Democratic Political Ads
FULL-SERVICE AD CREATIVE FOR DEMOCRATS
Production, Post-Production, Editing, VFX, Motion Graphics, Animation, SFX, VO
Democratic Reels
Hard Negative
Positive
Ironic Negative
Selected Candidates, Races, and Ballot Initiatives
US SENATE – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, NY*
US SENATE – Raphael Warnock, GA*
US SENATE – Mark Kelly, AZ*
US REP – Maxwell Alejandro Frost, FL*
US REP – Dean Phillips, MN
US REP – Brittany Pettersen, CO
US REP – Andy Kim, NJ
US REP – Elissa Slotkin, MI
US REP – Jahana Hayes, CT
US REP – Pat Ryan, NY
DA, Portland, OR – Mike Schmidt
NE – INITIATIVE 433 – Raising Minimum Wage
MI – Proposal 2 – Voting Rights
IL – Vote by Mail, IL
AR – Amendment 5 – Open Primaries
FWD.US
MoveOn.org
EarthJustice
*Race worked on behalf of a PAC or other party other than the candidate directly.
Case Studies
Mike Schmidt for DA
Objective: The primary goal was to reintroduce incumbent Mike Schmidt to the electorate and present a compelling narrative contrasting his progressive, solution-focused approach with the cynicism often associated with conservative media outlets like FOX News. The video aimed to navigate the complexities of Portland’s current challenges, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to position Schmidt as a leader capable of progressive reforms and addressing critical issues like gun violence and public drug use.
Results: The video effectively communicated Mike Schmidt’s achievements and future plans, resonating with a diverse audience. It successfully positioned him as a unifying figure capable of leading progressive change, while also addressing public safety concerns. This dual focus was crucial in appealing to a broad spectrum of voters, countering the negative framing by opponents.
Conclusion: This project demonstrates our expertise in creating impactful political campaign videos and highlights our teamwork with our Preferred Video Production Partner, LA-based Human Interest Films who handled the video production on location in Portland, OR. We excel in presenting nuanced narratives that resonate with voters, effectively balancing the portrayal of current challenges with aspirational messaging. Our team’s ability to weave together complex themes into a coherent, engaging story makes us an ideal partner for political consultants aiming to craft compelling, persuasive campaign materials.
Andy Kim for U.S. House, New Jersey District 3
Objective: We collaborated with a renowned political consultancy to create a 30-second spot that seamlessly conveyed Andy Kim’s commitment to addressing healthcare costs, particularly for seniors. The director envisioned a single continuous shot that would transition through various symbolic locations, culminating in a drone shot of Andy Kim in front of his home. This approach aimed to personalize the message and visually represent the journey from a local concern to national legislation.
Results: The video was a resounding success, effectively communicating Andy Kim’s achievements in a visually engaging manner. The innovative one-shot technique underscored the message of connectivity between local issues and national policy. The ad received positive feedback for its creativity and effectiveness in delivering a powerful, concise message.
Conclusion: This project highlights our expertise in handling complex video production challenges, particularly in political campaign contexts and their tight deadlinese. Our ability to blend advanced post-production techniques with meaningful content demonstrates our strength in creating impactful political advertisements. This case study exemplifies our commitment to innovative storytelling and technical proficiency, making us a valuable asset for political campaigns aiming to engage voters through dynamic visual narratives that will be remembered at the polls.
Ad Testing for Initiative 433
Objective: Advocating for Nebraska’s Initiative 433, which aimed to gradually raise Nebraska’s minimum wage, a renowned political consultancy partnered with us to develop a series of test ads. Our goal was to create a series of videos that would effectively communicate the benefits of Initiative 433 in an innovative, visually captivating way. The challenge was to simplify the technicalities of the initiative while ensuring the message was compelling and memorable. For this style, we combined bold shapes, photography cutouts, illustrations, and text, aiming to present the technical message of Initiative 433 in a fun, engaging, and easy-to-follow manner. Alongside this graphic style, we also tested several live-action stock footage videos.
Results: By creating videos in multiple styles, we were able to test their effectiveness in conveying the message and engaging the audience. This process was instrumental in determining the most effective approach for the campaign to spend their media buy on.
Conclusion: This project underscores our versatility and expertise as a post-production partner in the political consulting arena. We demonstrated that we can adapt to various stylistic demands from a consultancy, and provide the most value to the end client through testing multiple creatives for efficacy before investing in a media buy. This ensures that the core message of a campaign is communicated effectively and resonates with the intended audience, all on a tight deadline (these tests took about a day per ad to create).
Human Interest Films
Our Premier Video Production Partner
Authentic. Funny. Moving. Real.
