Candidate ads use ‘Bluff City Law’ to reach voters
As Memphis took its turn in the prime time spotlight with the Monday premiere of “Bluff City Law,” Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland told Memphians, “This is no time to turn back.”
Strickland's advertisement came during the third commercial break of the show's pilot episode and in the midst of the Memphis election's early voting period. It was his fourth, different television ad of the campaign season, and, like the others, it stuck to his oftrepeated message of momentum. It also acknowledged the special occasion during which it was airing — “Bluff City Law” — a show putting Memphis on a national stage.
The Strickland administration, among others, played an integral role in ensuring the show would be filmed in its namesake city.
Strickland, Mississippi gubernatorial candidate Jim Hood and Memphis City Councilman Worth Morgan of District 5 were the only candidates who coughed up the cash to grab a prime time TV slot — a slot that was expected to draw a larger-than-average local audience.
Federal Communications Commission filings show Strickland paid $2,500 for two 30-second spots, the second of which aired during the conclusion of the show.
The two ad buys are just a small fraction of the tens of thousands of dollars Strickland has spent on paid media throughout the campaign, which stands in contrast to his two principal opponents, Tami Sawyer and Willie Herenton. They have hardly had any paid media beyond digital advertising.
Morgan's ad aired directly after Strickland's and his message echoed the mayor's by touting city's progress. Morgan, the incumbent, had a distinct fundraising advantage at the end of June with more than $117,000 cash-on-hand. Another campaign finance filing is due just before midnight Monday.
Morgan is opposed by John Marek.
Hood, the Democratic nominee for Mississippi governor, has been aggressive on the airwaves ahead of the Nov. 5 election. His ad, designed to create contrast between Hood and his GOP opponent Tate Reeves, focused on healthcare as the central issue.
One other local commercial, an ad for the Great American Home Store, aired during the legal drama, which was filled with the customary ads from big brands that ranged from Honda to Proctor and Gamble.