Most of the Way There

The first 16 seconds of this Olympics ad are tremendous. They emphasize youth, the can-do spirit to get America working again, and the need to use our skills and abilities in service to a bright future. And I love that it's really talking about a green jobs program, in accessible ways. Then comes the final 14 seconds and the litany of sloganeering ("Create Five Million Jobs") that you see in every political ad.



The form can mirror the content here. An energetic, propulsive, forward-moving ad portends an energetic future. The litany at the end slows it down, makes it less melodic, and drops it into a pabulum of poll-tested slogans.

Earlier this week the ads were good for 10 seconds before the slogans and statistics. We're now up to 16. By the end of the campaign I think we'll get to 30.