Attack Ads - Stop it already.

I love TV. I watch TV every night. I normally PVR through commercials but lately, whether it be laziness or just curiosity, I've sat through commercials to see what type of election campaign advertising the competing parties were going to throw at us.

What they flung at us was shit. The campaign began as negatively as the last two and half years in Parliament. It began even before the elections started. What's even worse, it can't even be called advertising - I'm ashamed that these commercials have been done by another agency who thought, this is good advertising. Who can blame them? Nothing's changed in campaign advertising - your enemy is bad, you are good and the more desperate that party becomes, the more negative the ads become.

Let's take a look at the Liberal attack ad:

Not to excuse anything that Harper has done, but let's be honest - the majority of Canadians do not care about this compared to issues that will impact their lives, like the economy and health care. Those who are offended by the Harper government's flagrant disregard for democracy have already made up their minds on which party they will vote for. If the goal of this ad is to get the swing voters, I doubt it'll swing anyone.

Now for the NDP -

A little "happier" and lighter than the doom and gloom of the Liberals - interesting use of puppet/animation. It does target a big issue that Canadians are concerned about, but spending more time talking about what the Conservatives haven't done for Health Care and less time about what you plan on doing for health care doesn't make me feel super confident in your party. However, I appreciate the fact this ad doesn't look like armageddon is happening tomorrow.

Now the Conservatives:

It's like the Liberals and Conservatives hired the same agency to produce the same ad for both camps, just switching out the leaders. Who the fuck cares that Ignatieff loves America? He's here now, he's ready to lead, how the fuck is this an election issue? Spend this money (and the time you're wasting of mine) and tell me what you plan on doing.

One would hope the Greens would do a better job:

What the fuck was that? This ad looks even scarier than all the other ones combined! It barely tells me anything about what the Greens plan on doing beside not being negative (but being negative at the same time). What happened to friendly, smiling, aloof looking Elizabeth May? Maybe she was bitter she wasn't allowed in the debates.

All in all, a terrible tone to set this early in the election campaign and another reminder to Canadians that this yet again, a useless election.