The Blind Pig: this is the new Biden campaign ad aiming at NFL fans
Democrat Presidential contender Joe Biden targets NFL fans with advertising blitz during games with the clock ticking down to the election two weeks away.
The Biden campaign debuted three new ads on Sunday during NFL match-ups with a fourth coming during tonight’s Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys game. The Biden campaign is flexing its financial muscle taking advantage of its large war chest buying expensive airtime in games between teams from swing states hoping to maximize their returns.
With this ad buy Mr. Biden hopes to turn Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania blue again. Michigan and Pennsylvania went for Mr. Trump by very narrow margins in 2016. Ohio has been a bellwether for the outcome of every election picking the winning candidate since 1944 with one hiccup in 1960 when they went for Nixon. Arizona has been getting less red in recent years with big hopes again this year that it will go for Biden. A similar trend has been taking place in normally deep red Texas where large numbers of voters already going out to vote.
The Blind Pig
The first ad to air in the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steers game is called “The Blind Pig” focuses on how President Trump has fumbled the handling of the covid-19 pandemic response and its consequences on small business. The ad features a Joe Malcoun co-owner of The Blind Pig, a storied live music nightspot in Ann Arbor Michigan that is struggling as its doors remain closed due to coronavirus restrictions. The bar began as a college town blues club and cafe in the early 70’s before transitioning to an all-genre music venue with many legendary bands playing there before they were known like REM and Nirvana.
In the campaign spot co-owner Joe Malcoun says, “For 50 years, the Blind Pig has been open and crowded, but right now, it’s an empty room. This is the reality of Trump’s covid response.” Adding, “This is Donald Trump’s economy: There is no plan and you don’t know how to go forward. It makes me so angry. My only hope for my family and for this business and my community is that Joe Biden wins this election.”
The Beastie Boys make an exception
In a first The Beastie Boys’ allowed the Biden campaign to use their song “Sabotage” having never before granted that privilege to any campaign and going against the late Adam Yauch’s wishes according to Variety.
Don't make the same mistake I did
Also airing during the Browns and Steelers game is a spot called “Flex Your Power” featuring former Steelers player Ryan Shazier. He was injured in 2017 and had to learn to walk again saying “One thing I’ve learned in life is that you have to make the most of every opportunity you get.” This after he informs that he didn’t vote in 2016, thinking it didn’t matter.
Support our troops
Another big match-up game being targeted is the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers with a spot called “Worth Fighting For.” In the ad US Army veteran Matt from Lancaster, Pennsylvania who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder tells viewers “My friends are not suckers.” The ad draws attention to an article in The Atlantic that alleged Mr. Trump called service members that were killed in battle or wounded “losers” and “suckers” something Mr. Trump has denied.
We want to play
The fourth spot "Tristan Vance" will be broadcast during Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys game on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. Tristan Vance from Northern Arizona University who hopes to play professionally but worries about how missing this season due to the covid-19 crisis will affect his prospects. Mr. Vance states, "Trump's failure of leadership is why we can't play right now. I don't blame President Trump for the virus, but I 100% blame him for the response to the virus."