Why do some political commercials look better?

With 17 candidates running for judge this election, most of them have television commercials airing, and most have some sort of video on You Tube or on their website. But why is it that some look good, and some look cheesy? Let's take a closer look, shall we?

The Message: "You know me, you trust me." was quoted in one spot. Well, what if I don't know you? Now what? Sounds like you're trying to coerce me into something I'm not comfortable with. The message should be clear: Who are you and what are you going to do that's better than the last person who did the job. There are a lot of neat, clever tricks you can do with a script, but few know how to pull them off without looking corny.

Talent: Talent are the people you see in the commercials, the politicians, the friends and family who give testimonials etc. They can be confident and relaxed, or stiff and forced. Let's face it, not all people are comfortable when you stick a camera in someones face. It is the job of the person who is directing the commercial to know how to get the best performance out of these people, and not leave until they get a good, honest take that will set off a spark in the minds of the viewers.

Technical: This means lighting. audio, graphics, and editing. I shake my head every time I see one of the judge spots. The candidate looks like he was filmed in Norman Bates' basement. You know, that one bulb hanging light that revealed Norman's dead mother? I actually takes a lot of time and effort to do good lighting. The reason it doesn't always happen is that the person doing the lighting does not know how to do it or does not take the time involved.

There are some good commercials out there, and there are some stinkers. One thing I noticed is that candidates do not shop around to get the best quality at the best price. They pick a company or someone by word of a buddy, or they hire a high priced advertising agency, when doing a simple Google search will net them 10 phone numbers and websites they could call to get a quote and a better commercial. But were not electing thifty, economical thinkers here, we're electing politicians!