So far, most voters' experiences with the candidates in Salt Lake City's mayoral race has been with conservatively dressed, smiling politicians behind a podium, at a debate or knocking at the front door.

Get ready to see them in a new light: in your living room, as a Spandex-clad bicyclist, a "friend of the wild" surrounded by stuffed animals, or an animated superhero.

As the race for Mayor Rocky Anderson's replacement heats up, with the primary election less than a month away, the four front-runner candidates are starting to buy advertising time on TV and radio, mailers are going out and billboards are proliferating.

One candidate, House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake, has already begun airing his ad on cable. The 30-second spot, which started running Tuesday, focuses on his endorsements, including former Utah first lady Norma Matheson and "nearly every Salt Lake City Democrat in the Legislature," specifically naming Sen. Scott McCoy and Rep. Jackie Biskupski.

It also refers viewers to the Web, where Becker's campaign has uploaded to ralphbecker.com and YouTube a minute-long ad featuring a Becker-esque animated superhero known as "Blueprint Man," a reference to the professional urban planner's policy statements on such topics as the environment, human rights and education, which he has called blueprints.

"When Ralph sees out-of-control development, more traffic and failing schools, Ralph becomes the hero Salt Lake City needs: Blueprint Man," the ad's voice-over says. It says Blueprint Man "improves Salt Lake City schools faster than a speeding light rail."

Both ads reference Becker's affiliation with the Democratic Party, widely seen as a boon in the progressive capital city. They also aim to draw votes away from the race's other top Democrat, Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson, without naming her but by repeatedly calling Becker "the one Democrat" with the experience and vision to be mayor.

Two other candidates, current City Councilman Dave Buhler and former Councilman Keith Christensen, plan to begin airing their TV and radio ads Monday. Their TV spots will be shown on cable as well as during local evening news broadcasts.

Buhler's seven different ads are the most produced by any of the campaigns. They all feature the councilman in front of an all-white background, using different props to tackle different issues.

In one, Buhler says, "The only beer I ever have is root beer," as he cracks one open. But, he says, that hasn't stopped him from promoting the loosening of Utah's liquor laws. He points to his time as a Republican member of the state Senate, when he championed a bill that did away with a cash-only requirement at state-owned liquor stores.