Updated: Creator of Hillary 1984 Ad Revealed
by Dana J. Tuszke

Editor's note - Updated, Thursday, March 22: Nordette writes that the creator of this ad has been revealed. What do you think?

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Original post, published Monday, March 19, 2007:

A controversial political attack ad airing on YouTube has created quite the stir for 2008 Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

A 74-second video, that promotes Democratic Illinois Senator Barack Obama, remixes a classic advertisement from 1984 which introduced Apple computers to the world.

Senator Obama's campaign claims it has absoultely nothing to do with the ad which attacks Democratic rival, Senator Hillary Clinton of New York.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that "the video is a sophisticated new take on director Ridley Scott's controversial Apple ad that caused shock waves with its premiere during the 1984 Super Bowl, and shows the same blond young female athlete running with a sledgehammer toward a widescreen -- where an ominous Big Brother figure drones to a mass of zombielike followers."

However in this video, the "Big Brother" is Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the ad insinuates that Senator Clinton is spewing cliche nonsense to the drones.

At the end of the advertisement, a tagline for the attack reads, "On Jan. 14, the Democratic primary will begin. And you'll see why 2008 won't be like 1984", as well as an updated Apple symbol transformed into an O, and finally the logo BarackObama.com.

It seems as though the theme of the video is stressing a generational change to relationships of media, politics, candidates and voters.

While the creator of this ad is unknown, one may imagine a political activist on a laptop manipulating the content to serve his or her own campaign agenda.

While the Obama campaign maintains the ad is someone else's creation, voters may get the feeling that Obama can attack Clinton and not have to own up to it publicly.

Eric Jaye, a San Francisco political consultant, noted that Obama's campaign does reap a benefit from the ad, saying, "They get to call Hillary Clinton a pabulum-spewing pseudo-fascist, without having to own it."

Another angle is that a supporter for the Clinton campaign created the video to give Obama a bad image, in hopes of creating sympathy for Hillary, swaying voters in her direction.

Whoever the video's creator is, they've shown YouTube viewers, voters and bloggers the power of internet media.

The internet has become a less expensive way to promote a presidential candidate by spending a fraction of the usual millions in advertising and television attack ads.

The internet ads are edgier and far more entertaining, but generate more political issues and questions about each candidate's character.

Now every candidate will have to worry about some political activist creating negative ads without their authorization.

I can't help but wonder if team Hillary will think up something as ingenious.

Contributing Editor Dana J. Tuszke also blogs at The Dana Files.

Submitted by Dana J. Tuszke (view blog) on Mon, 03/19/2007 - 13:51

Comments

 

Someone has already made the attempt

There's an "Obama 1984" ad touting Hillary Clinton. It uses the same Mac commercial, and it's pretty amateurish, but there you have it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dycbAsB9-ps

BlogHer Contributing Editor
Law and Journalism/Media
Professor Kim

Contributing Writer, Online Journalism Review

Submitted by Kim Pearson on Mon, 03/19/2007 - 14:26
 

The longer version of the Hillary attack ad
bashes Bill Clinton

There is a longer version of the Hillary 1984 ad, billed as a "warning to all women" that recycles charges that her husband is a rapist, and that he chose not to pursue Osama bin Laden. It seems to suggest that Hillary should have protected us from Bill.

BlogHer Contributing Editor
Law and Journalism/Media
Professor Kim

Contributing Writer, Online Journalism Review

Submitted by Kim Pearson on Mon, 03/19/2007 - 14:36
 

I saw the longer one also.

I saw that one also, Prof. Kim, but even before I saw the longer one, I was suspicious of the origins of the video and said so in my first post on the subject. Hillary as "Big Brother" is an old conservative theme, specifically a religious right theme. Later, in a different post, I said the whole thing reminded me of divide and conquer or The Art of War. It's disturbing to see how many people don't question the video's origins and assume it really was produced by the Obama camp.

Thank you, Dana, for opening this discussion on BlogHer. I hope Hillary doesn't try to counter the ad with anything similar. That would make her look pretty stupid and reactive.

"Love is liquid. Brew and be drunkards!" ~~Nordette And here's a link to the blog, where she says the "1984" anti-Hillary ad bugs her.

Submitted by Nordette on Mon, 03/19/2007 - 17:10
 

Of course the third possible explanation...

Is that someone from the *republlican* party or side of the fence created and posted the ad...precisely to make everybody look bad (Hillary as the target, and Obama, for those who are offended by the ad from the Democratic side.)

