Neil Saravanamuttoo has cut another very effective political ad. Too bad it isn’t running on local television stations. But it should get penetration on all socials. In 14 seconds, he does something every challenger needs to do. He tells voters why the other guys are wrong and why he’s different. No decoder ring required. What caught my attention was Jeff Leiper. I hadn’t really been thinking about the contrast between Leiper and Saravanamuttoo on property taxes. Saravanamuttoo would like voters to start thinking about it. His message is simple: Leiper means higher taxes. That’s a torpedo launched directly at the Leiper campaign, and particularly at voters who might be choosing between them as an alternative to Mark Sutcliffe. This is why Saravanamuttoo continues to be a clear and present danger for Leiper’s ambitions to become Ottawa’s next mayor. The larger point is about political marketing. Saravanamuttoo doesn’t spend 14 seconds explaining himself in isolation the way Leiper does in his videos. He positions himself against Sutcliffe, Leiper and Lawson, then gives voters a reason to choose him instead. Contrast is useful because it clarifies choice. This ad does that unusually well.