10.15.2008

Using the copywriting skills for good and not evil (says the Democrat)

I can't donate a million dollars to the Obama campaign. I can't even donate $2000. I can't spend the next two weeks hauling my family up to Ohio to knock on doors. What I can do? Write ads.

Here's one I worked on with Peter Koechley of Moveon.org (former managing editor of The Onion), and director Doug Liman (Bourne Identity, Mr and Mrs Smith, Swingers). Fans of Gossip Girl might recognize some cameos...




And now you know why posting has been light lately. See you all November 5 when we can stand together joyously and shout YES, WE DID.


85 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

You Rock. This is so clever and hilarious! I'm glad you're on our side.

10/15/08, 10:29 AM  
Blogger Jamie said...

That might be the greatest political add I have ever seen. Great!

10/15/08, 10:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That is fantastic! Love it.

10/15/08, 10:41 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I LOVE THIS. You are a genius.

10/15/08, 10:42 AM  
Blogger Lee Anne said...

LOVE the last line! What a cool job!

10/15/08, 10:44 AM  
Blogger Amelia Sprout said...

I love it. What a fun little cast too.

10/15/08, 10:45 AM  
Blogger Everydaytreats said...

Love it!

The guy that plays Dan looks much cuter when he's not playing a brooding hipster. Just FYI. ;)

10/15/08, 10:49 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are SO smart and SO cool! well done, girl!

10/15/08, 10:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well now I love you more than I did before I knew this. Which I didn't think was possible.

10/15/08, 10:53 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is brilliant! Thank you so much from my baby girl.

10/15/08, 10:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How content-free. "Just because people your age are doing it doesn't make it cool." Of course, just because people the age of the folks in this clip are voting for Obama doesn't make it cool either. What will this accomplish apart from bolstering some voters' already insufferable smugness (see above)?

10/15/08, 10:54 AM  
Blogger Mom101 said...

Miguelina and he's cute in person too. Mucho cuteness.

Jonathan: Spoken like a true forty-something. The youth of America salutes you.

10/15/08, 10:55 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is why I love you so.

Here's hoping your country gets it right after my country fudged it so badly in our own election...

10/15/08, 10:56 AM  
Blogger Kyla said...

THAT is genius!

10/15/08, 11:07 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Liz, spoken like someone affecting the breeziness of a young twenty-something -- why address the point when you can lob an argumentum de novo? I may be thirty-seven, but does that make it wrong to prefer substance over Splenda with my style?

10/15/08, 11:12 AM  
Blogger Julie Marsh said...

That made me giggle. Politics gets way too serious, especially this close to the election. We can all use some funny.

10/15/08, 11:20 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And, I am 47 and I thought this ad was cute. Maybe it will encourage kids to talk to their parents, maybe not. Johnathan, you need to lighten up.

10/15/08, 11:23 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very clever! Where is the ad being shown?

10/15/08, 11:30 AM  
Blogger Mr Lady said...

My parents are voting McCain, and nothing I can say or do will stop them. In fact, they're kind of pissed that I'm not.

Please still be my friend. :)

10/15/08, 11:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Brilliant! I'm sending this to my parents.

10/15/08, 11:47 AM  
Blogger Robin said...

LOVE it!!

10/15/08, 11:51 AM  
Blogger Issa said...

Dam Liz, you're good at that. Best ad I've seen in years.

10/15/08, 11:53 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

LOL. I love it, but then it does align with my political beliefs. I can see it being a little heavy handed if you're on the other side--but if I can put up with the constant "Maverick" references and the attempt to make being a dumbass fashionable ("Joe Six Pack"), then they can suck it.

10/15/08, 11:54 AM  
Blogger Fairly Odd Mother said...

Ha! Love it. My mom can't vote (she's not a citizen), but even she wouldn't vote McCain. My dad would, but they don't have absentee ballets in the next dimension.

10/15/08, 11:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

damn, you helped write that?! That is awesome! I saw it yesterday on HuffPost and nearly laughed my ass off. Kudos!

