History Main / AttackOfThePoliticalAd

** In season 1, Daniel's business rival in the car dealership world, Tom Cole, puts out [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_Ogzm1UW54&ab_channel=LyonBarerra an ad]] for his own dealership chain where he implies that Daniel is an unpatriotic water waster.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''WesternAnimation/AppleAndOnion''. When Apple runs for mayor in "Election Day", Mayor Naise makes an ad that claims he and Onion are actually Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet, "two of the biggest liars of all time." Apple and Onion counter by tracking down the real Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet and shooting a video of all four together. Mayor Naise then doctors a screenshot of the video and adds puppet strings to Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet. Apple and Onion are forced to sink to the Mayor's level and make a CGI video of him robbing a bank. It works too well, getting the Mayor arrested.

* On ''WesternAnimation/CloneHigh'', when Abe and JFK are running for student body president, JFK makes an attack ad against Abe. First the ad claims Abe is a liar because his answer to what his age is was different to what it was a year before, and then footage of Abe eating spaghetti is very poorly edited to make it look like he's eating a baby.

--> Hey Liberals: You may have your bag of money, but have you seen our new boot?\\

* In ''Series/Zoey101'', when Zoey and Chase compete against each other for school president, a smear campaign commercial gets released claiming that Chase shaves his legs, eats out of garbage cans, and picks on little girls, and that everyone should vote for Zoey as president. Zoey goes to Chase to tell him that she didn't make the commercial, only for Chase to admit that he made the commercial because he thinks Zoey would be the best choice for president. But as Zoey points out, everyone think she made the commercial and it only served in making her look bad and Chase more sympathetic.

* Brutally parodied to the extreme in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas''. One vault was an experiment in seeing how people would put up with a political scenario where everyone had to vote for a regular sacrifice. As such, the walls are littered with attack ads, but they are instead use as a argument to vote ''for'' the person being attacked.

* ''Series/MrShow'' has a sketch wherein we see really vicious and negative political adverts for two wealthy men... who don't actually appear to be running for office, they just seem to have decided to film adverts attacking each other for some reason. And then they team up to utterly destroy a local priest who runs his own advert begging the two men to quit it with the pointless negative adverts already.

* {{Played for Laughs}} in {{WesternAnimation/AppleAndOnion}}. [[spoiler: When Apple runs for mayor in "Election Day", Mayor Naise makes an ad that claims he and Onion are actually Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet, "two of the biggest liars of all time!" Apple and Onion counter by tracking down the real Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet and shooting a video of all four together. Mayor Naise then doctors a screenshot of the video and adds puppet strings to Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet. So Apple and Onion are forced to sink to their level and make a CGI video of Mayor Naise robbing a bank. It works too well, getting the Mayor arrested]].

* {{Played for Laughs}} in {{WesternAnimation/Apple&Onion}}. [[spoiler: When Apple runs for mayor in "Election Day", Mayor Naise makes an ad that claims he and Onion are actually Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet, "two of the biggest liars of all time!" Apple and Onion counter by tracking down the real Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet and shooting a video of all four together. Mayor Naise then doctors a screenshot of the video and adds puppet strings to Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet. So Apple and Onion are forced to sink to their level and make a CGI video of Mayor Naise robbing a bank. It works too well, getting the Mayor arrested]].

* {{Played for Laughs}} in the "WesternAnimation/Apple&Onion". [[spoiler: When Apple runs for mayor in "Election Day", Mayor Naise makes an ad that claims he and Onion are actually Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet, "two of the biggest liars of all time!" Apple and Onion counter by tracking down the real Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet and shooting a video of all four together. Mayor Naise then doctors a screenshot of the video and adds puppet strings to Jalapeno Pepper and Scotch Bonnet. So Apple and Onion are forced to sink to their level and make a CGI video of Mayor Naise robbing a bank. It works too well, getting the Mayor arrested]].

** In ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV IV]]'', John Hunter (Democratic) and Michael Graves (Republican), candidates for governor of the state surrounding Liberty City, take out surreal attack ads accusing each other of some of the most bizarre things imaginable, from the plausible (Hunter opposed private ordnance, while Graves opposed moves to repeal amendments preventing full-scale espionage on suspected terrorists) to the outlandish (Hunter wanted [=CCTVs=] installed in bedrooms to fine masturbators, as well as transfer funds from schools to drug addicts, while Graves wanted to raise taxes for free condoms in schools) and even the outright AdHominem (Hunter is a bald man with erectile dysfunction, while Graves [[DraftDodging shirked]] from UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar and is a [[PedoHunt pedophile]] with a morally reprehensible wife). Both also end up becoming NotSoDifferent from each other by accusations of advocating underage sex, supporting a retreat from TheWarOnTerror, and fiscal conservatism.

