Jonathan Prince

Much of Freddy's brain trust gathered at a glassed-in conference room in the office of his consultants today to release two very different new television ads.

The English language one, by Ferrer aide Jonathan Prince (along with Ellis Verdi's production company), is called "Poverty." It's a single shot, closing in on Freddy's face as he speaks in a park on the East Side, a bridge visible over one shoulder. (Trivia question: Which bridge?)

"Two things rose in New York City last year, the salaries of the wealthy, and the poverty rate," it begins, ending with the tag line: "It's a great city. It could be greater."

The spot includes a poverty stat -- New York as the only big city in the country with an increase in the poverty rate -- that Census officials cast partial doubt on recently. But there's little question that this isn't Mike's favorite topic; as Wayne Barrett recently noted, the Mayor has apparently only let the word "poverty" pass his lips once in his entire term.

The Spanish language ad is probably the one that will have people talking. It is as passionate as the English one is cool, and is all about ethnic pride. It shows a triumphant Ferrer hitting it just right during the brief Spanish section of his primary-night speech. Freddy's words are innocuous, but the text makes the point: "On September 13th, we made history."

Freddy needs to get Hispanic New Yorkers excited about him in a way they notably weren't in the primary, and this seems the thing to do it.  read more »

(The two spots should be up a little later today on Freddy's site.)

Were I among the reporters receiving adamant denials from the Ferrer campaign of The Politicker's report last week that the candidate was parting ways with its second round of media consultants (Oh, wait, I was among them...), I might be a bit irritated today to get a chipper press release today thanking Doak for his work and announcing a third round of admakers. As reported, Ferrer aide Jonathan Prince is leading a team of Madison Avenue types that include a firm owned by Ellis Verdi, who played a role on Hillary's 2000 campaign.

Verdi's known for somewhat unconvential and attention-getting forays into politics, though his central advice to the Clinton campaign in 2000 (of which more later) was rejected.  read more »

So whatever their effect on the public, Freddy's new ads should entertain the press.

Yesterday's item on adman David Doak's all-but-official departure from the Ferrer campaign prompted a funny pair of responses: firm denials from the campaign that Doak is out, and also a number of tips as to who will replace him.

The likely choice is apparently a respected Madison Avenue guy who dabbles occasionally in politics, Ellis Verdi.

The new faces from the corporate advertising world will be working with Ferrer aide Jonathan Prince, a Clinton administration hand. Prince, according to several Democrats, been Ferrer's point man on the television campaign, and will continue in that role.

Doak's firm had been reduced to serving as the production company, not the usual place of a high-payed media strategist, and has apparently lost interest in playing that role.

Several Democrats suggested that Verdi, who had a role (more to come) in Hillary's Senate run and is close to Prince, will have a hand in producing Ferrer's next round of television spots. Verdi also has a running relationship with the Ferrer consultants over at the Global Strategy Group.  read more »

Ferrer spokeswoman Jen Bluestein emails: "DCO's contract runs through the primary and we're currently talking to them and other firms about how we structure our team to ramp up to beat Mike Bloomberg in November."

So look for an word soon of a new team to "join" Doak on the campaign, and read "replace" for "join."