District 8 aldermanic candidate and University of Wisconsin senior Lauren Woods premiered her new campaign advertisements on YouTube Tuesday.
The 30-second spot features Woods discussing why she wants to be alder for the predominantly student district, currently represented by City Council President Austin King.
"I was just responding to the interests of students," Woods said. "And I know students on campus are faithful users of YouTube, of anything electronic."
Woods said the video advertisement, which was directed by UW senior Bradinn French, will be available on her campaign website shortly and is also available on her Facebook page.
"As a voter myself, I want a representative I feel I can relate to," Woods said. "And if I know a representative or candidate is taking an extra effort to use mediums that are most relevant to me … I feel like they can more accurately represent me."
Woods will square off against UW sophomore Eli Judge in the general election April 3. Judge also has a campaign video advertisement available on his website, in which he discusses why he is running for alder. Judge also highlights the fact that he plans on being a student during his entire term as alder.
"The reason we put it up [on the website] is we know it's a wonderful way to further tell a message a candidate is trying to portray," Judge said.
It is possible Judge may upload his advertisement to YouTube, Judge added, since he said he is always looking for new ways to get his campaign message out to the public.
"I think we're working to that end, but first off we wanted to get into a more visible place, given the fact that we're passing the website out on our lit[erature]," Judge said.
Woods said that, as a candidate with limited financial resources, she was particularly drawn to the prospect of putting her advertisement on YouTube.
"I'm forced to be creative," Woods said. "I'm forced to use people and things and mediums and ideas in creative ways that will maximize my results without putting in that much money."