An advertisement by the Ontario government that drew the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump has been deemed successful by experts in political communication, despite not yielding the expected results. It is anticipated that the ad will not encounter significant legal challenges in the U.S., as there is considerable leeway for political commentary in the country.
The ad, currently airing in the U.S., incorporates audio excerpts critiquing tariffs from a 1987 speech by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Trump reacted strongly to the ad, denouncing it as “fake” and suspending trade discussions while accusing Canada of meddling in an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
Alex Marland, a professor at Acadia University specializing in political messaging, praised the ad’s effectiveness in capturing attention. He emphasized the importance of political advertising standing out amidst the noise and resonating with the audience, noting that the ad’s success was evident in Trump’s reaction.
While Marland acknowledged that Ontario may not have fully achieved its objectives, he emphasized that the ad achieved its primary goal of garnering attention. He recommended extending the ad’s duration to secure further media coverage in the U.S. before gradually phasing it out.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the discontinuation of the $75 million campaign on Monday, citing successful engagement with U.S. audiences at top levels. The ad will continue airing over the weekend, coinciding with the first two World Series games.
Criticism of the ad also came from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, alleging selective use of audio and video from Reagan’s speeches. However, Marland asserted that the rules governing such content in political ads have evolved and expressed confidence in the ad’s compliance.
Jacob Neiheisal, an associate professor of political science at the University at Buffalo, cast doubt on the foundation’s ability to challenge the ad legally due to the U.S. courts’ historical reluctance to intervene in political speech.
Elly Alboim, a strategic communications expert at Earnscliffe Strategies and an associate professor of journalism at Carleton University, emphasized that the ad’s impact would depend on its reach and audience understanding. He questioned why the decades-old footage of Reagan triggered Trump’s abrupt reaction.
Alboim underscored that Reagan’s speech is part of the public domain and likened the ad’s use of speech clips to common journalistic practices. The expert also raised the question of what specific aspect of the ad prompted Trump’s swift response.
