Matthew Boland

View Original

6 videos showing why Bernie Sanders 2016 campaign changed the way we do political ads

Whats been most surprising from Bernie's media campaign is the mood of the content created. Everything is hopeful, there is no sign of the usual attack ad style media here. Most important however is that these pieces of media have often been described as unconventional, powerful, emotive, positive and inspiring. Further to add some of these media pieces are beautifully constructed videos, with well made shots, emotive editing, excellent use of graphics, sound and music.

So please take a look at the best examples from Bernie's campaign below:

1. Progress

Released mid last year, this video is your run of the mill get to know the candidate kind of video. Bernie talks about his concerns, his background and history and outlines his progressive vision for the nation of America. 

2. Real Change

Interesting little video effectively using one of my favourite effects the parallax effect making still images to appear more dynamic. The video quickly goes over Bernie's history and the main campaign issues that he hopes to tackle.

3. America

Released early this year this video builds on the themes of the previous two but does so to the back drop of the folksy Simon and Garfunkel song "America". When Art Garfunkel was asked if Bernie could use the song for his campaign, it is reported that the reply was an emphatic Yes!!.

4. Its not over

Centred around the story of Erica Garner, daughter of an African American man Eric Garner who was needlessly choked to death in 2014 by police on the streets of New York for what was a minor misdemeanour, this video is both powerful and emotive. It does a superb job linking the major theme of inequality central to Bernie's campaign with the street movements such as Black Lives Matter, movements that demand more accountability of America's police forces and movements that are trying to bring focus to the countless examples where police have killed African American people on the streets of America. What it further shows is that Bernie's campaign is trying to have these very difficult discussions and investigations brought into the mainstream.

5. Our Home

A 4K campaign video, how many candidates can say they have created something like this?. Just goes to show that Bernie's campaign machines cares almost as much about artistic and high quality videos as they do about spreading the key campaign messages of ending inequality, immigration reform and the struggles of middle and working America. 

6. Together

This video was not created by Bernie Sander's campaign, in fact it was created by a "fan" you could say, the agency: Human. For me this is probably the most powerful of Bernie's videos. Firstly it was made by someone or people who obviously have been inspired so much by Bernie's campaign that they had the energy and creativity to create this polished and emotive work. But more importantly it spreads an important message: "Together" from a speech that was probably spoken off the cuff by Bernie at one of his rallies. Together symbolises whats missing not only in American political discourse, with talk of closed borders and the rise of Islamophobia but when you look across the Atlantic to Europe and across the Pacific to Australia, we are all missing that sense that we are all in this together and that the only way out of the mess that seems to be weighing down the world is to work together. 

It just goes to show that if you are strong in your convictions and passionate about what is right and what is wrong your message can be spoken off the cuff and can still make for some powerful viewing. Some of the responses from media outlets has also espoused how powerful this ad is. Young Turks response, MSNBC response.