It’s 2018, and the race to replace term-limited Georgia Governor Nathan Deal is heating up…and so is a new trend in political advertising!
On May 22, 2018, Georgia voters will head to the polls (if not before) to cast their vote for a variety of races, including who will represent the Democrats and Republicans in the race for governor, to be held in November.
In recent days, I’ve noticed television ads by at least two Republican candidates that include actors that are supposed to look like other Republican opponents.
The first commercials using I saw using lookalikes were issued by the campaign of businessman and former Navy SEAL Clay Tippins. Here is one of them:
The most notable opponent lookalike is that of Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, who is also running for governor this year. Cagle is depicted by the man wearing bold framed glasses in the men’s clothing store—a reference to his background in operating a tuxedo shop. Cagle has served as the state’s lieutenant governor since 2007.
Tippins’ ad also features a lookalike of former state senator Hunter Hill. Hill is also running for governor and his campaign is now running this ad, also prominently featuring a Cagle lookalike:
So, this must be the hot new marketing strategy for political campaigns—mock your opponents by throwing in doppelgängers in political ads. Nevermind pointing out a person’s experience or lack thereof, or policy positions! I just want good old-fashioned mud-slinging ads, not theatrical performances!
In reality, I think we could do without both, don’t you agree?
The ads are so comical that I don’t take the candidate seriously. Unfortunate Rich, most voters don’t care what the politician’s policies would be, they simply vote for a name they recognize or straight party line.
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