Of Politicians on TV (part1)

I haven't written in  awhile and would try to do so this long weekend. I am in the mood to mock and critique several people who have been on the tube these days, so take nothing about this entry so seriously. Or maybe you can, in the light of the elections coming very very soon.

I apologize for those abroad and do not have TFC or PinoyTV as some of the things I will be commenting on are ads you probably haven't seen. But if you have time and would want, I'm sure you can find them on Youtube or your friends in facebook might have uploaded them.

Please, before you raise your eyebrows, I haven't stopped disliking the early electioneering of these darn politicians - but what can I do - I can't stop them from airing their TV Ads, atleast until November 30, so I allow me to show my disgust by writing this piece.

Here it goes:

Manny Villar 
The problem with Manny Villar's political ads, although there are so many and quite obviously 'well produced' - by well I mean they obviously spent good amount of money for the cinematography, editing and airtime - are the following:

1) Music - I know 'interpretative dancing' seem to be back on variety shows today but interpretative MTVs are not. To actually show OFWs crying over the lyrics "Kanina pa kitang pinagmamasdan,.. malungkot ka na naman" and Manny Villar hugging them over "Sige lang, sandal ka lang." is just TOO LITERAL. Add the fact that that song was so 3 years ago. Can we at least use a more updated one?
 
And I understand the effort to get in touch with the younger crowd by using songs of various bands but I have to tell those who work for Villar that the whole 'band music' worked for Chiz in the past not only because the youth listen to that type of music but because he was/is relatively young. We Just don't see you that way Mr. Villar. You are just quite OLD for the music. So please if you can stop using them already?

2) Dear Manny Villar Campaign Manager/s - you have no CENTRAL THEME in all your ads. There's just too many taglines. Please be reminded of the thing in Marketing and Advertising called STICKINESS FACTOR. If you don't repeat what you want to say many times enough, we will not remember. So pick one and stick to it - if it's "Sipag at Tiyaga," put Sipag at Tiyaga in all your ads. If it's the whole "galing sa mahihirap" phrase, stick with it. Although BINAY is trying to compete with you on that and I have to say, he looks more "galing sa mahirap" (na corrupt kaya yumaman, sorry can't help it). You are wasting so much money in various taglines and campaigns, atleast try to exert some effort in all these early electioneering.

3) Can you atleast have some decency to include a more FORWARD LOOKING, ACTION, VISION theme in your ads? Other than because you were once poor and now you are filthy rich and you might just be able to make us all filthy rich as well, can you atleast give me/us something more tangible? - I guess this is applicable to all the Politicians with TV ads. 


Noynoy Aquino
No friends, I haven't decided yet if I'm voting for him so please do not (or Stop) inviting me to become his fan or to go to concerts to help him raise funds for his campaign. Because aside from being Cory and Ninoy's son, I have not found anything extraordinary/great about him that has convinced me to actually vote for him. Although I might say I haven't really researched much. But these I have to say:

1) STOP making it seem like he really/majorly needs our help for his campaign. At the end of the day please be reminded that he is KRIS AQUINO's Brother. Kris majorly supports him and therefore would mean HE HAS MONEY. Remember that she wears 18k/pair worth of jeans so she can surely spend millions for his campaign. And have we forgotten that he is a haciendero? puleezz.

Plus he will be under ABS-CBN's wings. Hello!?! Sagip Kapamilya's T-Shirts didn't suddenly become Yellow and Black just because they didn't have white shirts anymore. Seriously, tell me I'm not the only one who has noticed that. Sagip Kapamilya has long been a WHITE T-SHIRT group but not this year and must we wonder why?


2) MTV - oh the MTV that had me and I guess almost everyone thinking it was an ABS station ID until we realised there were just too many 'kapuso' stars too. So we thought, a new Regine song perhaps? What's up? Noynoy came out, 3x I think. I saw Regine Velasquez more. Again campaign managers - RECALL. Plus, there is such as thing as too crowded - that was just too much Showbiz Personalities for me, I don't know about you.

And I'm sorry, the song just didn't work for me. Especially how they really made sure to mention the names of Tita Cory and Ninoy. They could have just used a more generic, 'our parents' but NO, we have to use Cory and Ninoy because YES - for now that is his ONLY edge. Nothing more. I wish he had more charisma, I wish he spoke more of his Vision, I wish there were less Motherhood statements in the song - and I wish it had a better melody.

I saw YENG CONSTATINO launch her new Single on ASAP yesterday. It also had a "Di ka Nag-iisa" theme and if I were in Noynoy's Campaign team I better run for Yeng and use that song instead. It was less sappy than the one they used for his MTV.


Loren Legarda
I genuinely am sorry you lost your running mate, it must've been hard to hear over it through mediamen. He didn't even have enough respect to perhaps tell you the night before he was to give a press conference. I guess that says a lot about your "partnership," - it was really non-existent.

The problem with your ad, especially right now is that you look as STERN as ever. Perhaps it's your training in newscasting that has left you with a face that is just stiff and snobbish. You don't look friendly enough and we all know that to most of the voting population - you have to atleast look like somebody they can approach. But NO - you look like that teacher/principal we are so afraid of. SOMEBODY needs an ACTING COACH! or calling TYRA BANKS, teach her how to give a Genuine Smile. :)

Honestly though, I remembered your whole "PAG-ASA" theme in your ad, so kudos to that. And congratulations for sticking to the whole "environment,taking care of nature," atleast we have one who actually found a central theme and is sticking to it. I just don't think you earned votes by bringing with you camera men during your relief operations in the last typhoons that hit us. Clearly the clips were new and the thing we hated the most during the last typhoon relief operations was how Politicians like you took advantage of that situation. What a Shame.


This is getting long and I still have something to say about MAR (and his "love" for Korina by actually marrying her) and CHIZ' leaving his political party. And about ERAP and BINAY and how I think that "Arthro" advertisement is partly to be blamed about this decision of ERAP to "run" again. Oh well... perhaps a part 2 then.