* ''Down Home'' had an election for mayor with Kate running against Wade and Wade resorting to this trope. Just before a debate, Wade implies he's going to reveal a big secret about Kate, leading her to confess many things she's done so he can't use that information. (He then admits he was just going to wing it.) The voters end up so disgusted, only three of them vote. (Kate wins two to one. Literally two to one.)

* In a ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' cartoon where Mr. Bighead decides to challenge Rocko in the race for town dog catcher, he gets the Chameleon Brothers to help him with his campaign. They explain while they will make him look good, they will smear his opponent with unfair rumors. They run an ad where the narrator states: "The fall of the Roman Empire. The sinking of the Titanic. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking The 1958 Edsel]]. Now, we don't want to say that Rocko caused all these things. But it does make you think...Doesn't it?" An "artist rendering" of Rocko depicts him with sharp teeth, a menacing demeanor, and a speech bubble reading, "I'm mean." Also, Ed's campaign slogan was, "Ed good. Rocko bad."

-->'''Phil:''' I hate LA.

* In ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'', when George Michael lets Gob do an ad for his school president campaign, Gob pretty much attacks George's rival, Steve Holt, on the grounds that he doesn't even know who his father is. [[spoiler: His father is actually GOB.]]
* During the US 2000 Presidential Election, ''Series/TheChrisRockShow'' had the spoof "Mike Tyson for President" ads, which featured footage from Mike Tyson interviews [[AtLeastIAdmitIt admitting to things like being a convicted rapist]] and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking "a semi-good husband".]]

* PlayedForDrama in ''Series/{{Glee}}''. An unnamed political opponent of Sue Sylvester decides to make an ad campaign declaring that Sue is a lesbian. Then he uses the fact that her cheerleader [[SchoolgirlLesbians Santana]] [[{{Gayngst}} Lopez]] is a lesbian as "proof"... [[TearJerker and just outed Santana to everyone who watched the ads]].

* In ''Series/LastWeekTonightWithJohnOliver'', after criticizing the attack ads in the 2014 Senate race in Kentucky between Mitch [=McConnell=] and Allison Lundergan Grimes, John declares that "there is no way things are going to better until we collectively hit rock bottom" - so [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDAa4lWQn8M he decides to make the worst attack ads imaginable]], using the full creative license that a premium cable network like Creator/{{HBO}} provides him. In the ad for [=McConnell=], Grimes is shown [[ChainsawGood slaughtering coal miners with a chainsaw]]. In the ad for Grimes, [=McConnell=] is represented by [[FanDisservice an old, white, wrinkled]] [[MaleFrontalNudity penis]].

-->'''Toomey Impressionist:''' I think he [Trump]'s a national embarrassment and a disgrace. [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs A disgraceful embarrassment]] who I am proud to support for President of the United States. Donald Trump is exactly what this country needs: [[BaitAndSwitch a man with no idea what he's talking about, a man with no respect for democracy or common decency. A man who is totally unfit for office.]] [[HypocriticalHumor And I am proud to support him for office.]] No I'm not. Yes I am. Am not! Am so! Are not! Am too! Shut up! You shut up!
* Following the 2012 elections, ''Series/TheDailyShow'' covered the aftermath with a segment about the citizens of Ohio (a major swing state and a must win for Republicans in any race) picking up the pieces after a storm of attack ads. The entire segment played like then recent Hurricane Sandy coverage.
* ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'', in the final episode of the arc featuring Phil running for judge, his competitor Robinson launches a smear campaign against him, claiming he intends to empty the prisons and do nothing to stop crime. Despite the others' prodding, [[HonorBeforeReason Phil refused to sink to Robinson's level]], intending to run a clean campaign and having faith that Los Angeles voters won't swallow the propaganda. He ends up losing to Robinson in a LandslideElection.
-->'''Phil:''' I hate LA

* Brutally parodied to the extreme in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas''. One vault was an experiment in seeing how people would put up with a political scenario where everyone had to vote for a regular sacrifice. As such, the walls are littered with attack ads, but they are instead use as a argument to vote for the person being attacked.

