The Today Show just had a good segment on this season's campaign ads. Matt Lauer talked to two ad execs to review the best ads. One guy said that we aren't going to see any more game changing "Willie Horton" ads, because TV ads are just one leg of entire campaign strategy. They have to promote their candidates on Twitter, Facebook, cable and with the help of online pundits.

Yes, a campaign has to be conducted on multiple front, but the ads are the primary vehicle. My Facebook friends love a funny ad and the "share" function can vastly expand the audience for an ad. Perhaps it's the end of the straight negative ad. The ads that appear to go viral are negative ads that are funny or really over the top.

Here are a few of the ads that have been most talked about this fall.

 

A good viral ad may even be so bad that it sparks SNL spoofs.

UPDATE: The Mayor ad is a parody. I'm glad that I'm not the only one who was fooled.