SEE HOW THEY SPIN: Behind the TV Pitch

Candidates in “down ballot” races struggle to create ads that stand out. Three experts discuss ads in the race for state treasurer between Democrat Phil Angelides and Republican Curt Pringle.

Barbara O’Connor, director, Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at Cal State Sacramento

The Angelides ad linking Pringle to the poll guard scandal is very crisp and understandable. It talks about how Pringle “took the Fifth” in the case, which is very pejorative and make people assume he was guilty. Its use of newspaper clips on the screen gives it a feeling of authority for unsophisticated viewers.

Pringle’s ad is OK--not great, but it’s got all the parts. He looks attractive, statesmanlike, and he uses this ugly grainy black-and-white picture of Angelides. It also says other Democrats have endorsed Pringle, which adds to the message they’ve been sending--that Angelides is a sleazebucket.

Don Sipple, GOP media consultant

Angelides has some tough negative stuff, and that could hurt Pringle. But his positive spot--the one with the fake interview--is dumb, dumb, dumb, phony, phony, phony. It’s very contrived, has no credibility whatsoever. He looks awkward and uncomfortable. He obviously wanted to look like a financial expert. It’s a flop. He should stay off the air.

Pringle doesn’t have much money, so he has to do a lot in one spot. While it’s important for him to get his message out and define himself, he might have been better served by rebutting the negative Angelides ads. Pringle has to hope that stuff backfires.

Court Crandall, creative partner, Ground Zero Branding ad firm in Santa Monica

The Angelides ad of the fake interview show looks blatantly fabricated. It feels like those really horrible phony talk shows on the Home Shopping Network, where they’re selling products. By trying to convince us this is a legitimate interview he makes you think, ‘What else is this guy going to try to pull?’ It’s shady.

Pringle’s spot makes me wonder, ‘Is Curt mute? Why is he not speaking?’ It’s all this voice-over that sounds like the same guy who does voice-over for every other candidate. And the spot looks unnatural, really staged. They’re trying to make us think he’s having important discussions with people but it’s hard to fake that.