power of television, and that continues to remind us all what's at stake.

Many of you have probably seen this before. If you haven't, first of all shame on you, secondly, prepare to be enfranchised:



"Daisy," part of Johnson's 1964 campaign, was produced by DDB and its creation is credited to Tony Schwartz, an audio producer turned ad man who got his start working on baby powder commercials. (Thank you, Wikipedia.) He continued to work on a number of campaigns for other prominent Democratic candidates. He died earlier this year.

Despite being arguably the most famous political advertisement of all time, "Daisy" only aired once as a commercial. The public outrage that ensued ensured that the campaign would not run it again. But the number of times it was replayed on the news, other programs, or in private screenings (even before the YouTube era) is hard to estimate. Talk about your free advertising.

Also, despite the popular perception that this was the original "negative ad," it never even mentions the name of the opposing candidate, gives any kind of personal information about him, or even makes any specific comment about his character. (For the historically challenged, the 1964 Republican opponent was Barry Goldwater.) In his New York Times obituary, Schwartz is quoted as having said of the ad, "Frankly, I think it was the most positive commercial ever made." After all, the message simply boiled down to Lyndon Johnson encouraging people to get out and vote.

How far have we come in political advertising since 1964? Feel free to post your favorite ad from this election year or elections past (Presidential or otherwise - I am personally enamored of local races, and ballot initiatives are tops). But first, assuming you're a US Citizen and not a convicted felon (admittedly a category within which not all of my readers fall), be sure to vote.

The stakes are too high for you to stay home.