10/15/08, 12:28 PM  
Blogger heels said...

Awesome.

My dad's afraid to come over to our house right now because my husband won't stop talking to him about McCain. Personally, I think Dad's just telling us he will vote McCain to annoy us (he's a big brat), but time will tell.

10/15/08, 12:31 PM  
Blogger BOSSY said...

(Bossy is now standing on her desk chair!)

10/15/08, 1:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That is wonderful!! Rrrreally, rrrreally wonderful!!! So clever and well done I loved it!

10/15/08, 1:40 PM  
Blogger Motherhood Uncensored said...

Shit. And I thought you were off eating bon bons and smokin' pot all these weeks.

10/15/08, 1:41 PM  
Blogger the mama bird diaries said...

That is so awesome. I think you just got every male in this country to vote for Obama. I mean, if Serena is willing to pick them up...

I, too, have felt like there isn't enough I can do to help the campaign. When I was young and free, I just traveled the country working on the Clinton campaign. I need to get creative on how I can help over the next 3 weeks.

10/15/08, 2:04 PM  
Blogger ALI said...

ok outing myself as a 32 year old gossip girl fan here....but a great commercial! Loved it!

10/15/08, 2:59 PM  
Blogger Piece of Work said...

giggle giggle.

10/15/08, 4:50 PM  
Blogger Sky said...

WOOT!! You are so very right...we're going to stand tall and proud!

10/15/08, 5:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh! I saw that video on Daily Kos and thought it was the cleverest thing I'd seen in a while - totally hilarious and spot on.

Who knew I've been unknowingly lurking at a blogger who had a hand in it! Congrats! =)

10/15/08, 5:51 PM  
Blogger A said...

awesome. got the ad campaign from MoveOn.org, actually...and very interesting that you were working on it! Small world! Keep up the great work!

10/15/08, 6:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

from a minneapolis obama momma who's embarrassed of those folks up in Lakeville -- (and a fellow advertising chick) nice job. Dear god let us win this thing!

10/15/08, 6:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

LOVE IT!

10/15/08, 8:46 PM  
Blogger Barbara Fryman said...

Not bad. That's high praise from a conservative. Of course, McCain's so not my cup of tea.

And then she realized that there never was a politician that made it very far who WAS her cup of tea....(remember your post about your cynical Nate?)

10/15/08, 9:22 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Awesome. I love that last line! HA!

10/15/08, 10:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good for you. Homer and I (with the kids in tow) will be walking neighborhoods in our swing state this weekend. I couldn't live with myself if Obama loses and I didn't do anything to try and stop it. We're optimistic (especially after tonight's debate performance) that our efforts (and yours) will be well worth it.

10/15/08, 11:03 PM  
Blogger Mrs. N said...

I saw this and LOVED it...

I thought you were cool before but I think you're SO MUCH cooler now.

10/15/08, 11:18 PM  
Blogger Mom101 said...

I am so so appreciative of the support.

But I am equally appreciative of readers with different political beliefs who didn't feel the need to weigh in. You guys are kewl.

10/15/08, 11:22 PM  
Blogger Lady M said...

You rock!

10/16/08, 2:22 AM  
Blogger Cynthia Samuels said...

The best. Ever. I'm posting it right now. Such talent! Such Whimsey! Such a good memory of being a teenager! Great work - your sisters (and your country) thank you.

10/16/08, 7:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Looooove it! "Call me..." ending is so clever.

10/16/08, 8:14 AM  
Blogger BITE MY COOKIE said...

get out your gold pencil sharpener.
killed it. hug. hug. hug.

10/16/08, 8:17 AM  
Blogger Karen said...

I loved this when I first saw it, and now I love it even more knowing it's yours. Awesome!

10/16/08, 9:37 AM  
Blogger Lisa said...

Great ad!!! Here's hoping the US gets it right. Up north of you sadly did not.

10/16/08, 10:27 AM  
Blogger Run ANC said...

