Iowans won’t be seeing too many TV ads for Novembers’s municipal races, most of which are relatively low-profile affairs where not a whole lot of money spent. But one of the few they will watch is really quite good and a “refreshing” change of pace from the typical campaign ads we’ve come to expect.
Josh Mandelbaum is up on television in the Des Moines media market with a 30-second ad entitled “Refreshing” two and a half weeks out from the city council election. It highlights his work as an environmental attorney on the issue of clean drinking water in a clever way. Mandelbaum sits at a kitchen table with two pitchers of water, one with clean drinking water from Des Moines and one with dirty water from the river upstream.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvQr1aBxBsg
“As an enviornmental attorney, Josh built a career taking on polluters,” a female voice-over says. The narrator briefly mentions his other policy ideas for the Des Moines City Council (roads, public safety and accessibility) and encourages viewers to visit his website to read more about them.
“But on the one issue we can’t get wrong, Josh is the one candidate uniquely qualified to make sure we keep getting it right,” the voice adds as Mandelbaum inspects the water.
The end is certainly cheesy – an expressive “ahh” after taking a drink – but that’s part of the appeal. It presents a friendly, unassuming-looking guy running for public office who has significant experience on a key issue that’s been in the headlines this past year. It’s also probably one of the only political ads I’ve seen where it effectively pitches someone’s career as an attorney in a positive way. That’s an accomplishment in itself.
Most importantly, it just looks different. For decades we’ve seen Iowa politicians walk through corn fields, stand on tractors, smile at parents and kids on playgrounds and watch as a blue collar worker makes sparks fly welding machinery. The candidate or a voice-over mentions three poll-tested platitudes and that’s it. Eventually it just all becomes background noise.
The race for Des Moines City Council Ward 3 is a nonpartisan race, but if more Democratic candidates could break away from the cookie cutter ads in favor of these creative ones, maybe voters would pay more attention to their campaigns.
The election for Ward 3 is November 7.
by Pat Rynard
Posted 10/21/17
Politics
Biden makes 4 million more workers eligible for overtime pay
The Biden administration announced a new rule Tuesday to expand overtime pay for around 4 million lower-paid salaried employees nationwide. The...
Biden administration bans noncompete clauses for workers
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted on Tuesday to ban noncompete agreements—those pesky clauses that employers often force their workers to...
Local News
No more Kum & Go? New owner Maverik of Utah retiring famous brand
Will Kum & Go have come and gone by next year? One new report claims that's the plan by the store's new owners. The Iowa-based convenience store...
Here’s a recap of the biggest headlines Iowa celebs made In 2023
For these famous Iowans, 2023 was a year of controversy, career highlights, and full-circle moments. Here’s how 2023 went for the following Iowans:...