There is a new ad floating around the ether from a group called “Americans for Shared Prosperity” that has garnered some attention [1]. It’s intended to convince women that it’s okay to break up with Democrats and give Republicans a try:
Reaction to the ad is somewhat mixed:
Some GOP strategists, like admaker Alex Castellanos, praised it on Twitter. Others, like former Mitt Romney deputy campaign manager Katie Packer Gage, criticized it.
“Further evidence that some GOP ad makers simply don’t ‘get’ women. Really guys? Is this your gender gap solution?” she tweeted.
One GOP strategist who worked in the 2012 campaign and with the Republican National Committee pointed out that the spot is very similar to a Web ad the Republican National Committee did in 2012 called “The Breakup.”
“It worked well on digital, but it never moved numbers to justify it on broadcast, as it wasn’t giving any information to voters to move them,” the strategist said. “The ads that the Romney campaign ran focused more on economic issues for women was the obvious stuff that tested well.”
Yes, they tested so well that Mitt lost. So time to try something else.
This ad isn’t perfect, but it’s not bad, either. To be successful, though, the effort has to be sustained and refined. Democrats already have their narrative [2] and are committed to it. This is one time where playing the long game is actually useful.