Laugh at new Rock the Vote ad at your own peril (#TurnOutForWhat?)
Connecting with the youth, and putting Republican ads to shame.
Rock the Vote released a new ad today with a song by Lil Jon featuring Lena Dunham, Whoopi Goldberg, Natasha Lyonne, Fred Armisen, E.J. Johnson, Darren Criss, Sophia Bush, Ireland Baldwin, Devendra Banhart, Ioanna Gika, and Gabriel Valenciano.
Geared towards young people, Rock the Vote has long been successful at utilizing pop culture to engage younger demographics in the political process. Started in 1990 by a Virgin Record exec, Rock the Vote is supposed to be a non-profit, partisan organization. Whether or not you agree with their politics (which tend leftward), they’re good at making voting and even politics look rad.
Check out their latest ad:
Oh, you can laugh at it and think it’s stupid, but do so at your own political peril. The Rock the Vote folks don’t care what you think, they care about what young Lena Dunham fans think:
“Turn Out for What” is a spin on DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s “Turn Down for What.”
Contrast “Turn Out for What” with those awful “Republicans are People Too” videos and it’s no wonder the right struggles to court the youth vote.
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Comments
The GOP ad highlighted does not target the youth vote specifically. The RTV ad targets the youth vote specifically. Apples. Oranges.
Doesn’t matter who they are targeting, the republican ad is terrible no matter how you look at it. The GOP has a huge messaging problem, ads like that one make it seem like they aren’t even trying.
Oh, I agree generic GOP ads need work, that their entire messaging concept needs work.
My post addresses this author’s apples and oranges comparison. The posted bad GOP ad is not directed at youth, while the Rock The Vote ad specifically is. That’s a poor comparison when you’re talking about quality of youth political ads, as is indicated by the subtitle: “Connecting with the youth, and putting Republican ads to shame.”
If GOP youth ads are bad compared to this RTV ad, then why not post one of them instead of locating the dumbest GOP ad one can find, one not even directed at youth?
Out of that list, I know two: Lil Jon and Lena Dunham. Maybe I’m getting too old and not hip with the kids these days at 34 years old. The screenshot of Dunham’s ugly ass alone is enough to drive me from voting Dem…
Steve Green
I always figured there was no way I could loathe Lena Dunham as much as she loathes herself, but not I’m not so sure. #RockTheVote
8:36 PM – 7 Oct 2014
I remember being in my late teens and very early twenties. I was a hippie-freak.
But the image of a fat, stupid, skank being pushed as a “thought leader” was never, ever a winner.
Quite the opposite.
Oh dear, look at the aspersions cast toward LD’s looks – and from the Clownselor of all people!. But I was told by the very learned and serious scholars here that such statements were vile when supposedly directed toward Tealiban candidates.
I can’t imagine why women aren’t voting in droves for the Tealiban.
There is no such thing, you stupid, lying, bung-sucker for the Collective.
And TEA party women are both numerous and self-respecting.
She is the one that made her sexuality an issue. She is the one that made references to her “First Time.” If you don’t want to deal with the reaction, don’t make an issue of it. If she wasn’t out pushing her boobs in my face, I wouldn’t say anything. But since she bares them for all to see, I’ll comment: Disgusting. Not attractive.
And BTW, her writing and acting both suck.
Ah, she was asking for it. By existing.
No, you lying SOS.
If she existed…like you exist…nobody would care in the least about her.
But she pushed herself into the political arena, in addition to her “celebrity”. Kind of like you have pushed yourself onto this website by lying about who you are.
EXACTLY!! I said she flashes her boobs every chance she gets. She wants a reaction! That’s the reason she does it. So in other words, she asks for it, and we have given her a reaction. It is not about her “Existing.” It is about choices she makes.
But if you want to get into the war of “I exist, therefore the government can do this to me,” we can have that discussion.
Deep thoughts from Shifty…
Lea Dunham ? Barf . Cant unsee. Must flush eyeballs.
Is Lil Jon allowed to vote ? Isn’t he a felon ?
Reproductive Rights = Abortion on demand + (free condoms OR Abortifactants) … They have this already. What exactly is there to vote on ?
