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DT1, although society generally finds all this election advertising distasteful and "off brand" with what political elections are (or should be) about, you need to remember that there is a good reason why it is the way it is. Without the tasteless backstabbing negative evil airbrushed bullsh*t of election advertising, nobody would be interested in it one bit. We are, whether we like to admit it or not, a race of creatures that are highly responsive to high-concept, visually-led, soap-opera advertising campaigns. If every billboard advert showed an unflattering (ie REALISTIC) snap shot of an unattractive MP or stated simple policy facts without any PR spin then we'd find that advert so utterly unstimulating that it would be a waste of space. By airbrushing, or ribbing the rivals, or being "creative" with the truth, they grab out attention and, as we are doing right now, they stimulate debate on some level or other.
We can moan and complain all we like about "New Labour New Danger" and its evil red eyes, or the spit-and-polish of Cameron's heavily Photoshopped mugshot, but without these techniques their message won't reach us.
I happen to be as fed up as you and everyone else with it all, but because of my job I have quite a good understanding of how this type of advertising works and WHY it works. I'm also able to see through it most of the time. Yes, some of the ads are recklessly futile and unimaginative but at the end of the day, our political parties are struggling to get noticed alongside giant billboards filled with M&S bras, Cadbury's Cream Eggs, the latest gorgeous Seat Ibiza, or that hot chick from the insurance company. Can't be easy for them - bless!