Packaged Goods

Barack Obama's infomercial -- fairly long on the mercial and comparatively short on the info, or at least on new info -- was moving and effective. It was also slick and sleek, like its protagonist. It seems pretty clear from the post-show cable stitchers and the Internet that it's going to work the way it was supposed to -- that is, get Obama across as a believable Chief Executive, show him as 100% American and a survivor of tough times, and dispel the remaining cloud of exoticism that still hovers around him, partly thanks to the McCain campaign's "Who Is He?" tactics. It doesn't seem as though it will backfire the way some Obama supporters feared it might. The only problems with it were a) it was almost frightening in its propagandistic effectiveness and b) there was a touch of messianism in some of the camera angles, the Riefenstahlian stadium shots, and the live switch to Florida, whose timing was so exquisitely precise as to impress anyone in the media and surely strike even more fear and trembling into the heart of the GOP campaign.

Barack Obama may be a New Man for a New Age -- I hope and even believe that he is -- but his way of winning this election, if he does, is a sort of apotheosis of modern advertising and packaging and big-budget electioneering, with a touch of idolatrous fever. There is almost certainly no choice but take this route, but still, I just wonder if a deep conflict of values doesn't lie at the heart of this evidently necessary compromise.

Comments

[carrieanna]

Ha, from other reader's comments I think I'm in the minority as well. I am very pro-Obama (already voted for him) but I felt the ad was a bit of a puff piece...at least for me. I had expected him to be a bit more specific on some issues but I suppose I'm not the target audience and definitely hadn't bought into the "Who is he?" attacks from McCain.

The thing I thought was most interesting is that instead of complaining about any anti-Muslim or anti-black bias in the media, Obama used the free market to his advantage. Whenever candidates complain about bias, I'm usually surprised that they don't find ways to overcome this perceived issue. In this manner, Obama has proven himself a modern and intelligent candidate and more pro-business than his challenger.

[MrJoyboy]

When millions of idiots have the right to vote, you have to aim your commercials pretty low.

[Ladybrain]

You obviously don't remember W.'s high-production-value video of himself riding in a pickup with a dog (and I'm not sure there was a gun, but of course it was very easy to imagine one there). Be GRATEFUL for Barack.

[exxman]

With so many voters still supposedly undecided I don't see any "conflict of values" at all. It was a half hour presentation of what an Obama presidency stands for. It wasn't aimed at those of us who have made up their minds. It was a final packaging of what Obama has been talking about for the last two years. Yes, it pulled out all the stops but it did so with a positive upbeat message. It sure beats the gloom and doom fear mongering of the McCain campaign. I'm pretty clear on which one I want running the country. Hopefully it helped a lot of the undecideds made a decision too.

[DanniD]

Mr. Menaker you said...

"his way of winning this election, if he does,is a sort of apotheosis of modern advertising and packaging and big-budget electioneering, with a touch of idolatrous fever."

Isn't that sort of like the way that you used all of those keyword tags to get this blog noticed? Hmm?

[peachesmahoney]

Daniel, this is an excellent blog. I felt the same way. I am already going to vote for the man so I did not need the commercial to learn more. Thank goodness because I too felt it was light on actual content. I get that aggressive marketing is now a necessary evil but I wish it wasn't. The whole thing is just sort of tacky and kind of a turn off.I was half expecting the announcer to say at the end "If you order Barrack Obama now, you'll get this pasta maker, a $400 dollar value absolutely free!"
Like I said, I am voting for Barrack Obama but this current brand of mass political marketing really leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[DarkWitch]

I disagree. I think "propagandistic effectiveness" and "the Riefenstahlian stadium shots" are unfair ways to describe the spot just because it was done professionally and well. I also think the spot had more information about the candidate's positions and plans than anything I have seen from the Republicans.

I'm a lot more fearful of continued Republican rule of this country than I am of the supposed "conflict of values" this spot represents. To me, the message is much more important than the packaging. As for values, I think the last 8 years under the Republicans has pretty much shown me what "values" they want to run this country by, and I much prefer the values Obama expresses.

[Terriac]

My take on the Obama infomercial is that is was well done, and conveyed the messages he wanted to convey. As for the slickness, that connotes something negative and I don't agree with that at all. First of all, I have often felt that candidates have a difficult time getting their messages to those so-called low information voters. Those same voters are vulnerable to smear tactics that negatively distort a candidate. Being able to gain the attention, for even a few moments, of voters who might otherwise miss the stump speeches, don't read the candidate's webpages and do their own research, can allow the candidate to get a look at him or her as they tell the country what their vision as our leader involves. That is good thing. And I do think it's necessary. And if they have the means to do it, then it's smart campaigning. Obama and his campaign have run a smart campaign and I believe that's how he will run the country.

[notconfindtweenhatnboots]

In modern American politics, elections are won either the Rove way or the Axelrod way. The Rove way involves lies, rumors, robotcalls, dirty ads, voter suppression, and somehow getting churches to tell their congregates that they will burn for eternity if they vote for the other time. Yes, Axelrod's way is slick and sleek. But Americans are used to - and even comforted by that. Technology mixed with media is omnipresent in our culture and at last we have a leader who can weild it to his advantage. Doesn't this show that he understands what America does best?

Why should we expect campaign commercials supposed to look like they were made at the local community college media room?

[allwrite]

The word 'slick', as it has evolved, implies an element of deception. Is that what you mean?

[TheAntiSheep]

"a sort of apotheosis of modern advertising and packaging and big-budget electioneering"

That's the world we live in here in the west, now. Everyone is pigeon-holed by mass media and advertising gurus and even being a quirky individualistic type who can't easily be marketed at puts you into a marketing demographic.

Either you play the media game, or your campaign fails. The key difference this election is that the Democratic candidate's media savvy and working budget are way higher than his Republican opponent's. Usually it's been the other way around.

[MathIsTruth]

99% of the reason that Obama is where he is now is because of who he is, what his ideas are, what his philosophies are, how brilliant he is, and how hard he worked to get where he is.

1% of the reason is the slick "packaging", which of course was made necessary due to the large number of people in this country, who sadly would judge him by the color of his biological packaging.

I honestly don't understand the motivation behind the "sour grapes" tone of this article.

[walkthewalk]

Do you want the polished, professional, perfectly organized and timed Barack Obama or the rough, amateurish, erratic and divisive John McCain to lead America at this most challenging of times?

Barack Obama has had one theme throughout this endless campaign. John McCain has been throwing every tactic up against the wall to see what sticks. Barack Obama has been steady every day. John McCain has been all over the place from day to day. Barack Obama offers us hope. John McCain offers us fear. Barack Obama wants to unite us. John McCain needs to divide us.

The idea of the marketing of a candidate or a war as a consumer product is nothing new. The only question is whether we're buying something or someone we want and need. I believe that America and Americans want and need Barack Obama.

[nestormcdade]

No matter how many SAT words you throw out, it still sounds petty.

[BBDisk]

"The morning after the election, the disappointment will begin to settle upon the Obama crowd. Defeat -- by now unthinkable to the devotees -- will bring heartbreak. Victory will steadily deliver the sobering verdict that our troubles won't be solved by a leader's magic."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122533157015082889.html

Our troubles will not be solved by a magic man, a gladiator, a hero, a messiah. Obama has become too big to be real, too good to be true.