Human Interest Films focuses squarely on the human element of the stories they tell. It is “the Human Interest difference.” They have made a career telling powerful stories that deliver maximum impact and are experts in the art of message-driven storytelling. Their producers, directors, cinematographers and crew are the best in the business. They have been responsible for films and television programs that have won Emmys, Oscars, and nearly every major award and recognition in the media field.
Mike DeWitt, Founder and Executive Producer, is an Emmy-winning television producer, director, writer and production executive with a 25-year track record creating high-quality, high-impact content for national broadcast networks, digital media platforms, Fortune 500 companies, local and national political candidates and organizations, government agencies, and major foundations and nonprofits. Mike works closely with clients on strategy, messaging, and production logistics from brainstorming an initial idea through delivery of the final product. Mike travels extensively both nationally and internationally for Human Interest’s clients, but home base is Los Angeles where he lives with his wife, three kids, and their Bernedoodle, Coco.
Their ability to skillfully and artfully leverage human stories to drive home their client’s message along with their experience in political advertising makes Human Interest Films our Preferred Video Production Partner. This allows The Disruption Society to work with you from concept to creation so you don’t have to find a producer, director, production partner, crew, post-production partner, colorist, sound designer, music composer, and others. Just call us and you’re done.
Other Selected Videos
Our Services
Post-Production
Recognizing the fast-paced nature of Democratic political campaigns, we efficiently manage the post-production process to meet tight deadlines without compromising quality. Our post-production team is skilled at weaving together narratives that capture the emotional core of Democratic values, ensuring that each video resonates with its intended audience. We understand that in political advertising, every second counts, and our post-production finesse ensures that the final product is both polished and persuasive, while being produced on time every time. Read more detail about our post-production offerings below:
Production
We have tons of experience partnering with video production crews to captue the essence of a campaign’s message, transforming political platforms and ideals into compelling visual narratives. Our approach is always collaborative, working closely with consultants to ensure that the content we produce not only informs but also inspires and mobilizes voters. Read more about our preferred video production partner above.
Editing
We create dynamic and engaging Democratic political ads through our understanding that effective editing is more than just cutting and splicing footage; it’s about storytelling. Our editors are adept at pacing and narrative structure, ensuring that each video captures the urgency and importance of a campaign’s message. We highlight key issues, constituents’ concerns, and the candidate’s vision, making sure each element is seamlessly integrated to create a cohesive and compelling narrative. Our expertise in editing allows us to create videos that not only inform but also emotionally connect with voters.
VFX
Our visual effects team brings unparalleled creativity and technical expertise. We use VFX to convey complex ideas that might be difficult to shoot practically, create engaging visuals that leave a lasting impression, and stay compliant (ie. blur logos and faces). Our approach is to use effects that enhance rather than overpower the core message of the campaign. Whether it’s creating subtle enhancements for realism or more pronounced effects for emphasis, our VFX team works closely with political consultants to ensure that the final product is both visually stunning and strategically aligned with campaign objectives while remaining compliant with ever-changing “photoshop” laws.
Motion Graphics & Animation
We create animations that capture the imagination and effectively communicate campaign messages. Our work ranges from character-driven narratives that illustrate the impacts of policies on everyday people to practical motion graphics that distill intricate policy points into clear, engaging visuals. This is a great approach to take for more cost-effective “in-the-box” ads where we take existing photography and footage, mix that with stock footage and photography, and build a graphic world for everything to live in, no videoshoot required.
VO
We love to source voiceover talent who embody the tone and message of Democratic campaigns. We understand the importance of finding the right voice to convey sincerity, empathy, and conviction. Our team works with talented voice actors who can deliver messages in a way that resonates with and mobilizes voters. We ensure that the VO aligns perfectly with the visual content, creating a powerful and unified message that effectively communicates the values and policies of the Democratic Party. Or we are happy to direct your preferred artists and/or simply use provided VO recordings in our edit.
Music
Our expertise in selecting and integrating music or working with skilled composers is a cornerstone of our ability to create emotionally resonant and impactful videos. We recognize the power of music to set the tone, evoke emotions, and enhance the overall narrative of a campaign’s message. Our team carefully curates music that aligns with the specific themes of each campaign This thoughtful integration of music is pivotal in creating a lasting impact, stirring emotions, and motivating voters.
Sound Design
Sound effects play a crucial role in creating an immersive viewing experience. Our expertise in sound design allows us to enhance the emotional impact of our videos, subtly reinforcing the campaign’s message. We carefully select and craft sounds that complement the visual content, whether it’s highlighting a key moment or creating a specific atmosphere. Our attention to auditory details ensures that every aspect of the video works together to create a cohesive and compelling narrative.
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