Gene Locke’s Ad Debuts

Not to be outdone … the Gene Locke campaign decided to release their first ad before it begins to air next week. Perhaps, they felt the pressure after both Annise Parker and Peter Brown released their second and third ads respectively. An insider informed me that Locke filmed for the ad just one week ago … last Friday … so it makes sense why they leaked to the local media that their ad was on the way and unleashed it on the public before it even hits the airwaves.

Now, let’s get one thing straight … the ad is the best one at introducing the candidate to the general public … there is not doubt that the other first adverts were hybrids of bio pieces intertwined with policy initiatives.

That being said though … this is the worst advert of them all. Such harsh words but hear me out … it isn’t because it fails to do it s job … on the contrary it introduces Locke to potential voters as this likable person that pulled himself by the boot straps to become a successful member of society. After watching this ad … I like Locke even more and it portrays him in a positive light but this is NOT the ad that Locke needed to release.

Locke is heading into a race where Brown has monopolized the airwaves for close to a month. He also has an uphill battle against a popular City Controller that has been in Houston politics for over a decade. By all accounts he is an underdog under normal circumstance but he does have the support of the big wigs and the Democratic political establishment.

To be critical of this ad should not imply that I do not support Locke … but Locke had the most to gain from this ad. I had a nice discussion with some of Locke’s staff during their first Social Media Summit and I specifically told them … if you release an ad without your text message campaign … you might as well not air the damn thing. Jesse Dickerman seemed to fight me on the issue and seemed out of touch when it came to implementing an effective media strategy.

Then again … what do I know right … they pay these guys the big bucks to consult but give me a break … they failed to use Gene Locke’s logo and instead replaced it was some generic looking one that seemed to remind me more of United Airways.

Locke’s ad should have been inspirational and thought provoking … anything short of an epic movie trailer would not have satisfied these elitist taste buds. At the end of the day the ad accomplishes what it sets out to do and other for the not so minor flaw of not implementing a call to action via their mobile campaign … the ad is will stand out compared to the other two for taking a more laid back approach to introducing Locke to Houstonians.

So, What are the other bloggers saying?

Nancy Sims states, “Overall, it’s a good ad. Locke appears very warm and genuine. Since people pay as much attention to the “look and feel” as they do the words, that should serve him well.”

Charles Kuffner states, “It’s a good effort. The spot is biographical, and Locke has a substantive resume to discuss, so it touches on a number of accomplishments that has has. Locke comes across a competent, gets-things-done kind of guy.”

Greg Wythe claims, “All in all, a nice looking spot that introduces himself. This isn't by any means bad - first ads are basically designed to be introductory in nature. But since I'm among those that was paying attention to the Mayor's race for quite a while, I'm hopeful that the second one is a bit more informative.”

Karl Thomas Musselman states, “This is a solid ad from Gene Locke, starting with the introduction and carrying on through to the end. Even though it is largely a biographical ad, the visuals are well put and there is a string of narrative that ties him to some highlighted goals, right through to a solid finish. I actually wanted to watch this ad multiple times, not because it confused me, but because it made me feel good. And I'm an Austinite.”

Martha Griffin claims, “I'm not sure reminding people he was City Attorney back in the day is all that helpful. I've talked with quite a few long-time Houstonians who when hearing that one fact - "Gene Locke was the City Attorney under Mayor Bob Lanier," shudder and ask who the alternatives are.”

Bradley Olson states, "One interesting note before the ad: Much as City Controller Annise Parker has not used the word "controller" in her two ads so far, Locke also does not refer to his current profession as a law partner at Andrews & Kurth, the perch from which he played a major role in downtown revitalization."

What did you think of the ad? Did you like it? Did you dislike it? Was it the best of the three first ads?