Candidate: Freddie O’Connell
Title: “Are You Ready for It?”
Transcript: O’Connell: “Hi, my name’s Freddie O’Connell. I love mom, puppies and apple pie. “
Resident: “What are you doing Freddie?”
O’Connell: “Oh, well, we’ve watched a bunch of self-funding multi-millionaires get up on TV with political ads and we are trying to get on TV as quickly as we can. People are asking us how we’re gonna do it, but we need your help. Also, watch this:”
Bob Mendes: “I’m Bob Mendes and I’m proud to support Freddie O’Connell for mayor cause he’ll be ready on day one.”
O’Connell: “And here’s my family.”
Resident: “Freddie shouldn’t you be doing call time?”
O’Connell: “Actually, that’s a great idea. Hey, Taylor Swift? Yes thanks, can you chip in 1,800 bucks?”
Analysis: This ad, obviously low-budget and uploaded to Twitter, takes a stab at Wiltshire and Gingrich, who have now both had multiple ads aired on TV. Wiltshire’s campaign started the year with over a million dollars — $350,000 of which he loaned his own campaign — and Gingrich loaned his campaign $2 million to kick things off. O’Connell on the other hand reported having $300,000 on hand for the first quarter’s campaign finance disclosure, which, to O’Connell’s point in the ad, is largely made up of small donations. The response is an internet ad shot on an iPhone and making use of a cardboard cutout TV rather than an expensive and slick TV ad.
Where people can see it: Twitter and YouTube.