I'm not cyber-sleuth, but is it really that hard to figure out who posts things to YouTube? Anyone know?

Elisa Camahort
BlogHer and Worker Bees
elisa@blogher.org/elisa@workerbees.biz

Submitted by Elisa Camahort on Mon, 03/19/2007 - 14:36
 

It depends on YouTube's

It depends on YouTube's privacy policy and architecture. (Assuming the original uploader doesn't have something like a public profile that makes them easy to identify.)

Given the vast quantities of copyrighted material that has obviously been posted by someone other than the owner, I suspect that YouTube doesn't record the originating IP address of the uploader. But they do have whatever information the user provided when they signed up for the service.

Getting that information is a whole other thing. I DO NOT KNOW, but I imagine that they probably require a subpoena or other valid court order, before they would give out subscriber information. Which, in this case, would probably be difficult to get.

Liza
Founder & Coordinator, LesbianFamily.org
Personal Blog, LizaWasHere

(And by day, person who deals with just these kinds of requests for information.)

Submitted by LizaWasHere on Tue, 03/20/2007 - 07:58
 

I just saw the Obama slam.

I just saw the Obama slam. I find it hard to believe a Republican or conservative would take the time to go that far for two opposing candidates. Anything is possible, though.

It's just that the "right wingers" dislike all Democrats/Liberals and would find a way to slam them both. Just my opinion.

It's getting ugly out there, though!

Dana from The Dana Files.

Submitted by Dana J. Tuszke on Wed, 03/21/2007 - 11:24
 

Fab

I recall reading that it was a mash-up of the old Apple commercial and new content executed by outsiders in favor of Obama. It's brilliant. Obama should hire the folks that put it together, pronto.

I don't have a dog in this fight and I don't trust a single candidate in either party thus far. If we had to vote tomorrow, I'd draw a blank.

As far as "right wingers" disliking any liberal, it's safe to say that the feeling is a two-way street. Both sides are viciously ambitious. I've yet to see this magical "change" that both political parties are claiming they'll bring in 2008. Whatever. Same old BS, new ways to sell it. Shock me, democrats and republicans.

Dana
Mamalogues.com
In the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Pop Mama
Since Eve

Submitted by Mamalogues on Wed, 03/21/2007 - 20:50
 

Breaking News: Hillary 1984 creator revealed

Hello, all. The video's creator has been revealed and has resigned, er been fired, from his job at Blue State Digital. His firm has connections to the Obama campaign. His name is De Vellis and he's 33 years old. I don't think he's too bright, and was one of the people who thought the video may have been created by someone from the religious right since that's the group that worked vigorously in the 90s to paint Hillary as "Big Sister." The video's message wasn't clear, and many conservatives saw it as a score for their side.

Here's a link to my post on De Vellis. The Huffington Post was about to out him.

"Love is liquid. Brew and be drunkards!" ~~Nordette And here's a link to the blog.

Submitted by Nordette on Wed, 03/21/2007 - 22:08
 

Thanks Nordette! I updated Dana's post -- off
to read yours

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

Submitted by Lisa Stone on Thu, 03/22/2007 - 06:52
 

Thanks for the update! I

Thanks for the update! I had been waiting to find out this information but I must have the wrong connections!

I am not surprised to learn it was someone connected to the Obama campaign -- I knew the Conservatives (and I am one, so I can relate) wouldn't go that far to promote an opposing candidate. We're just not wired that way. ;)

Thanks for the update Nordette!

Dana from The Dana Files.

Submitted by Dana J. Tuszke on Thu, 03/22/2007 - 14:17
 

The message definitely wasn't clear.

I didn't think the ad worked at all. I felt like Hillary was saying valid, inspiring things and that even putting her in that ad with that visual treatment couldn't really give her words the feeling they were hoping for. I watched it and felt like, this doesn't actually work or make sense at all.

Liz Rizzo

I blog at Everyday Goddess.

Submitted by Liz Rizzo on Fri, 03/23/2007 - 00:14
 

I suspect it's true

When it's said that the Democratic Party is it's own worst enemy.

Jim Heivilin

Submitted by heivilinj on Mon, 03/26/2007 - 13:19
 

You Must Look

It's so very hard to believe in anything the media or any established politician says. Personally, the ad doesnt sway me either way. Hillary scares me on her own merits. She is willing to let her husband make a fool out of her to get where she wants. Bad mojo with that pair, i wouldnt vote for either. Go Obama!

Submitted by eddie_nice on Fri, 03/30/2007 - 00:35