POLS 110
Module 4.7
Political Campaign Ads
Prof. Bryan McQuide
Campaign Trivia
• Which Presidential candidate had
whiskey bottles in the shape of log
cabins made for him?
• Warren G. Harding
• Abraham Lincoln
• Ulysses S. Grant
• William Henry Harrison
• Philadelphia Distiller E.G. Booz put whiskey
into cabin-shaped bottles for the 1840
campaign; Harrison was called the “log cabin
and hard cider candidate” This is how “booze”
became a part of our language.
Overview
We will be looking at the following:
• Basic Terms
• Types of Political Ads
• How campaign ads can be manipulated
• The effects of negative ads on voters
• Is negative advertising really a new
thing?
• How we can evaluate ads as citizens
• Be sure to print out the Module 4.7
Exercise sheet from the Unit 4 page.
You will be turning this in for the Unit
4.2 Exercise.
Election Campaign Ads: Why is it
Important to Study Them?
In many campaigns, we see numerous ads accusing
each other of failing to protect students, the
environment or taxpayers…
How do we know what to believe????
We will be looking at how to evaluate ads, the
tricks political ad consultants use to make ads, and
how to identify the indentions behind the ads.
Basic Terms
Political advertising: advertising undertaken
on by or on behalf of political candidates for
the purpose of familiarizing voters with the
candidate and his/her views on the issues.
This can take the form of radio spots, TV ads,
print ads, billboard ads, posters, yard signs, or
Internet ads.
Attack Ad: a negative political ad that
attacks the character of an opposing
candidate
Types of Ads
The following are two main types of ads we see
Contrastive Ads
• Discusses the issues
• Contrasts stances of
both candidates
• Used by campaigns
rather than
independent groups
Negative Ads
• Fails to discuss issues
• Personally or political
based
• Dark images, uses
advertising tricks
• Takes votes,
comments out of
context
• Often deceptive
Exercise 1: Identify That Ad!
• Identify the Ads shown as contrastive
or negative ads on the Module 4.7
exercise sheet in Exercise 1
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3
2
4
Types of Ads
These are additional types of ads you may see during
election campaigns!
• Talking Head Ads: The candidate talks directly to the
audience, telling voters what they believe and stand for.
• Example: Rossi 2010
(click on the picture!)
• Documentary Ads: these ads are biographies of the
candidates, telling voters about the candidate’s life, political
experience. The intent is to familiarize voters with the
candidate and make them seem like one of them—an ordinary
American who grew up like them, went to college in their
state, had children (these ads often contain pictures of the
spouse, kids, dog/cat, etc.)
•
Example: Clinton 1992 “Journey” Ad
Types of Ads
These are additional types of ads you may see during
election campaigns!
• Humor Ads: ads that are funny—the intent is to
make the voter remember the ad (we tend to
remember things that are funny
• Example: RNC 1980 Ad
• Testimonial Ads: Someone else, such as the
candidate’s wife or a celebrity speaks on
behalf of the candidate.
• Example:
• (famous 1960 ad for JFK by Jacqueline Kennedy in
Spanish)
Types of Ads
These are additional types of ads you may see during
election campaigns!
• Person on the Street Ads: these ads show
“random” people on the street supporting the
candidate. The intent is to show voters that
the candidate has grassroots support from the
mass public (but the reality is that these ads
are not really random interviews with people
on the street—they are staged!)
• Music Ad: campaign ads that use music to
make voters feel good about the candidate.
No real political issues or substance is shared
with voters!
Types of Ads
These are additional types of ads you may see during
election campaigns!
• Fear Ads: Ads designed to create fear, evoking
emotional responses. Campaigns use these ads to instill
fear of the other candidate in voters’ minds. These ads
can be very effective.
• Example: “3am Phone Call” 2008
• Backfire Ads: a candidate’s own words, images or
actions are used in the ad to portray him/her as a flipflopper, untrustworthy or unable to keep promises.
These ads are remarkably effective by employing “selfincrimination strategies” to trap the opponent in their
own words.
• Example: “Fundamentals” 2008
Exercise 2: What Type of Ad is it?
(Identify these ads in exercise 2 in the Module 4.7
This is one of the
exercise sheet)
most famous
ads ever
made!
3
2
1
4
5
6
How Ads Can be Manipulated…
• Political Consultants create ads FOR the
Candidate by:
• Put flags in the background to make the
candidate look very patriotic and American
• Add a lot of crowd cheering noise to the
background
• Add a text graphic: “Make a Difference
Today” or “Joe Smith…Working for YOU”
• Add upbeat, popular music to the clip to
make the candidate seem in touch with the
people
• Picture the candidate with his/her family,
kids, pets
• Associate the candidate with a popular,
positive person or image—such as a popular
President (i.e. Bill Clinton, Sen. Obama)
How Ads Can be Manipulated…
• AGAINST the Candidate:
• Insert threatening music or depressing
sounds to the background
• Make the ad black & white, grainy to make
the candidate look old and out of touch
• Add a text graphic such as: “Can you really
trust him (her)?”
• Use slow motion and strobing effects to
make the candidate look creepy
• Associate the opponent with some notorious
person or image
Exercise 3: Identify That Ad Trick!
(Exercise 3)
1
2
3
4
5
What’s the Deal on Negative Ads?
