MediaPost spotlighted a video titled, “Dear Young People, Don’t Vote,” by Nail Communications. Designed to motivate Millennials and Gen Zers to vote via reverse psychology, the message features elderly people encouraging young people not to vote, declaring how the older generation controls ultra-conservativism in society.
At least one MediaPost visitor took offense, feeling the stereotypical depiction of old folks reflected ageism and promoted divisiveness. If Carl Warner is still around, he’d likely be outraged too.
Another point not mentioned is the lack of diversity; that is, the video only shows White senior citizens. Did the creators deliberately presume most people of color lean towards being liberal Democrats? Were they purposely avoiding the politically incorrect territory of attaching anti-voting sentiments—even facetiously—to those who benefited from, fought for, and died over the Voting Rights Act?
It doesn’t help that Nail Communications appears to be a White advertising agency. Or perhaps that nails the explanation.
On a final note, the overall “Yes We Cancel” campaign—intended to target a younger audience—is trying too hard. In that regard, the concept is culturally clueless and deserves a 👎 vote.
Don’t Read This Column
By Joe Mandese
See what I did there? Using a little reverse psychology to get you to do the opposite — click through and read today’s “Red, White & Blog” — if only as an act of authoritarian defiance. Well, that’s actually the point of today’s column: using reverse psychology — or more aptly, child psychology — to get young people to vote in this year’s election.
As you probably already know, young Americans are notoriously loath to do so, so Providence, Rhode Island agency Nail figured out a way to hit a hammer on their heads in one of the most ingenious spots I’ve come across yet this election cycle.
The spot, “Dear Young People, Don’t Vote” features some crotchety elders telling them to sit this one out, because, well, “everything is fine the way it is.”
Forget about climate change, tax cuts for the rich, school shootings and a candidate threatening to undermine democracy — it’s old folks that run America, the spot advises young voters, recommending that they stick to tending their social media memes.
“Only 46% of people 18-34 years old voted in the last election,” the YouTube video’s description reminds us, adding: “So the elderly have a disproportionate influence on our politics and our country.”
It’s enough to make a Millennial’s blood boil, and get a Gen Zer to get off their butt.
At least that’s what Nail Creative Partner Alex Beckett hopes, noting that his “client is democracy.”
“We specifically didn’t want to have a partisan client because it felt like that would drive off these ultra-low engagement young voters we’re trying to activate,” he continues, adding: “They’re not partisan. They’re not even non-partisan. They’re anti-partisan.”
The spot is intended to drive young voters to a broader “Yes We Cancel” campaign consisting of a website, videos, a store and an Instagram page all built around a tongue-in-cheek homage to the Obama campaign’s iconic “Yes We Can” call to arms.
Now that’s what I call “cancel culture” — but you know, the good kind.
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