In what has been a pretty low-key local election campaign, parties need every chance they can get to make their pitch to voters.
And party election broadcasts - TV adverts aired after news bulletins - are a great opportunity for politicians to sell themselves.
The rise of social media means they are less important than in previous years as parties increasingly divert their efforts towards short, targeted online clips in the hope of going viral.
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But these broadcasts offer a condensed look at how parties are positioning their message in the minds of voters ahead of polling day on May 18.
Production values have certainly improved in recent campaigns, but some are more effective than others.
Here are my ratings for how well the parties have handled their moments in the TV spotlight for the council election campaign:
DUP
Literally laying it on with a trowel, the party uses a building site as the setting for metaphors about ensuring "solid foundations" for Northern Ireland.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson dons his hard hat but softens his tone, creating a more positive message than in previous attempts.
It works pretty well. Extra points for remembering this is a local election and mentioning some council issues. 8/10
Sinn Féin
Michelle O'Neill has spent the past year shaking hands with as many people as possible - and Sinn Féin has made sure to film it from every angle for moments like this.
It's effective in depicting the "First Minister for all" message which was successful last year and has since morphed into "working for all" - a clear dig at the DUP continuing to block Stormont. 8/10
UUP
A remix of material from a former "Union of people" election broadcast and a recent party conference, plus some references to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
The result is far too text heavy, making it difficult for the average viewer to pinpoint what exactly the core message is supposed to be - or even if there is one. 5/10
SDLP
Nearly the same as their party political broadcast for their annual conference in March, but with some pieces to camera swapped out for council election candidates.
The central message of that conference, "building a movement for a new Ireland", therefore remains the focus. Slickly produced stuff, although the relevance to a council election is arguable. 7/10
Alliance
Another professional production for Alliance, once again giving party leader Naomi Long voiceover duties and using a mix of text and graphics to engage viewers.
It is almost identical to their broadcast aired for their party conference in March, but why change something when it is not broken?
The slogan is "Alliance works", and this works well in conveying that message. 9/10
TUV
Sound and camerawork are clearly not TUV's strong points, but this broadcast hits all the notes you would expect from the "no sea border" party.
TUV leader Jim Allister's favourite phrases of the moment all get an airing, from "Windsor whitewash" to "strength, not weakness".
And they even manage to squeeze in some candidates and council policies for what is a local election after all. 7/10
Green Party
It looks like the loss of both their MLAs last year has also hit the production quality of their election broadcasts.
But the new "greener, cleaner, fairer" slogan helps to hone the party's message and headline a range of policies.
Sharing the airtime between election candidates also enables the Greens to show the idea of a broader movement. 7/10
People Before Profit
In tone, visuals and messaging, People Before Profit is seeking to position itself on the front line with workers striking for better pay during the cost-of-living crisis.
The "strike back" slogan and its repetition works very well in conveying this, while the range of council election candidates who take on the autocue are clear and concise. 8/10
Aontú
The party mostly known for opposing abortion packs in a range of policy areas as it hits out at Stormont "dysfunction".
Orchestral background music delivers a sense of urgency as it rails against the "cosy club of the establishment parties", while also helpfully mask the sound of passing cars.
It cannot unfortunately even out some of the stilted on-camera performances from the party's election candidates. 6/10
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