SMELL

As a former Presidential hopeful, Mike Huckabee sent a message out to Americans to vote for him with his amusing broadcast. Within the commercial, Huckabee utilized both humor and celebrity endorsement in attempt to gain broader support. The candidate strategically incorporated Chuck Norris within his advertisement due to Norris’ fame and high esteem amongst many Americans. His presence in the campaign commercial also adds wit and comedic relief to the usually serious political ads.
Huckabee is in no way subtle about the message that he is trying to get across to American citizens. Although he makes a joke by saying that Chuck Norris is his plan to secure the border, in all seriousness he brings up topics that he believes the American people will respond to. Chuck Norris backs Huckabee by mentioning that he will protect the second amendment if elected president.
Through the use of humor and absurdities, Mike Huckabee has the ability to make viewers laugh and understand his political platform at the same time. Typically, citizens of the United States do not think of the person who holds the most political power in the nation as a light-hearted and funny individual; however, Huckabee tries to defy this stereotype through his entertaining advertisement. Huckabee says: “There’s no chin behind Chuck Norris’ beard, only another fist,” and “When Chuck Norris does pushups he’s not lifting himself up, he’s pushing the earth down,” in order to make viewer think of him as an ordinary person who is easy to relate to.
Huckabee marketers clearly chose to integrate simple, everyday language in order to appeal to common people. The short and witty banter between Huckabee and Norris also adds to the overall tone of humor of the commercial.
The logic behind this political advertisement is merely that humor equals approval and approval equals votes. By making the public laugh, Huckabee has become a little more human to American citizens.