Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Watching Mia Love's TV ad with the sound off

Last night I was riding the stationary bike at the gym, a rarity or me, and watching news coverage of the GOP convention. Right after the local news did a story on Mia Love's speech at the convention, it cut to commercial. And guess whose ad was on first at the break? You guessed it.

Since it was the gym, I could not have listened to the ad if I wanted to. At any event, I think it was a good test to see what was conveyed to this who were not wanting to pay attention to her commercial, the median voter she and Jim Matheson are trying to woo.

The images were her face and Mitt Romney's mug over and over, some times side by side. The text was even less subtle, with the words "Love stands with Romney on" and then issue after issue scrolling by. Message received loud and clear. Interestingly, she couldn't get Mitt to spare a few minutes to walk side by side with Mia Love for her commercials.

Still, the message also plays into Jim Matheson's argument as well. "She is all about party, and I am all about Utah," said Matheson at an event today when asked about Love's upcoming not even four minute long speech at the Republican convention. Her ad says I will be President Romney's rubber stamp, but what is the point of that? And who does she vote in lockstep with if Obama wins reelection?