Thoughts on Obama's Infomercial

According to Nielsen Media Research, about 21% of US households viewed Barack Obama's infomercial last night. While that suggests that many refrained from watching, perhaps having already made up their minds or just being sick and tired of 24-7 political speak, a substantial number of people tuned in. When compared to ratings earned by other shows, the most viewed show of the previous week was Dancing with the Stars, which earned a rating of just 12!

If a network sold ad space on Obama's show, a 21 rating would be considered a raging success. To put it in perspective, last year's Super Bowl rated 57 - but hey, that's the Super Bowl.

Here's a question - estimates of the cost to air that 30 MINUTE commercial on prime time television on 5 networks are running at $4 million plus. Why was it only $4 million?? The price to air on CBS and NBC ran under a million each. Yet ad units are estimated at over $100,000 on prime time networks. Obama's ad buy should have hit $4 million just on NBC and CBS alone. Why the price break? What would McCain have been asked to pay for those ad units?

Was it effective? Only time (and votes) will tell. But I hope it sent a very startling message to everyone. Obama meant the ad as a well-scripted, heavily produced pitch. But he also gave his critics ammunition.

I cringed when I heard his say "I am my brother's keeper." We are a free country and a capitalistic society. We decide each for ourselves whether to serve in the capacity of keeper and for whom we will extend these kindnesses.

This article from the AP lays out point by point the misrepresentations present in Obama's infomercial. Like any ad, one should not accept each assertion as truth. We must ask whether the motives of the source and the past behavior of the source warrant our trust that the assertions made are true.

Media analysts are mixed on their assessments of the ad. Some say it was overscripted, over produced, and will alienate voters. Others way it was moving and emotional - just like the best in advertising.

Many times I've heard ad execs say that the only way to the heart of a consumer (and his or her wallet) is through emotion. Obama is a product and a brand, but this is the highest risk buying decision we will make for some time to come. Make your purchase decision with logic over emotion, with reason over affect.