Here at Phillips Design, we rarely get into the political design arena and to be perfectly honest – that’s fine with us.
The money can be really good – just make sure you get paid up front – but as a design project they’re usually horrible jobs with crazy deadlines. But more importantly: The political advertising/marketing scene is simply distasteful.
It’s a dirty, insidious, contentious, no-holds-barred cat fight and one (or both!) of the opponents is always lying. And most of the time we can never be sure who is lying– it could actually be your client.
So yeah, it’s slimy. It’s (almost?) as bad as porn.
Anyway, this weekend I was sitting outside Cafe Divine in North Beach, enjoying breakfast with a friend when an interesting thing happened.
This guy appears, he’s going from table to table, “pressing the flesh,” smiling, chit-chatting and handing out campaign literature. Turns out it’s a John Dennis and he is running for congress. He finally makes it to our table and I got to talk to him briefly and shake his hand. I’m sure if I had been carrying a baby, he woulda kissed it. And me as well.
He seemed nice enough, and I’m thinking he’s very courageous for mixing it up with the public, but I was absolutely awestruck by his handout; He’s running against Pelosi (a Democrat) and, OMG, I didn’t know this: Pelosi is a Corporatist, Authoritarian War Hawk!
Hahahahaha! This is awesome! He places her photo on a RED background (Wait a minute – Red. As in red states? Aren’t those conservative?), and places himself in BLUE (Huh? – Blue? As in the blue liberal states?).
But here’s the real kicker: He never mentions anywhere that he is actually running as the Republican challenger.
I’m impressed. Wow. You gotta wonder if this marketing approach could actually work. We took a walk down to his campaign headquarters on Columbus and looked through the window. Yep, nary a mention of any political party.
Actually, I do understand this. San Francisco is a very liberal town and walking around with a big sign saying, “I’m a Republican, and I’m Proud of it!” could get you lynched. Or even start a riot.
Hmmm…
Maybe this is the only way he can get people to NOT reject him out of hand, simply because he’s a Republican.
Or maybe he’s a NEW kind of Republican, a Republocrat. (Or a Democan?)
Or maybe, just maybe… Pelosi IS the Corporatist, Authoritarian War Hawk he sez she is!
(pause)
Hell, in this election anything’s possible.
(longer pause)
Yeah, this is why we don’t do political. Makes me glad I’m a Nihilist.