Name ____________________ Block _____
Political Propaganda Project
The Task
Your group has been hired as the Communications Team for a:
a) Minnesota Governor Candidate (2010)
b) US House candidate (2010)
c) Minnesota Legislative Candidate (2010)
Your task is to create a 30-second political advertisement for their campaign using PowerPoint, iMovie, the
KHOP studio, or any other technology you have access to. Assume that your candidate is 4% back in the
polls one week before the general election. The media is a powerful tool and you must create an ad that
harnesses this power and enables you to make-up the difference in the polls to secure a win on election
night.
Your Communications Team has complete creative control to decide if your campaign will take the high
road
and be "issues-oriented" or take the low road and “go negative.”
Your team’s commercial must use at least one of the following propaganda techniques:
1. Bandwagon
2. Fear
3. Glittering Generalities
4. Name-calling
5. Plain Folks
6. Testimonial
7. Transfer
8. Card Stacking
All commercials must be "network appropriate" meaning that they could be
aired on television in prime time. Avoid making Saturday Night Live/Daily Show style ads that are more
humorous than informative.
Your ad must be based on fact and must include at least one issue (only one is recommended) from the
campaign. To receive full credit, you will have to include your source(s) in your ad.
Use historic and contemporary ads as inspiration, but your ad needs to be original. You aren’t a political ad
cover band. A great source of historic ads is The Living Room Candidate. Look for the link @ apgov.org.
Rough-Cut Due Date: __________
Provided that you give me some lead time and arrange for an appointment before/after school, I will be
happy to view your ad and run through the rubric with you. You are free to tweak your ad based on my
suggestions before it’s “in the can.”
Final Cut Due Date: __________
1. A written component that will have these clearly labeled sections:
• TARGET: Who is the target audience for your ad? What network do you want your ad to appear on?
What time slot? During which shows?
• POLITICS: A detailed description of how a relevant campaign issue relates to your ad and how you
hoped it would influence your target group. Cite your sources.
• PROPAGANDA: A detailed description of the propaganda techniques used and how the propaganda
was supposed to affect your target group. What was your working definition of the propaganda
technique your group used?
• AUDIO & VISUAL: A description of audio-visuals and the subtext they contain.
2. Turn in a storyboard or other evidence of your plan for the ad.
3. Ad needs to be in digital format. On a CD, DVD, or on the network. Please test your final version to
make sure it works.
4. A blank rubric with the group members and location of ad filled out.
Each class will make
equitable numbers of
Democratic & Republican
advertisements
Research these techniques
online. Include the
definition of your technique
in your written document.
/index.php?title=Pr
opaganda_techniqu
es
Name ____________________ Block _____
Political Propaganda Project
Pre-Planning 4 3 2 1
□ Was Mr. U-F consulted in the planning stages?
□ Did the group turn in a storyboard or other evidence of planning?
Propaganda 4 3 2 1
□ Was the primary propaganda technique _____________ evident?
□ Was it used properly?
Politics 4 3 2 1
□ Was there current and politically-relevant information in the ad?
□ Was research evident and cited clearly?
Audio & Visual 8 6 4 2
□ Was there appropriate music, sound effects, and voice-overs?
□ Were pictures/images used effectively?
□ Was text used effectively?
□ Were transitions smooth?
□ Did the ad follow the political ad template?
□ Did the group “stand by their ad” for at least 3 seconds?
Effectiveness 4 3 2 1
□ Did the ad make the viewer want to vote for your candidate or
against his opponent?
□ Would the ad help make up the 4% poll deficit?
Written Component 8 6 4 2
□ Was the document clearly divided into the required sections?
□ Did each section meet acceptable quality/quantity standards?
Time 2 yes 0 no
□ Was the ad :30 seconds exactly ?
Project Grade = 16 points (for completing on-time) + _____ Rubric Points
A perfect ad would earn its communication team 50/50 points.
Group Members _________________________________________
_________________________________________
Location of Ad _________________________________________
__________________________________
Location of Ad _________________________________________
Earn +3 XCR for putting
your ad on YouTube with
the tag apgov09 and a
good ad title & description