Steve Novick's political ads, injecting funny instead of mud slinging

Something is going on with political advertising in the states, first we have Chuck Norris cameos, now we have ads so funny that I want to move to Oregon just to vote for Steve Novick. Check out these two.

Would you have a beer with Steve Novick?

The Register Gaurd has more background on this campaign which was created by Eichenbaum & Associates in Milwaukee.

Neal Bardele, a partner with Eichenbaum & Associates, said it was clear immediately in meetings with Novick and his campaign committee that the candidate’s unique physical attributes should be “nothing to hide, nothing to be embarrassed about.” The ads’ creators agreed.

“We want to get the real person across in the advertising, and that’s part of it,” Bardele said. “The height and the hook — that’s part of who he is, so let’s use it.”

Novick was born without the lower part of his left arm and the leg bones between his knees and his feet. His birth defects were caused by a drug prescribed to his mother during her pregnancy. The candidate said he has spent his life using direct humor to put people at ease and help them get past his height and his hook. So why not do the same with his “politics as unusual” theme?

Also, this is Adland client poaching in a nutshell isn't it?

But that’s not what brought his campaign together with the Milwaukee firm. About the same time last summer, a former Harvard law classmate of Novick’s was attending a wedding in Wisconsin. The friend mentioned Novick’s candidacy to others at the reception, including the mother of Eichenbaum & Associates founder, Steve Eichenbaum.

"My son works in advertising! You should call him!" Ah bless all of our mothers for being the greatest advertisers of them all. ;)