Julianne Moore is the first to appear in a new set of HRC ads intended to lobby public support for the issue called The Campaign for New York Marriage.  The ads will begin making a direct appeal to ordinary voters in a series of commercials featuring Hollywood actors, fashion designers and civic leaders including Moore, The Reverand Al Sharpton,  Kevin Bacon, Whoopi Goldberg, Fran Drescher, Tom Colicchio, the chef, and Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, the widow of Arthur Ashe.

The ads are the work of Brian Ellner, of the Human Rights Campaign a former Bloomberg administration official and a one-time Democratic candidate for Manhattan borough president

“The timing of commercials is deliberate, and revealing: With the front-runner in the governor’s race, Andrew M. Cuomo, the Democratic attorney general, pledging his support for same-sex marriage, and the Legislature in Democratic hands, advocates are pushing for a new vote early next year. ‘We want to build excitement and momentum in advance of that,’ said Ellner…As part of that strategy, the Human Rights Campaign and its allies are spending heavily to oust three New York state senators — all Democrats — who voted against the marriage bill last year and who face opponents in the primary on Tuesday: William Stachowski of Buffalo, Shirley L. Huntley of Queens and Rubén Díaz Sr. of the Bronx.” – The New York Times

Now personally,  I love Julianne Moore and I applaud her and the others New York notables for making these ads. But after viewing the first one its very lo, and very lackluster.   The words “gay and lesbian” are never used nor are there any pictures of couples (gay or straight) in the ad.   One of the biggest mistakes that  “No on 8” made in California was not featuring happy gay families (as Maine’s almost and Washington’s successful campaigns did). Showing the voters who we are actually does make a big difference. 

Also the ad doesn’t touch on the problems both legal and financial that lesbian and gay couples face because of marriage inequality, and strangely calls for no direct action such as calling the New York State Senate or voting for pro LGBT rights candidates.

But leave it to HRC the one thin that the ad DOES contain which is the last two words.  “Please donate”

*WATCH Julianne Moore’s HRC Marriage Equality PSA/Fundraising Ad  after the jump!