Wolves: too much metaphor

Seems to me, after a couple of viewings, that the imagery is too rich and drowns out the message. I'll agree that the final scene, when the Wolves rise and run, raised the hairs on the back of my neck, but I don't remember -- and I expect most voters won't -- the reasons that Kerry is "weak" and Bush is "strong."

I do like the "Eagles" response though. Pokes fun at Bush but makes a lasting, easily remembered impression. IN fact, I like this ad a lot, because one of my concerns about KErry's advertising was that because of the emphasis on rapid response, they've had really weak visuals.
I have been saying to myself for a while that ,"self, what Kerry needs is a visual metaphor on which to close out the campaign." I had presumed it would be a boat...

but a soaring eagle vs. an ostrich is just great. On so many levels.  (Not least is that it reminds me of the unbearably funny scene in 9/11 of Ashcroft singing about soaring eagles.

•  Puppies!

  I love puppies!  They are so cute, so fuzzy!  And Bush says he hates puppies and Kerry loves puppies!  I vote for Kerry b/c he loves puppies!

  by Monstertron on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 05:35:13 PM PDT

•  Evil.... Evil Puppies.... Evil Puppies are coming

  That ad is an utter disaster. If any Kossacks out there are afraid of this ad, listen to this: I live in Southern Nevada and I was in a major locals casino today dropping off my weekly football play...

  laughter. I kid you not. People watching sports on the sports book big screens just started giggling.

  One older guy pointed and said the title of my post inbetween sips of his beer.

  by LeftHandedMan on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 05:36:51 PM PDT

•  Kibble up!

  Anyone else think that last scene looks like the money shot to an Alpo commercial?

  They're sooooo cute! I love the one that jumps over the other one. Playful puppies. Cute puppies.

  Why are Republicans afraid of puppies?

  by BriVT on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 05:42:19 PM PDT

•  Wolves = Spitballs.

  Yes wolves can plot out a sophisticated attack on the WTC.  gmafb  Bush doesn't understand the terrorists.  Perhaps the little voices in his head are telling him terrorists think like animals too.  Of course, Bush is the same person who thought we'd have no casualties in Iraq.  

  by ModerateLiberalCA on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 05:46:40 PM PDT

•  why does bush hate puppies?

  by California Dreamer on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 05:46:59 PM PDT

•  Weak

  I didn't find the wolves threatening at all.  To me (and my wife, who agreed) they looked like cute puppy dogs that you wanted to pet.

  You are right, though, when you say "too much metaphor."  I'm reminded of those Dukakis commercials where they had the "Bush/Quayle advisors" talking about how they were going to manipulate the public.  It was too subtle and complicated for people watching TV in 1988.  I can't imagine anyone putting down the paper or not flipping the channel to watch this "dog" in 2004.  
  Someone pointed out that the wolves imagery has a strong resonance among Christian conservatives who know how the bible uses the imagery of wolves.  Frankly, if they are still trying to turn out their Christian Coalition base at this point, they are in trouble.

  by LeftCoastTimm on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 05:48:49 PM PDT

  •  well taken

    I just missed the ad. It ran just now while I was reading this thread and I didn't notice it until the "I'm George Bush and I approve"...sort of proves the point of those who said its not memorable.

    I'll admit to being afraid of wolves, though.

    by desmoulins on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 09:42:22 PM PDT

•  Well, seriously

  how many Americans are attacked by wolves every year? If the image had been pit bulls on a street corner lunging at old ladies, now THAT would be scary!

  Sadly, however, this ad will probably garner Bush a lock on the Wolf-attack-victims bloc.

  by PBJ Diddy on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 05:50:35 PM PDT

  •  Plays to their base...

    Wyoming anti-wolf ranchers... maybe with some spillover to Montana...

    by mlangner on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 07:19:03 PM PDT

•  Crossfire

  It was great on Crossfire today when they played this Wolves ad. The right-wing guy (not one of the regulars) acted like we were in for the scariest, most effective ad of all time. He looked surprised when the audience actually laughed in response.

  It was devastating. Plus Paul Begala was laughing about the puppies.

  I wish he'd had the "Bush Cries Wolf again" line. (And you never can believe him.)

  by NegSpin on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 05:52:24 PM PDT

  •  LOL.

    Bush cries wolf again. Outstanding.

    by ModerateLiberalCA on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 05:53:51 PM PDT

•  They should have had the ostrich

  with his head up his butt.  Would have been more accurate.

  by BarbcusaB on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 06:08:19 PM PDT

•  crowning achievement of bush environmental policy

  he reintroduced the wolf into the politcal ad environment

  by Miss Devore on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 06:14:56 PM PDT

•  OMG....

  What a joke. I just watched the ad for the first time. Its really terrible. The forest doesn't even look scary... it looks like a forest. And the wolves really do look like puppies. I can't believe they couldn't do better than that.... wait a minute, yes I can.

  by MonkeyDog102 on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 06:40:01 PM PDT

•  Kerry should throw up a puppy ad

  with Geourge Bush trying to scare us with cute little puppies.... maybe they could have an actor playing Bush get chased around by 10 or 15 cute little fuzzy dogs.... then Kerry could say: "Shouldn't George Bush be worrying about terrorists, and not scaring us with puppies?" or something to that effect....

  It could be really funny, and get lots of press, and make Bush look like an idiot

  by MonkeyDog102 on Fri Oct 22, 2004 at 06:45:16 PM PDT