Campus Progress uses teen heartthrob in ad encouraging young people to vote.
View full sizeJustin Bieber performs at the New York State Fair in Syracuse on September 1.Pop singing sensation Justin Bieber isn't old enough to vote, and as a Canadian, he won't be able to vote in the United States even when he turns 18.
But those details aren't stopping a Liberal group from trying to capitalize on his popularity, particularly the tendency for anything Bieber-related to go viral on the Internet.
Campus Progress, a national organization that describes itself as working with and for "young people to promote progressive solutions to key political and social challenges," asks voters to 'do it for Bieber' in its submission to the Vote Again 2010 video contest.
"This fall, we’re voting on behalf of celebrities who can’t, like Justin Bieber," writes Sara Haile-Mariam on the Campus Progress website.
"We're trying to leverage Bieber fever," Haile-Mariam added in an interview with Politico. "The hope is to create something that goes viral and gets young people to be aware of the election."
If you're having a tough time seeing the connection between the teen heartthrob and a get-out-the-vote campaign, you're not alone. The Washington Post's Alexandra Petri calls the ad 'ridiculous.'
"Often, people disagree about who should and shouldn't be allowed to vote. Here's who I think shouldn't be allowed to vote: people who believe they are voting on behalf of Justin Bieber," writes Petri.
An editorial on Rutgers' Daily Targum website adds: "Campus Progress’ new campaign also says a lot about American culture. They know that it’s easier to reach student voters via celebrity endorsement than it is to hold real political dialogues with them. This move is just more evidence to support the commonly made claims that the youth is largely apathetic about the state of their nation."
What do you think of Campus Progress' Bieber ad campaign? Leave your comments below.
» Politico.com: Midterm Bieber fever
» CNN: Social media celebs launch campaign to encourage youth voting
» Washington Post: Why does Campus Progress want Justin Bieber fans to vote?
» Daily Targum: New campaign lacks integrity