Dude, that commercial is downright AWESOME.

So awesome, I had to use the word "dude".

10/16/08, 10:48 AM  
Blogger Josh said...

man, now it feels EVEN COOLER calling you my friend in the real world!

great stuff!

10/16/08, 1:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The ONLY upside of my dad no longer being around is that I don't have to have this intervention with him. When he was dying in 2004, I had to bring him his absentee ballot and shuddered as he checked off "Bush/Cheney". Again.

My sister and I learned a good lesson in politics very early. Between the two of us, we canceled out his vote.

10/16/08, 3:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just submitted my Absentee ballot Monday for McCain. I'm 26 and my parents are voting for him also. :D

Too bad most voters don't know the issues before they vote.

Less government is better for all, but you can't tell that to people today my age because all they care is about how good a person speaks and makes them feel. I'll give Obama a thumbs up for being a very good speaker and making people feel good. :D

10/16/08, 5:18 PM  
Blogger Mom101 said...

I'm sure you have your reasons for voting for McCain Jon, but I don't think it's fair or honest for you to assume that everyone who doesn't is simply misinformed or ignorant.

You also might consider that how good [sic] a person speaks is an essential factor in that person's ability to convince, negotiate, forge alliances, inspire, and motivate.

10/16/08, 5:57 PM  
Blogger L. said...

YES, WE WILL!

Love the video....

: )

10/16/08, 6:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"I'm sure you have your reasons for voting for McCain Jon, but I don't think it's fair or honest for you to assume that everyone who doesn't is simply misinformed or ignorant."

(Says the woman crowing about her ad which states that McCain supporters are risking the future simply because other people their age are doing it. Thanks for keeping irony alive, Liz.)

10/16/08, 7:25 PM  
Blogger Her Bad Mother said...

Can I stand and shout with you? even though I'm Canadian? CUZ I'M FEELIN IT.

10/16/08, 7:31 PM  
Blogger SunInSeattle said...

I think this is fantastic! Simple, but sweet. I think we have gotten our fill of the nitty gritty, so this lightens the mood for sure. Keep up the good work.

PS. Can I just say I am jealous of your cool job as well?

10/16/08, 8:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm not assuming that "everyone" who doesn't vote for McCain is ignorant, I'm just referring to the fact that MANY people my age and younger are simply voting on a certain person because he is a very likeable guy. And they have no clue on his stance on issues or voting record. I honestly even hated voting for McCain , but was the closest of the two to my views on how this country should be headed.

:D

Kudos to you Johnathan

10/16/08, 9:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

this is a hoot!

10/17/08, 12:25 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That is seriously an awesome ad! Nice to meet ya!

10/17/08, 1:16 AM  
Blogger SUEB0B said...

You did that??? I bow to your awesomeness! I tweeted it last night before I knew it was you!

10/17/08, 1:18 AM  
Blogger Susanica said...

Great spin on the "just say no" kind of ads. I love it!

I wonder if there is any way to play with that old OJ ad? "It's not just for breakfast any more." -Monica

10/17/08, 10:22 AM  
Blogger josetteplank.com said...

Very funny, lol.

10/17/08, 11:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are the best!

10/17/08, 3:21 PM  
Blogger Lori said...

That is brilliant. Great work!

10/17/08, 8:27 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

What a great ad! I think it will resonate with the younger voters! YES WE CAN!

10/17/08, 10:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

AWESOME. Your smarts and skillz are worth so much more than the $.

10/18/08, 1:23 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great ad! I love the 80's reference - so I don't understand why people are saying that only 20 somethings will "get it"? I'm a 43year-old suburban mother in Ohio. To me, this ad is a brilliant tongue-in-cheek play on the "Nancy Reagan Just-Say-No" ads that I mocked while stoned in college! Those days are long gone, but my ideals of a country in which everyone has a chance of living a good life with adequate health care and the right to decide what to do with one's own body are still very much alive. My husband and I figured out that with our combined income we will get less of a tax break with Obama than with McCain. But you know what? Who cares? We are looking at what what is best for the majority of Americans - not just what is good for us. We benefitted from a lot of opportunities in life. We took them and worked hard. It's time to pay it forward. Go Obama!

