Obama may run ads during the Olympics

AdAge reports that the Obama campaign is considering an Olympic games ad blitz (via HuffPo):

WASHINGTON (AdAge.com) — Those tuning in to NBC Sports’ Olympics coverage this year will see spots from General Motors, McDonald’s, Budweiser, Nike and — just maybe — Sen. Barack Obama.

Though the Obama campaign is keeping mum about whether it will definitely run spots, it has asked NBC Universal about Olympics advertising including $500,000, $2 million and $4 million packages of ads. (NBC presented those along with a $10 million package.) It’s not only a sign that the Obama camp has faith it can continue its stellar fundraising achievements but a signal that a widening field of battleground states has the candidate contemplating national broadcast buys. An Olympics buy could also allow Mr. Obama to reach out to a large swath of women.

Exploring options

“Obviously our buyers, when contemplating the election, look at a variety of options,” said Jim Margolis, the GMMB partner who co-chairs the Obama advertising team. “You will probably see us looking at lots of things. There is a big difference between looking and buying.”

Personally, I agree with James Joyner that there’s nothing wrong with Obama considering this. In fact, I think it’s a perfect fit: an Olympic-sized ad campaign for the candidate with an Olympic-sized ego who could easily win the gold medal in multiple competitions like the dainty synchronized swimming event where his partner(s) would be the MSM (he’d get perfect scores), men’s gymnastics – in particular the vault, where he’d have all of his opponents disqualified so he could easily “vault” to the front of the pack, and the parallel bars, where he’d have to put his delicate balancing between left and right act to the ultimate test. Last but not least the soon to be added sports of spinning would be a natural fit for Barry O. (he’d easily be the fastest) and race-card playing, where he’ll make up the rules as he goes along – and get away with it.