Liberty Expose: The Brilliance of RFK Jr’s Super Bowl Commercial
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The commercials played during the Super Bowl have become iconic pieces of sporting and pop culture traditions. They tend to be an example of the current state of American culture through the lens of large corporations. For good or for bad, they generally do a good job, of mentioning the current political topics of the time.
However, if paid close enough attention, one would recognize a particular ad that stands out from the rest. An ad reminiscent of 1960s America. A Presidential commercial for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
RFK Jr. is the nephew of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, who won the presidency in 1961 and was famously assassinated in 1963, and his son Robert Kennedy, who was a senator for New York and, while running for president, was shot and killed in June of 1968. The initial Kennedy name allowed RFK to experience tremendous political tension early on as a member of political royalty.
The ad was paid for by a supporter of Robert Kennedy's SuperPAC American Values 2024 without the permission of the presidential candidate. This ad, which ran for a total of 30 seconds, cost the SuperPAC $7 million. Afterwards, RFK Jr. came out and apologized for this ad, saying that it had caused “pain” to his family.
The commercial begins with a famous 1960s presidential ad of John F. Kennedy with RFK’s face superimposed onto each image. Retaining its catchy tone and lighthearted demeanor.
However, RFK Jr. was, in fact, wrong to apologize. The ad is actually tremendously well done and captures many of RFK Jr.'s advantages over other candidates.
The Effectiveness Of The Ad
The beauty of this particular ad was its call back to a much simpler time, where American politics seemed like it was much less polarizing than it is today. Polls have shown that 65% of Americans reported feeling exhausted whenever they had to think about American politics. 55% reported feeling angry. Proving that there is major fatigue in American politics. This ad reminds Americans of a simpler time, and they return to the normalcy that so many Americans are craving.
Within the jingle or lyrics is John F. Kennedy's young age, which is remarkably relevant to today. While RFK Jr. is currently 70 years old, he is in much better physical condition, particularly against Joe Biden, whose age has become a prominent factor in his reelection. 86% of people think Biden’s too old to run for a second term in office, and Donald Trump is only a few years younger.
Regardless of anyone’s political affiliation, it would be dishonest not to recognize the great political work of reusing this famous ad from the 1960s. Not only by playing it during a time with a tremendous number of viewers, but also because of its style of messaging.
RFK's Presidential Chance
It is still presumed that the next president of the United States will come from either the Republican or Democratic parties. It is extremely unlikely that an independent would have any chance of winning, but RFK Jr. is performing remarkably well for a third-party candidate.
This goes with the fact that most Americans do not want a repeat of the 2020 election. More than 50% of Democrats and Republicans do not want Joe Biden and Donald Trump to be their presumed frontrunners in this year‘s presidential election. This would seemingly leave a door open for a potential third candidate.
The current presumptive nominees are also particularly disliked by the American public. Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s approval ratings sit in the low 40% range, while the approval rating for RFK Junior sits above 52%. This gives a candidate like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has a much better public image, motivation to continue pursuing his shot at the presidency.
As a lifelong Democrat, RFK has always garnered support from the left, not only by his last name but also by his old-school democratic persona. His position of being against the COVID vaccination has garnered him support from many individuals on the right. Amongst actual conservatives, RFK is seen as a standard Democrat policy that existed 20 years ago. This includes things like price control, government-funded abortion, environmental regulations, and increased taxes.
However, due to some of his policy proposals that differ from the left, he has been ostracized from the Democratic Party, causing RFK Jr. to run for the 2024 presidential race as an independent. While some of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s agenda may seem appealing to conservatives, It’s important. They must remember that because he may side with some issues as a whole, he does not promote conservatism ideas or solutions.
The question yet to be answered is whether or not RFK’s involvement will have a larger impact, pulling votes away from Joe Biden or Donald Trump. It is yet to be known until the November election in 2024.
Conclusion
While the likelihood of RFK Jr. winning the presidency as an independent is a pipe dream, There are many factors that give him an advantage over prior third-party candidates in the future. Not only in his name recognition but also in the persona of a return to a more civilized time. One that is personified during a presidential commercial during America’s biggest sporting event of the year. Even though you are not of the same political affiliation, conservatives can still take important notes on better ways to market themselves to the general public.