The following Internet ad is from 2010 for Dale Peterson, a one-time candidate for Alabama Agriculture Commissioner. This ad, for the obscure state position, gained a lot of international attention due to Peterson’s candid nature and the creativity of the ad. Peterson ended up finishing third in the Republican primary, but a follow-up ad, which was as creative as this one, was made where he supported one of his GOP opponents in the runoff election.
In your opinion, what made this ad stand out?
Politics Matters 
I think this Dale Peterson ad stands out because of how American it seems. The first thing the viewer sees is the constitution and a Marine Corps tag. The music in the background as well as his angry tone shows his drive for running for the position. Peterson then walks out riding a horse on a farm because he is running for the Alabama Agriculture Commission. He talks about crime when he says that people are stealing millions of dollars. He calls out his opponent for being a crook and stealing money to give the ad a little negativity and show why viewers should vote for him. He explains that he has served as a cop, a Marine during Vietnam, a farmer and a businessman to show his dedication to the country. At the end, he flaunts his gun to show how serious he is about the crime problem and that he will fix it. All of the elements show how strategic and well thought out this ad was.
This ad’s fast-paced, cut-to-the-chase script and editing captures the attention of the viewer easily. Peterson has a rough and tumble demeanor that makes you feel like he’ll fight to get things done. The ad also show what he stands for, especially when he’s holding the gun. The way he is speaking is very unconventional for political advertisements but might feel relatable and authentic to voters.
This ad is so over-the-top it seems like satire and I believe that’s the reason why it resonated with so many people. This ad is so “American” the only thing it’s missing is bald eagles, fireworks, a bible, and him shooting at “illegals” as they cross the border. I think the reason why racked up so many views is that some people on the right really loved it and everyone else watched it because of how ridiculous it is.
This ad stands out so much because of how much it screams “America”. The candidate comes in riding a horse, and ends with holding a shotgun! He talks about how he was just like his audience, serving in the military and being a police officer, and he is looking out for us. He points out what he thinks are the flaws of current Alabama and politicians now are corrupt. He was straight to the point and did a great job of taking a stand in the race.
What made this ad stand out is the fact that he was not afraid to name people he knew who were corrupt and naming things he knew they were doing to benefit themselves. He also said he would not take any prisoners when running for the election and while holding a rifle in his hand made it clear that he was going to try his hardest to win the election.
This guy starts out with a bang and ends with just as much energy. He calls out his opponents just like any other political ad would, but the way he does it stands out for me because he is very energetic and speaks in a matter of fact tone. He doesn’t sugar coat anything and makes it very clear what he intends to do. He even goes as far as to tell his audience that they shouldn’t vote for his opponents because they contradict themselves. I don’t think he would get away with this ad in any other state but Alabama because he caters to the Gun loving and rural state very well.
This ad would grab my attention if I was looking away from the tv or flipping through channels. First off, he’s on a horse and you don’t see that very often, he also talks with confidence and he brags about everything that he’s been in his life, to try and make it seem like we could trust what he is about to say. He went straight to the point of making his opponent look bad, and didn’t sugar coat anything, and that’s what made this ad stand out.
This ad uses creativity in one of the most interesting ways I have ever personally seen politically. He has a very directive attitude and loads of confidence. Which to me stands out and is much too over the top. You can tell he tried to make a point of his lifestyle with the props such as the horse, and the rifle. All in all though, the simple answer to what makes this stand out would be the candidates overall attitude throughout the entire ad.
There is no way this ad wouldn’t immediately get someone’s attention if it came on tv. It almost looks like a joke as he calls his opponent a dummy, there is emphasis on the gun he is holding, and the amount of cuts that occur throughout the minute ad. Also, it is strangely unique considering the man is basically yelling at his audience while some super hero music plays in the background. Hilarious.
This ad stood out a lot because it showed another side of the candidate. In a way it showed the real side of him he related to the people a lot saying he was a business man, was a marine, had a farm, etc. He really spoke to his audience and did not use big words so people could understand what he was saying.
I believe he stood out because of how energetic/aggressive he was throughout the entire ad. He seemed to be enjoying what he was doing, and therefore he had more energy to give out. This ad also stands out because he seems just like another person, instead of a person trying to run for some sort of office. #PSC110
This ad says “America” and what America is all about. He cuts right to the chase and is very fast paced and straight to the point about his beliefs and the states Alabama’s problems and other political problems. The beginning definitely gets your attention with the Marine part and all the different things he has done like being a cop and farmer. At the end he finishes his “American pride” commercial with a shotgun, you cant get much more American than that. A very interesting tactic, probably got a lot of peoples attention in the south, if he ran up here it would definitely not work with people.
I think this ad stands out because it goes straight to the point. it touches base on a lot of things he thinks candidates should focus on. Besides the fact that he goes straight to the point, he also comes out aggressive to give this Ad, so that as well makes the Ad stand out. What I like the most though, is that he basically doesn’t hesitate to say what he thinks Alabama needs.
Dale Peterson provides a commanding performance for this ad, that is supposed to pander to the people of alabama. He gives his immediate take on the issues and makes his stances very clear. What makes this ad stand out is that he mudslings without aiming anywhere with a vague remark that is supposed to infer that hes talking about congress, not just democrats. It stands out because he is more reinforcing his point and making himself seem assertive and powerful by selling that kind of face, and i have no doubt of its success because of that.
The thing that made this ad stand out in my opinion was the camera zoom when Peterson would say something in response. Along with the camera zoom, the tone of his voice added to the seriousness for him running for agriculture commission. He also pointed out problems that other people caused in office and said that he would do a better job at it if elected.
I think this ad stands out because it’s very obviously different from a typical political ad. He speaks candidly and harshly at times avoiding political correctness. Also, he shoots the ad dressed casually and outdoors as opposed to the traditional setting inside an office dressed in a suit. People aren’t used to seeing that so it makes the ad memorable. In addition, it’s also just all around pretty entertaining and ridiculous and I know that will make it stick out in my mind. Though his tone of voice is stern and intense he uses informal figures of speech. There’s some intense zoom being used that, in my opinion, makes the ad pretty humorous.