How To (Nicely) Troll A College's Student Government Election

How a "What if..." joke became a satirical viral video about a fake candidate resigning from the election because "it was too easy to win." This is our story.

After a failed run in 2012 for Student Government President at University of Michigan - Dearborn, Matt Ainsworth had no intentions of trying again the following year. He didn't like playing the political game that was necessary to win. In early 2013 he and I helped a friend with a short film for his class, and this picture (among a few others) was left over. Coincidentally, Matt and I had been joking, "What if you ran again this year? We'd make such ridiculous, over-the-top ads and have real fun with it."

So I decided to make a mock ad, and ended up posting it on Facebook for some laughs. The fine print made pretty clear it was a joke, but nonetheless, word began to spread and controversy began about the possibility of Matt running for Student President. We thought it was hilarious that half the people (mostly the ones currently in SG or running for real) weren't sure if it was real. Matt and I stayed cagey about it. We let the mystery fester and spread.

Weeks past and the issue died down, though it was clear Matt was unpopular with the people who live, breathe, and swim in the deep, dark seas of Student Government. We had no issue with any of them and didn't think about their reactions when I posted the original ad, we just thought it was funny as hell to us, and that's all that mattered. After the reactions to the first photo though, we knew another one had to be made. Our friends and peers thought it was funny, and we like when people who take things too seriously sometimes get a bit riled up. It was all in good fun after all, but some people didn't see it that way.

So became the second photo, which included Student Government's logo (whether it's the official one, I don't know. It was the first one I found). Well, that really did a number on the Student Government people, because the logo is apparently a sacred cow of some sorts that can't be used for comedic or satirical purposes. Again, the fine print's humor went over some people's heads and some STILL thought Matt was running for President for real, when, of course, he had no intent, had not filed any paperwork, nor posted the photos on his own Facebook or gave indication that these ads were real. After the backlash from SG to this photo, Matt and I decided to initiate the final gameplan which I had proposed a week or two earlier.

We were going to make a concession speech.

Matt and I, the video people that we were, wanted to film a short "press conference" wherein Matt gave the type of stereotypical resignation-type speech a politician gives every now and then. With a straight face, he was going to say he was stepping down because "it was not a challenge" and that he had a "47% lead on the second place candidate" all while I, as his steadfast campaign manager, stood behind him, looking sullen while I was actually laughing on the inside. I wrote the script in 10 minutes (taking most of the time simply trying to think of the funniest reason for him to quit), we filmed it from beginning to end in one take on the 3rd try, and I had it edited 2-3 hours afterword.

Although the inclusion of the "passing of the torch" to an actual SG President candidate wasn't in the script and was a last-minute addition, there was otherwise going to be no mention to any other candidate or party. It was going to be all about "Matt" the candidate (far different than Matt the person).

So, while the video exported and uploaded, I posted one final "campaign ad" of Matt online as a prelude to the video that was about to come. It's got a real Citizen Kane feel to it, I think.

A little bit of green-screen action and photoshop work, and all of a sudden, we were in the White House Press Room, giving a low-key and straightforward resignation speech. It blew up on Facebook soon after its posting. Of course the people who liked us loved the video, and those in SG weren't as happy about it. Matt and I? We thought it was funny, and that's what mattered. No one was being smeared, nor had been negatively portrayed at any point in the "Matt Ainsworth campaign," so we thought no harm, no foul. I'm sure SG didn't see it that way.

Although, now that our fun is over, they can at least breathe easy about that. I wish them a fun and competitive election, and may the best party win! Though I doubt anyone will be able to capture the magic that was the brief, but wondrous "Matt Ainsworth campaign."