** In ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV IV]]'', John Hunter (Democratic) and Michael Graves (Republican), candidates for governor of the state surrounding Liberty City, take out surreal attack ads accusing each other of some of the most bizarre things imaginable, from the plausible (Hunter opposed private ordnance, while Graves opposed moves to repeal amendments preventing full-scale espionage on suspected terrorists) to the outlandish (Hunter wanted [=CCTVs=] installed in bedrooms to fine masturbators, as well as transfer funds from schools to drug addicts, while Graves wanted to raise taxes for free condoms in schools) and even the outright AdHominem (Hunter is a bald man with erectile dysfunction, while Graves [[DraftDodging shirked from]] UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar and is a pedophile with a morally reprehensible wife). Both also end up becoming NotSoDifferent from each other by accusations of advocating underage sex, supporting a retreat from TheWarOnTerror, and fiscal conservatism.

* ''Webcomic/TheNonAdventuresOfWonderella'' had [[http://nonadventures.com/2008/09/06/electoral-dysfunction/ this]] little gem. "[[InsaneTrollLogic Can we afford..?]]" argument included.

* ''Webcomic/MandatoryRollerCoaster'' had [[http://mandatoryrollercoaster.tumblr.com/post/15559557086/voting this]] uncharacteristically honest political ad.
* ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'' shows why you should [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2004-07-03 vote Slick!]]

* [[http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_124_if-every-job-was-decided-by-election-17-campaign-ads_p17/#17 One of Cracked's takes here.]]

->''"The ads they run are not generic party ads or issue ads--they are 'UsefulNotes/BillClinton-is-the-best-thing-since-twist-off-caps' ads and 'Bob-Dole-is-the-cause-of-halitosis-and-genital-warts' ads... (I personally doubt the genital wart claim, but...)"''
-->-- '''Jim Hightower''', ''If God Had Meant Us To Vote They Would Have Given Us Candidates''

* ''Film/HeadOfState'' has some pretty silly attack ads against protagonist Mays Gilliam, claiming that if he gets elected the White House will explode, or accusing him of supporting cancer because he didn't appear at a cancer rally. Mays responds by making ads consisting of his opponent getting massive praise...by KKK members and Osama bin Laden.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Drl8fpWTKo&feature=related This]] video seeks to prove this trope is OlderThanTheyThink by taking actual quotes from the candidates of the Presidential election of 1800 and turns them into modern attack ads that manage to sound even ''more'' over the top that the real thing.

* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls2013'', Sunset Shimmer tries to destroy Twilight's reputation and keep her out of the running for Princess of the Fall Formal with [[InstantHumiliationJustAddYouTube an embarrassing viral video]] done in the style of a political attack ad, including gratuitous use of the PhotoshopFilterOfEvil.

* This is how Creator/JonStewart ran the Oscars when he was the host.

* In 2004, Wrestling/MickFoley thought the big giant screens seen at political conventions resembled the Titantron, and since politics was, in his eyes, an imitation of the WWE, he figured maybe the WWE could imitate politics. This resulted in a pitch to Wrestling/VinceMcMahon for an angle where Wrestling/RandyOrton would do political attack ads against Mick Foley. "Mick Foley claims to be a hardcore legend, but is he really?" [=McMahon=] laughed and approved the idea for storyline in early 2005.

* ''Series/MrShowWithBobAndDavid'' has a sketch wherein we see really vicious and negative political adverts for two wealthy men... who don't actually appear to be running for office, they just seem to have decided to film adverts attacking each other for some reason. And then they team up to utterly destroy a local priest who runs his own advert begging the two men to quit it with the pointless negative adverts already.

* ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'', in the final episode of the arc featuring Phil running for judge, his competitor Robinson launches a smear campaign against him, claiming he intends to empty the prisons and do nothing to stop crime. Despite the others' prodding, [[HonorBeforeReason Phil refused to sink to Robinson's level]], intending to run a clean campaign and having faith that L.A won't swallow the propaganda. He ends up losing to Robinson in a LandslideElection.
-->'''Phil:''' I hate L.A

* ''Series/FreshPrinceOfBelAir'', in the final episode of the arc featuring Phil running for judge, his competitor Robinson launches a smear campaign against him, claiming he intends to empty the prisons and do nothing to stop crime. Despite the others' prodding, [[HonorBeforeReason Phil refused to sink to Robinson's level]], intending to run a clean campaign and having faith that L.A won't swallow the propaganda. He ends up losing to Robinson in a LandsideElection.

* [[http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/06/game-of-thrones-attack-ads Mother Jones]] made a series of attacks ads based on ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6r9CdNenuk Robb Stark]] Attack Ad. Paid for by Crossbows GPS.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao4HVlV7wZU Danaerys Targaryen, Wrong for Dragons, Wrong for the Realm]]. Paid for by the Committee to Protect Dragons.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzw2ZiMt3y4 A commercial by the Barather movement]] demands to see Joffrey's birth certificate. Paid for by the Young Baratheons for Freedom.