An advertisement featuring Duke, a local from Southwest Philadelphia, is being aired to appeal to undecided male voters in the area who are considering voting for Vice President Kamala Harris. Duke is featured in the 30-second spot titled “She Can Do It,” and it started broadcasting on television across Philadelphia from Thursday.
In the advertisement, Duke is seen conversing with an off-screen person. He compares Harris to his aunt, emphasizing her strength, reliability, and empathy, traits he attributes to her femininity. As visuals of Harris are displayed, Duke reiterates her empathetic nature and her strength, firmly stating his support for her in the upcoming election.
The commercial will be aired during local broadcasts of Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball games, along with local cable ad breaks during NBA games on TNT and its pregame show, “Inside the NBA”. The ad is also set to appear on networks frequented by African-American viewers such as BET, OWN, and VH1. This ad is a part of a $370 million nationwide ad campaign that runs from Labor Day to Election Day.
The ad is specifically designed to appeal to African-American men in Pennsylvania, and any other men who may have reservations about supporting a female president, who the Harris campaign refers to as “persuadable voters.” The ad is significant as Harris currently lags behind former President Donald Trump in some polls among male voters, and there are indications that Trump is denting the traditionally robust support for the Democratic Party among African-American voters. If Harris fails to maintain high minority voter support in Pennsylvania, she could lose the state unless she can compensate with votes from other demographics.
The ad initially appeared on streaming media, demonstrating the contemporary approach to media consumption and political advertising. It was first noticed during the Philadelphia Eagles-New York Giants NFL game on Hulu, specifically targeted at male viewers in the Philadelphia area. A CBS News correspondent first saw the ad while streaming the game on the Hulu app as he was traveling into Philadelphia.