10/18/08, 9:20 AM  
Blogger Mom101 said...

You're amazing Renee. Go you!

10/18/08, 9:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks, Liz. You know, I hate to think that people are still falling for all the Republican rhetoric! Aside from the fact that Sarah Palin scares the CRAP out of me, the Republican ideology that she represents is just SO elitist, yet she panders to "Joe Six-Pack" and hockey moms. Even Joe the Plumber was proved to be better off financially under the Obama Plan (that is, unless he is one hell of a plumber and makes more money than any plumber I know - and I do know a few!) Interesting that he is no longer taking calls from the media since it was discovered that he owes money in back taxes!
If people are tired of not knowing what to believe, they can check out the facts at www.factcheck.org. Unbiased.

10/18/08, 12:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Excellent! I never comment but this was so awesome. I'm sure you've seen it already but this reminds me of Sarah Silverman's Great Schlep encouraging folks to go to Florida to get their grandparents to vote for Obama: http://thegreatschlep.com/site/index.html

10/18/08, 10:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

BRILLIANT. I get the MoveOn emails, I didn't know Peter had been at The Onion. And Doug Liman? Awesome director.

November 5th-listen for that screaming coming from Michigan, that will be me joining you in YES WE DID.

10/19/08, 9:28 AM  
Blogger GIRL'S GONE CHILD said...

YAY!!!! Nice work. Liz! Amazing you are.

10/19/08, 1:13 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Thank you for your advice. When you have a moment please stop by my blog to pick up several awards waiting for you.

10/19/08, 2:19 PM  
Blogger carrie said...

You're doing the good work Liz, keep it up!!!

10/19/08, 5:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Awesome add-I have been reading your blog but this is the first time I comment. I am married to a military guy and we are in McCain country over here - a few days ago I was driving on base and the cops (military) stopped me I was going 3 miles over the speed limit and proceeded to ask base legal if the Obama sticker on my car was legal???????
Is this crazy or what?
Let's hope he gets elected!
Anita

10/19/08, 10:45 PM  
Blogger Mom101 said...

That made me gasp Anita.

It embodies exactly what we're fighting for. Hang in there.

10/19/08, 10:53 PM  
Blogger Jo said...

LOL Anita, I live in base housing and I was the first brave one to put up an Obama Biden lawn sign amidst a sea of McCain Palin. (Oh how I felt the burn in the back of my head whenever I went to get the mail.) But... slowly but surely a bunch more have popped up!!!! I promise you'll hear my screams from Connecticut too. Liz, you are the shiz. Fan-freaking-tastic.

10/20/08, 4:46 PM  
Blogger Lisa said...

That is SO COOL! Love it.

10/20/08, 4:47 PM  
Blogger 3 Peanuts said...

That is really clever!!! I must show my kiddos tonight. They are 11 and 7 and are BEGGING me to vote McCain! Someone brainwashed them at school against Obama

10/21/08, 2:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes, yes, YOU did. Rock on with your bad self!

10/21/08, 5:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good for you!

I'm so excited about this election that I'm doing early voting tomorrow. In Boulder, 1 in 10 people have already voted. Mostly for Obama, I'm guessing. We're a liberal, thinking town. ;->

10/21/08, 6:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very clever, very cool and very much needed in Virginia, which has not supported a democrat since LBJ. DEFINITELY time for a change.

10/25/08, 9:40 AM  
Blogger TripleLLL said...

Heading from Massachusetts to NH to work election day. I don't have much money either, but do contribute what I can when I can.

Keep on keepin' on.

www.missinformationnews.blogspot.com

10/28/08, 7:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow! Didn't know you were a part of this GREAT work!

11/2/08, 10:57 PM  

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