Gloves are off in provincial election campaign
Posted Mar 8, 2012 7:46 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The gloves are off ahead of a spring election, as Alberta’s Tories take aim at the Wildrose Party and its leader, Danielle Smith.
The Progressive Conservatives have launched a new attack ad centered around the Wildrose’s position on new drunk driving legislation.
Smith and her party have been promising to repeal the new law, if elected, and last week launched a coaster campaign to reinforce their message.
The Wildrose calls the law an abuse of power and officials say they would rather focus on tougher enforcement than new legislation.
PC Campaign Manager for the 2012 election, Susan Elliott, tells 660News the coasters were the last straw.
“It took it one step too far, they are the opposition and it’s their job to oppose,” she says. “But I think the coaster campaign, where you’re putting coasters in front of those drinking and telling them it’s okay to continue drinking, is taking it one step too far.”
The 30-second spot will only be aired in Calgary; Elliott says there was strategy behind this decision.
She says the coaster campaign was centered in Calgary and from the feedback they’ve been getting, it made sense to start it in the same place.
Political media consultant and author Dr. Allan Bonner says the attack ad campaign shows concern by the Tories.
“It is evidence of the possibility of a split-vote in some ridings and someone else getting elected through default,” he explains.
Bonner tells 660News attack ads can work but they have to be written in a very specific context.
“Sometimes the conventional wisdom is that negative politicking tarnishes the brand and makes the electorate think ill of all politicians,” he says. “Not always true, negative ads can galvanize people’s opinions on something, educate people and cause votership to go up.”
Bonner says the ad sounds well-written and effective because drinking and driving has turned into a very serious activity, adding the ball is now in Danielle Smith’s court.
“When you have that statistic that 300 peoples lives might be saved, it’s going to be hard to reposition that and say why you’re in favour of the status quo,” he says.
Elliott wouldn’t comment on the scope of the ad or how much the spots will cost.
As far as whether we could see similar ads during an election, Elliott says she didn’t want to speculate but adds they will defend their positions going forward.
