April Eichmeier, assistant professor of emerging media at the University of St. Thomas College of Arts and Sciences, recently spoke with MinnPost for a story about ads using skylines from other cities in Minnesota-focused campaigns.
From the story:
This is not the first time this has happened in Minnesota in recent years. Last year, a Minneapolis Police Department recruitment ad was flagged for using an aerial shot of Baltimore’s skyline. In 2022, people on X called out Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen for using stock footage of Pennsylvania in a campaign ad.
So why the mixups?
Simple production errors are likely to blame, said April Eichmeier, media professor at the University of St. Thomas College of Arts and Sciences. Chances are, she said, whatever entity wants an ad featuring a city is likely working with a team that includes people writing, producing and editing the final product, and they’re not always local.
“Now, in an ideal situation, you have people who are very attentive to detail who will say, ‘Oh, hey have we confirmed that this is the Minneapolis skyline?’ That ought to be happening,” Eichmeier said. “But does it slip through the cracks? Are production people perfect? No, no one is perfect.”
In the age of social media, people also notice these errors more, she added. But the actual effect these types of screwups is likely minimal, Eichmeier said. For example, those looking to apply for jobs with MPD probably weren’t deterred by the skyline mistake in the department’s ad, she said, and supporters of Frey’s reelection campaign likely won’t change their votes because a mistake was made in the ad production process.
