Use of screen real estate - lost in translation

Doing a bit of research today to compare the two primary presidential candidates on some key issues.  I was shocked when visiting the John McCain homepage to find that apparently John might also be an Obama supporter!

So much so in fact, that they have given him the best placement on the homepage, as well as an aesthetically pleasing graphic with a clear association between the powerful word ‘Love’ and Barack’s smiling face.  Clicking the graphic takes you to two videos which give you the ability to vote for the best song for a video about how the media is in love with Barack Obama.

After a wave of misses and gaffes in the last couple of weeks, you would think the McCain camp might be able to get it right with their own online efforts.  Instead they give their most valuable screen real estate to a competitor, in what I suppose is an effort to convince voters and other media players that the McCain camp is getting a raw deal.

Unfortunately, this effort falls flat with me – and I imagine many others as well.  The homepage placement, headline graphic, and even the videos are neutral to – pro-Obama, and I think it’s safe to say that no media exec is going to flinch at the montage therein.

In my experience, sarcasm doesn’t translate well in email or the web.  Better to keep on point.

Dear John,

More than anything else, Americans want to see you and Barack Obama fight a good fight in this presidential campaign.  No whining, minimal mud slinging, just ’straight talk’ about the issues and how you and your team can help take us into the next decade.

Please have your online marketing team go back to the drawing board.

Sincerely,

Concerned Netizen