CLASSROOM LAW PROJECT
Selecting the Next President
Handout 3
What should I think about when watching a political ad?
What type of ad is it? Is it effective; why or why not?
Is it a negative ad where one candidate portrays the other in an unfavorable light?
Is it a warm and fuzzy ad designed to make the viewer feel good about the candidate,
country or campaign?
Is it humorous and intended to elicit a laugh or smile from the viewer?
Is it scary and aiming a message of fear?
Who is the intended audience? Does it reach its target; why or why not?
Is/Was the ad broadcast nationally or locally?
Who is/was the intended audience (age, gender, economic level, etc.)?
Who is likely to pay attention or be influenced by this ad?
What does the content suggest? Is it successful; why or why not?
What assertions does the ad make?
What is the main idea or point of the ad?
What is the ratio of fact to opinion?
What verifiable information does the ad give?
How is the candidate portrayed?
What kind of person is he/she?
What attributes or characteristics are associated with the candidate?
What policies are associated with the candidate?
What job qualifications or competencies are associated with the candidate?
In what activities or actions is the candidate engaged?
How does the ad use audio? Is it effective; why or why not?
Does the ad use music, voice, voice-over, or sound effects, and to what effect?
How many speakers are in the ad?
Are they male or female?
What are the tone and pace of the soundtrack used in the ad?
What about the editing and camera work? Is it effective; why or why not?
How are different camera angles used, and to what effect?
What effect does the pace (number of shots in the piece) have on the audience's ability to
absorb information?
What kinds of transitions occur between shots and what is their effect?
How are successive shots visually or thematically connected?
What kinds of images are juxtaposed?
Does the ad make use of depth of field or sharp or soft focus?
Does it make use of lighting or particular color schemes (such as a predominance of red,
white and blue)?
LESSON 4
9
CLASSROOM LAW PROJECT
Selecting the Next President
After viewing several types of advertisements, answer the following:
What are the key messages communicated in each advertisement?
Which type of ad was more memorable? Why?
Which do you think would be most effective in convincing viewers to vote for (or against) a
candidate?
Did you learn from the ads? Did they help you to decide which candidate to support?
What do all types have in common? Do they provide factual information or do they evoke an
emotional response?
During which programs do the ads play? What time of the day do you see the most ads?
What are the limitations of a 30 second commercial?
How important is a candidate's look in these ads? What type of image are they trying to
create?
Which seemed to be the most prevalent techniques of persuasion? Why might these
predominate in politics?
Which of the techniques of persuasion seem best justified? Why?
Adapted from
websites that are now unavailable but included University of Texas, Vote Smart, and web archives
LESSON 4
10