Marriage Equality = Homosexual marriage.Uh…they just got this through judicial fiat. What exactly is there to vote on ?
Hey Whoopie…You know, your local optometrist will fit your glasses for freesies so they wont keep sliding down your nose like that.
“Fred” want to impress his friends. Hey Fred, set yourself on fire and live…then I will be your friend AND impressed all at the same time.
Turning out for “Human rights” ? Huh ? Your not voting in Saudi Arabia , Qatar, Yemen, China, Russia, North Korea , ( insert craphole here ).
@ 2:20 … You have Student loans ( blame Obama for nationalizing the program), global warming ( eh, the earth has not warmed in what ? 15 years ?) , gun control ( Obama is the best gun salesman there ever was ) more guns/less crime.
@2:30 Did I hear Difindra say he was turning out for deforestation ? Is he fer it or again it ? I cant tell. Is this a hot button issue for the kiddies ? If memory serves there are more old growth forests in 2014 then there were 200 years ago, primarily due to fire and forrest management (logging).
Lil Jon wants legalized pot. Better tell the White House. President Choom-gang does not agree.
Racial Equality = White males need not apply
I’m getting old.
But it would have been nice for a purportedly non-partisan group throw in something there about “I’m turning out for gun rights” or “I’m turning out for lower taxes” or, you know, something that wasn’t on one side of the partisan divide.
What a great non-partisan ad!
I was especially impressed with the youngster dancing around saying “I’m turning out for smaller government”.
Oh, wait….
Nevermind
Need eye bleach after viewing that still of that fat dancing cow ~
Is she supposed to be funny or something? Used honey buckets are more humorous than she is.
I would never have suffered though this ad if not for the discussion. I think Kemberlee is correct, this is probably an effective ad for the target demographic. The only person I recognized was Whoopie, but I am not the target audience.
I hope the GOP and Tea Party can produce ads just as effective (and just as obnoxious to me!!!).
we just a bunch of old, racist creepy-assed crackers. we old-skool, they new skool. When does Lena “stanley anne” Dunham co-opt Racheal jeantel? I’m 49 and I know better than to try and emulate “Lil Jon”….that is just painful. I don’t get worked up over this, i laugh at it. If you are dumb enough to fall for the surface crap then you deserve to live in the world you vote for. I pray that death will be swift when it comes…….
Unfortunately a large percentage of the population is stupid enough to vote for ‘that surface crap.’ I for one don’t want to live in the world that they are voting for. They will and are trading free speech and due process for ‘legalized pot’ and ‘free birth control’. If Dems can manipulate the ignorant masses to vote for them using stupid gimmicks like this, then I’m not above using the same tactics.
Anybody puts the GOP to shame.
But the greatest shame of all should be felt by people on our side who tolerate Boehner, Prebus, McCain, Graham, McConnell and the rest of them. Worse, who give money to them.
Starve the GOP. Instead, lavishly support the Tea Party.
Ever see the financials from Tea Party Patriots, Tea Party Fund, Tea Party Express, Tea Party America, and Freedom Works?
Here’s a clue: they all have one thing in common – no more than 5% of the money they take in goes to support candidates, issue advertising, or other political spending. Most goes to salaries for the principals and their families and friends, rent on their nice offices, travel expenses, etc.
Art often comes from the political left, the left being associated with change and the future, something that is especially of interest to the young.
The comments above about Dunham’s appearance merely emphasizes the point. Today’s youth is very aware of the diversity of body types and are no longer willing to countenance such bullying tactics.
Boy, are you a great spokes-hole for the delusional Collective!
Starting with the notion that what a lot of these freaks produce is “art”.
Heh!
So you’re saying that visual evidence of a disparity between intake and output are a “type”? I always thought that was a lifestyle choice.
Serious question: Is Ms. Kaye truly holding up that ad as something to emulate? This is parody, right?
All Lena needs is Princess Leia on a chain to complete the picture.
If that is “youth” then I see no reason to vote for anyone or be concerned about anything beyond tending my cabbages, asLuther put it when asked what he would do if he knew the world would end tomorrow. That is not “youth.” That is market slaves.