New Method of Political Ads

Currently we are just three weeks away from the November election, but political advertisements are still trying to reach out to voters. The latest ad comes from an independent organization, sending brochures with new technology to people in Mid-Missouri. ABC 17 News got a hold of one of the brochures targeting the senate race, specifically congressman Todd Akin. The pamphlet is like a birthday card it plays audio, but this time it’s statements from Todd Akin in past interviews. It’s a new political ploy hoped to sway undecided voters, however people we spoke were not happy to see or hear it. American bridge 21st century is sending the negative advertisements. “It’s fair game, it’s an attack ad it’s a negative ad, they work, they work because they appeal to peoples emotions,” said Terry Smith who is a political analyst. ABC 17 News called both the campaigns to see if it appealed to their emotions. Senator Claire McCaskill’s campaign never got back to our station, but Congressman Todd Akin’s representatives had a strong reaction to the ploy.Rick Tyler the Senior advisor to Akin’s campaign said, “I think its sophomoric and infantile and it demonstrates a non seriousness and we are dealing with a serious issue.”The group behind the advertisement said they wanted to remind people of Akin’s statements. $37 Thousand dollars was spent on the brochures, and women in rural areas were the ones targeted. However, when ABC 17 News questioned the context of the statements their representative Matt Thornton said, “These are not things we have pulled out of context or we edited they are very specific statements he made.”We then asked political analysts if the statements were taken out of context and Smith said “Well of course but then that’s politics, and it’s not any sort of ethical problem. He did say those words its in his own voice which is I think what makes it unusually affective.” Although it may be affective, the question remains will it impact voters? ABC 17 News reporters went to find out.Sarah Swartz from Columbia did not think it would sway voters and neither did Arianna Horne from Columbia. “People who don’t know and people who get shocked by this stuff that’s who it is going to affect,” said Matt Ems from Columbia. When asked if he thought it would sway those voters he said, “yeah I think so, definitely.”Political analysts said most likely voters already have their minds made up.