The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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By Doug Zanger, Americas Editor

October 8, 2016 | 2 min read

Ad-libbing or going off script can be interesting to say the least. In this case, legendary, Oscar-winning actor, Robert DeNiro, in filming one of Anonymous Content’s #VoteYourFuture campaign spots — featuring a slew of celebrities discussing what they care most about this election season — took it to the nth degree, leveling a full-on rant upon Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

In what was supposed to be an impartial take, DeNiro channeled his inner James Conway from Goodfellas (or Jack Walsh from Midnight Run, or San Rothstein from Casino — or any number of past DeNiro characters).

In its full glory:

“He's so blatantly stupid. He's a punk, he's a dog, he's a pig, he’s a con, a bullshit artist, a mutt who doesn’t know what he’s talking about, doesn't do his homework, doesn't care, thinks he’s gaming society, doesn’t pay his taxes. He’s an idiot. Colin Powell said it best: He's a national disaster. He's an embarrassment to this country. It makes me so angry that this country has gotten to this point that this fool, this bozo, has wound up where he has. He talks how he wants to punch people in the face? Well, I'd like to punch him in the face. This is somebody that we want for president? I don't think so. What I care about is the direction of this country, and what I'm very, very worried about is that it might go in the wrong direction with someone like Donald Trump. If you care about your future, vote for it.”

The missive was deemed a bit too partisan for the non-partisan spot and didn’t make the final cut (for obvious reasons).

The “punch him in the face” line is not the first utterance in this divisive campaign season. In discussing Hillary Clinton’s “Mirrors” spot, ad legend Donny Deutsch pointed out that, in watching the ad, people, similarly, would “want to punch him in that ad. You want to literally punch his face.”

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