At the time in 1972 these television political spots were seen as absolutely radical – breakthrough in style and content. Many people believed that George McGovern might win because so many people it seemed thought that President Nixon was something of a joke. In retrospect, there was no chance that George McGovern would beat Richard Nixon in that election. Nixon was far ahead no matter what these political ads said or implied. The man who made them, New York City media guru Tony Schwartz, will speak at the end of this video to say how and why he made them and thought they would be successful. Schwartz worked to create political advertisements for both Republicans and Democrats, dozens of senators and congressmen on the national and statewide levels. He created and produced thousands of ads for radio and TV and was known as the very best in his field. When I was a young filmmaker in New York, Tony hired me on a number of occasions for his clients and we became quite close. I was fond of him and admired the unique view he had towards the creation of television and radio commercials – his understanding of media. That is probably why Marshall McLuhan became friends with Tony and their discussions led to a deeper understanding of TV and how it affected viewers. In my current view, political advertising on television is a disaster. Political spots just aren't credible. They look fake and staged no matter how the filmmakers try to make them look like documentaries.
To see another anti-Nixon ad by Tony Schwartz go here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYB1-IO7tKw&feature=youtu.be