The EYE doesn't know the name of the copywriter who's been coming up with the TV ads for Democratic senatorial candidate Steve Novick, but she/he deserves a bonus.
We wrote a couple of weeks ago about Novick's clever "To Tell the Truth" ad, which makes the point that Novick is a different kind of candidate by gently making fun of his small stature. (He's only 4-foot-9, the result of congenital defects.)
The new ad, dubbed "Beer With Steve," capitalizes on the Portland progressive's other prominent physical attribute: He has a hook for a left hand.
Since the ad debuted on YouTube it's received almost 45,000 views, making it one of the most frequently seen political spots on the site. Blogs around the state and the country, including The Huffington Post, have been touting it.
The ad opens with Steve and a guy sitting at a bar. "U.S. Senate candidate Steve Novick fought corporate polluters and defeated Bill Sizemore," the voiceover says. "But would you want to have a beer with him?"
"I agree, I think most Democrats are pretty frustrated," Novick says to the other guy at the bar. "We're just not seeing real progress on the big challenges we're facing."
We won't spoil your fun by revealing the punchline, but the ad concludes with the voiceover saying: "Steve Novick - he's always found a way to get things done."
To see the whole ad, go here. And while you're in the neighborhood, check out another Novick ad zinging Republican Sen. Gordon Smith's prettiness.
The Novick ads are being produced by the Milwaukee, WI agency of Eichenbaum & Associates, which did the TV spots for Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold's successful Senate campaign.
