Web Update: Details of debut Clement commercial revealed

Former Congressman Bob Clement’s $600,000 media campaign in the final weeks of the Nashville mayoral campaign will come out swinging with a television “roadblock” tonight.

A two minute spot for Clement’s bid to be Nashville’s next mayor will run on three of the city’s major television affiliates tonight with all three newscasts - 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. - a source in the city’s broadcast community told The City Paper.

The pattern of Clement’s media buy - $65,000 this week alone - also suggests the technique, which guarantees the majority of voters watching the evening news will see the two-minute commercial.

A source close to the Clement campaign said the television add will posit that with the “right leadership Nashville can reach its destiny as a ‘World Class’ city.”

“Bob Clement is presented as candidate with experience and a specific plan to improve schools, attack crime and ‘hold the line’ on property taxes,” the same source told the newspaper Wednesday.

The ad will also feature “real people” giving testimonials about Clement, as well as a “brief” appearance from Clement stating that Nashville can move from being "good to great" – a allusion to the popular business books by author Jim Collins.

The ad begins a $600,000 media sprint by the front-running Clement campaign covering the four weeks left until the Aug. 2 election.

Clement mayoral campaign insiders told the newspaper earlier in the week the $65,000 television buy is the start of a media package that will ultimately see the former, longtime 5th District Congressman spend $600,000 between today and Aug. 2. About $400,000 of that total will go toward network television with the remaining $200,000 going toward a combination of direct mail, radio and cable television.

The same sources said this week's buy would account for about 500 points in the market. The television spots — crafted by Clement media consultant Fletcher, Rowley, Chao & Riddle — will be “upbeat, positive and about the issues.”

The Clement campaign itself declined this week to describe the commercials but said they compose a “significant buy.” Clement is the fundraising frontrunner of the mayoral race, having raised more than $1 million.

Meanwhile, mayoral hopeful Karl Dean began airing his fifth television commercial July 4. The ad, also appearing on the broadcast networks, will describe his work as Nashville’s public defender and his role in closing the city’s houses of prostitution.

Candidate Howard Gentry’s campaign said his first TV ad will begin airing within two weeks.

(City Paper reporter Bill Harless contributed to this story.)