Does anyone else find it annoying that some of these local politicians have their small children or grandchildren doing commercials asking you to vote for their relative?

I find all commercials featuring children and grandchildren of the owners, or whomever, annoying. Unless they were my grandchildren, of course.

There have been similar ads run pertaining to selling products, such as automobiles. There must be some marketing study that shows the voice of a child can sway votes and/or purchasing decisions that they aren’t capable of make a positive impact. Cuteness and charm aims at the heart and not the brain.

If it’s a professional child actor, or in some way very cute and personable, I can see being swayed. But what I usually see gives me the impression that they just want to put their kids out there, and they’re just regular kids with no particular skill or acting ability.

“Professional child actor.” The very idea is…. I don’t know. Wrong, somehow.

I don’t know that this is new or unusual. I think that children have been part of the election process since advertising and radio (and television) came out. Certainly Nixon was photographed with his daughters in the 1950s (and the dog).

The real question is – why would any thinking adult vote for a candidate on the basis of the pleas of a 9 year old?

I know what you’re saying @Jak. It’s not the kids who get the idea to become professional actors. Or beauty queens or any other “self promoting” ideas. It’s the parents, and their quest can be brutal on the kids, IMO. Which is why I never put my daughter in “beautiful baby” contests and she could have easily qualified. So could a few of my grandkids.