Billowing American flags. Ripe fields of wheat. A booming narrators’ voice begins by praising the American way of life and the country’s unique character. The advertisement speaks effectively to an audience of potential voters, and campaign donors by appealing to Americans’ patriotic instincts. At the end, the candidate makes a direct call for support and says…nothing. In fact, the ad doesn’t tout the merits of a regular human politician, but the Senate hopeful in question is a Maine Coon named Hank.
The entire goal of Hank’s campaign was raising money for animal rescue in his home state of Virginia, using unconventional yet powerful means to curry donations. In January 2012, the 30-second “Hank for Senate” video debuted on YouTube, during the middle of a contentious election season. Alluding to a continuing news event relevant to its audience, the ad gains the viewer’s attention by subverting their expectations. “Hank for Senate” serves as a parody of standard campaign ads and their lack of substance, implying that if those platitudes can even work for a cat, their speakers aren’t saying much at all. Given the “election fatigue” people often experience during an election year, the joke of a cat running for U.S. Senate resonates with people who feel tired of seeing numerous campaign ads. Although complaining about politicians is a favorite pastime of Americans, they would be most predisposed to spite their representatives during election season, even if just by donating to Hank’s Senate campaign. Hank also brings much-needed levity after all of the bitterness that accompanies campaign politics. For all those disaffected with traditional politicians, the ad would likely generate discussion, thus raising awareness for the cause.
While the ad includes references to some of the best known commonplaces of traditional American culture, it also reminds us how divided the country has become. When addressing a bipartisan public, “Hank for Senate” avoids any reference to political agendas, instead focusing on creating feel-good sentiment. With the election dividing friends and neighbors, Hank provides a common point of discussion for both sides of the political spectrum. People may not agree on policy, but at least they can share in their love of an adorable cat. In a time when every area of life seems infused with politics, “Hank for Senate” offers the opportunity to build unity behind a good cause. Five years after its release, the ad speaks to what we need most in American politics: the ability to find common ground despite all the conflict around us and celebrate cute animals together.
Update: Unfortunately, Hank died in 2014. However, he earned over 4,000 votes and placed third in Virginia’s 2012 Senate race.
The Kairos of this advertisement is quite important as you said “Given the “election fatigue” people often experience during an election year”, the population will find humor in this ad after hearing all the typical campaign ads. The public will start to condemn the ordinary politicians for making such bland arguments as for why they should be in office. It is quite intriguing how much support was given to this one cause off of a parody for a Senate advertisement.