Campaign AdvertisingPOLS 125: Political Parties & Elections

“The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal-that you can gather votes like box tops-is, I think, the ultimate indignity to the democratic process.”

—Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965)

From Broadsides to Broadcasts

Over the course of 100 days in the campaign of 1896, William Jennings Bryan, by his own account, made 600 speeches in 27 states. He traveled over 18,000 miles to reach 5 million people. In a single fireside chat delivered while seated in his very own parlor a generation later, Franklin D. Roosevelt was able to reach 12 times that number by radio.

1975 Memo from Bob

Mead to Dick

Cheney and

Donald Rumsfel

d

“Follow Me Around”

Creating an image…

Which is it?

• The media are a “convenient scapegoat for our myriad ills” (Stuckey)

OR

• The media distort politics with their “simple, character-driven narratives” (Peretz).

A Typology of Media Effects

Persuasion Agenda-setting Priming

Some say there is a Some say there is a “law of minimal effects.”“law of minimal effects.” The The media tend to reinforce the public’s preferences; it media tend to reinforce the public’s preferences; it rarely alters them.rarely alters them.

There are 3 kinds of media effects:There are 3 kinds of media effects:

Political Advertising

Click on the icon above to view an extensive archive of presidential campaign ads.

A Guide to Campaign AdvertisementsA Guide to Campaign AdvertisementsNAME CALLING NAME CALLING – Often referred to as “attack ads.” Makes assertions about the – Often referred to as “attack ads.” Makes assertions about the opponents in a variety of unflattering ways.opponents in a variety of unflattering ways.GLITTERING GENERALITIESGLITTERING GENERALITIES – Name calling in reverse While name calling seeks to – Name calling in reverse While name calling seeks to make up form a judgment to reject or condemn without examining the evidence, make up form a judgment to reject or condemn without examining the evidence, the Glittering Generality device seeks to make us approve and accept without the Glittering Generality device seeks to make us approve and accept without examining the evidence.examining the evidence.TRANSFERTRANSFER – Uses popular symbols to create a positive connotation for the – Uses popular symbols to create a positive connotation for the candidate, or negative or controversial symbols to create a negative connotation of candidate, or negative or controversial symbols to create a negative connotation of the opponent (e.g., Reagan’s “Morning in America” ad, 1984, Bush’s “Safer, the opponent (e.g., Reagan’s “Morning in America” ad, 1984, Bush’s “Safer, Stronger” ad, 2004).Stronger” ad, 2004).TESTIMONIALTESTIMONIAL – References to and endorsements from celebrities and other well- – References to and endorsements from celebrities and other well-known people (e.g., Kerry’s “Rassman” ad, 2004).known people (e.g., Kerry’s “Rassman” ad, 2004).PLAIN FOLKSPLAIN FOLKS – Demonstrating that they candidate is just as common as the rest of – Demonstrating that they candidate is just as common as the rest of us, and therefore, wise and good (e.g., Clinton’s “Journey” ad, 1992).us, and therefore, wise and good (e.g., Clinton’s “Journey” ad, 1992).CARD STACKINGCARD STACKING – Use of statistics, usually in a one-sided manner to create a smoke – Use of statistics, usually in a one-sided manner to create a smoke screen. Using under-emphasis and over-emphasis to dodge issues and evade facts.screen. Using under-emphasis and over-emphasis to dodge issues and evade facts.BANDWAGONBANDWAGON – Appealing to the desire of voters to follow the crowd. Usually – Appealing to the desire of voters to follow the crowd. Usually directs appeals to groups held together by common ties (e.g., Evangelicals, farmers, directs appeals to groups held together by common ties (e.g., Evangelicals, farmers, school teachers, etc). All the artifices of flattery are used to harness the fears and school teachers, etc). All the artifices of flattery are used to harness the fears and hatreds, prejudices and biases, convictions and ideals common to a group. hatreds, prejudices and biases, convictions and ideals common to a group.

These 7 devices were identified by the

Institute for Propaganda Analysis in 1938

Memorable Ads

1964 – Johnson, “Daisy”1984 – Reagan, “Bear in the Woods,” “Morning in America”1988 – G.H.W. Bush, “Revolving Door”1992 – Clinton, “Journey”2004 – G.W. Bush, “Safer, Stronger,” “Wolves”2008 – Obama, “Yes We Can”2012 – Obama, “Understands,” “Firms,” Romney, “These Hands”

Negative Ads as a Percentage of Total, 1952-

2004

1952

1956

1960

1964

1968

1972

1976

1980

1984

1988

1992

1996

2000

2004

0

20

40

60

80

100

Percentage

Source: Darrell M. West, Air Wars (2005): 61.

Do negative ads work?

Which is it?

• The media are a “convenient scapegoat for our myriad ills” (Stuckey)

OR

• The media distort politics with their “simple, character-driven narratives” (Peretz).

The Desktop Candidate

60% of internet users said they went online to get news or information about the 2008 elections. 38% of internet users, or about 43 million people, said they used e-mail to discuss politics. One of the most popular e-mail subjects was jokes about the candidates and the election. 11% of internet users, or more than 13 million people, went online to engage directly in campaign activities such as donating money, volunteering, or learning about political events to attend.

According to the Pew Internet and American Life project:

The Desktop Candidate

54% of voting-age Americans used the internet for political purposes during the 2010 midterm elections.58% of online adults looked online for news about politics or the 2010 campaigns, and 32% of online adults got most of their 2010 campaign news from online sources. In 2012, 66 percent of the adults using Twitter and Facebook did so in part to conduct civil and political activity.

According to the Pew Internet and American Life project:

How does the digital age change politics?

Speeds up the media cycle (e.g., Feiler Faster Thesis)Increased competition diversifies the information providedDiminishes the influence of the mainstream mediaHelps campaigns to “micro-target” supporters (GOTV)Helps campaigns to solicit donationsIncreases efficiency and lowers costsLoosens controlMore democratic

“For twenty years, people have been calling this era of computers, the Internet, and telecommunications the ‘information age.’ But that’s not what it is. What we’re really in now is the empowerment age. If information is power, then this new technology—which is the first to evenly distribute information—is really distributing power.”

“I believe that the internet is the last hope for democracy.”

Raising Money on

the Internet

Romney’s Project ORCA

“The Obama campaign likes to brag about their ground operation, but it’s nothing compared to this.”

Instead of using paper “strike lists,” OCRA uses

smartphone technology to gather and send the data

in real time.

“A failure and an embarrassment. And I sensed it the night before the election, when I called the 800 number for our final conference call and got a busy signal.”

Volunteers were not reminded to bring their poll watchers certificate.

“The new megafile didn't just tell the campaign how to find voters and get their attention; it also allowed the number crunchers to run tests predicting which types of people would be persuaded by certain kinds of appeals. Call lists in field offices, for instance, didn't just list names and numbers; they also ranked names in order of their persuadability, with the campaign's most important priorities first. About 75% of the determining factors were basics like age, sex, race, neighborhood and voting record. Consumer data about voters helped round out the picture…”

Obama’s Project Narwahl

Election Night Coverage