Mystery mashup of Apple 1984 ad could mark new campaign era

No one is taking credit for a presidential campaign ad buzzing around the Web via YouTube that plays off Apple Computer's famous 1984 Super Bowl ad teasing the introduction of the Macintosh. But bloggers have their own theories--and plenty of them--on its origin and its significance as an example of a new political advertising frontier resulting from emerging and converging media.

The Internet ad takes the Apple commercial, based on George Orwell's book about forcing conformity on the masses, and mashes it up with new campaign footage of Sen. Hillary Clinton. Clinton plays the role of Big Brother speaking to mindless human drones when a runner (perhaps eluding the "thought police") swings a sledgehammer and destroys the screen.

The Apple ad's closing statement, "On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you'll see why 1984 won't be like 1984," is replaced in the new ad as "On January 14th, the Democratic primary will begin. And you will see why 2008 won't be like 1984." The screen then fades to a rainbow Apple logo, but in the shape of an O, with a Web address for BarackObama.com underneath.

A story in The San Francisco Chronicle refers to the spot as an attack ad "experts say could represent a watershed moment in 21st century media and political advertising." On that, the virtual water cooler seems to agree.

Blog community response:

"It makes no arguments. It offers no original ideas. It just cherry-picks quotes to make Sen. Clinton sound like she's declaring war on Oceania. And yet it captures, in artistic form, why many social and economic liberals can't bring themselves to vote for Hillary: she seems like she's campaigning for the job of Big Brother."
--The Zero Boss

"However, the meat in examining the YouTube ad is probably in how political 'activists' who are perhaps not associated with a candidate are using the Net to sling mud, mislead, and influence voters. Internet video is a much more powerful vehicle than handing out misleading pamphlets at a mall and a lot cheaper than buying network time."
--Confessions of a Jersey goddess

"The recent 2006 and coming 2008 US elections have been heralded as the moment when blogs and social media make their play on election campaigns. Indeed for the 2008 US presidential elections, much has been made regarding John Edward's involvement with dozens of social-networking sites, plus Web 2.0 sites like Twitter. Additionally, Barack Obama's Web site includes its own social-networking Web site. But the real factor has been on the grassroots level, which the new video on Hillary Clinton is an example of."
--Emergence Media