• We tend to see more negative ads in very
competitive races
• A 2002 Wisconsin advertising Project found
that Congressional candidate ads tend to be
more positive than those run by political
parties and interest groups
Is this a recent phenomenon??
NO! We have always had negative ads and campaigns…
Many
recent
years
have in
complained
about how such
In
1804Americans
campaignin
songs
were
printed
the newspapers—one
negative
campaign
ads Jackson
have
gotten.
Onaccused
one
hand,
it of
is
true
song
was printed
against
Thomas
Jefferson,
set
tohim
the
tune
ofthat
Opponents
of Andrew
in
1828
murder
political
campaigns
have aired
many negative
ads.Adams
However,
Yankee
Dandy:
while doodle
Jackson’s
supporters
accused
John Quincy
of having
negative
campaigning
has
always
been
around.
It
really
is
not to
a
been a pimp for the Tsar of Russia while he was ambassador
new
phenomenon.
In
the
presidential
election
between
“When
pressed
a load
of
state
affairs,
I seek
to sport
and
dally,
Russia.
In
theby
1840
presidential
election
campaign
between
The
1884
election
was
one
of 1796
the dirtiest
in the
1800’s;
slurs,
scandal
and
Federalist
John
Adams
and
Democratic-Republican
Thomas
the
sweetest
solace(Whig)
of
cares
isbetween
in the
lap
of Sally”
(in reference
William
Harrison
and Martin
Van
Buren
(Democrat),
the
slander
characterized
themy
campaign
Republican
nominee
James
Jefferson,
both
campaigns
engaged
in
mudslinging
one
another.
toBlaine
the alleged
illicit
relationship
Jefferson
hadparty’s
with
one
of The
his 1864
Whigs
painted
Van
Buren
as failed
an
out
aristocrat.
(President
Chester
Arthur
toof
gettouch
his
renomination)
and
Adams
accused
Jefferson
of
being
an
atheist,
sexually
immoral,
slaves,
Sally
Hemmings)
election
saw
the Republican
campaign
equating
opposition
to
Democratic
nominee
Grover Cleveland.
Cleveland’s
campaign
was marred
and
having
dangerous
revolutionary
ideas.
In
return,
Jefferson
Lincoln’s
re-election
and
the Republican
Party
as disloyalty
to the
by
revelations
that he had
fathered
an illegitimate
child.
The Republicans
accused
Adams
of
wanting
to
establish
a
monarchy
and
crown
union
and branding
Democrats
traitors.
1868,
the My Pa?
ran
a campaign
against the
Cleveland
with a as
refrain:
"Ma,InMa,
Where’s
himself
king.
Bad
blood
between
politicians
in
that
time
turned
Democrats
ran aHouse,
negative
campaign
against
Grant,
callingcampaign
him a
Gone
to the White
Ha, Ha,
Ha.” The
Republican
negative
violent
in
1804.
In
1804,
political
rivals
Aaron
Burr
(Vice-President
drunkard,
Negro-loving
tyrant,
unprincipled,
and simple-minded.
failed;
Cleveland
won the 1884
election.
In 1928, Democrat
Al Smith was
of
the
US
under
Jefferson)
and
Alexander
Hamilton
(Secretary
ofthe
They ran
of "Grant
Butcher,"
"Grant the
Drunkard,"
maligned
forslogans
being Catholic
and the
a “wet”
(anti-Prohibition)
candidate.
In
the
Treasury
under
Washington)
engaged
in
duel that
(Burr
and
"Grant the
Speculator."
Rememberspurred
this was
allabefore
thethe
1960
election,
John
F. George
Kennedy’s
Catholicism
accusations
accused
Hamilton
of
slandering
him
during
the
1804
NY
governor’s
television
age, into
so the
that
has
been
forth
that
Pope
would move
theargument
White House
if he
won
the put
election
and
runTV
the
race
which
he
lost,
so
Burr
challenged
Hamilton
to
a
duel).
advertising
has this
leadnever
to allhappened!).
this just doesn’t hold much water.
country
(of course
Hamilton was killed in the duel (yes, a sitting Vice-President of the
US killed a former Secretary of the Treasury!).
Do Negative Ads Turn Off
Voters?
Yes…
• Negative ads have
been found to
decrease turnout
among independent
voters
No..
• Studies have found
negative ads often
stir voter interest
• Political campaign
ads educate voters
on the issues,
regardless whether
they are positive or
negative
• We tend to
remember the most
negative ads
Negative Ads and Elections
• Do negative ads turn off voters?
• Studies have found conflicting results, but it
appears negative ads tend to mobilize partisan
voters and depress turnout among independent
voters
• Why do negative ads work?
• Studies in recent elections found that when
voters see their candidate’s ads against the
opponent, they feel more positively about their
favorite. When voters see ads against their
candidate, they are demobilized and are less
likely to feel favorably, making it more likely
they will stay home or simply not vote in that
race on the ballot
What Effects DO Ads Have on Voters?
• Educates voters on the issues
• Can help voters become interested in
the campaign
• Might encourage us to go vote
• Increases candidate name
recognition (very important in
elections—many voters will mark the
name on the ballot that they
recognize)
• Helps us develop positive or negative
feelings about the candidates
How Do We Evaluate Ads as Citizens?
 Is this a negative ad attacking the other candidate? If
so, then is the information about the other candidate
correct? (Check the facts!)
 http://www.factcheck.org/
 Is this an ad advocating what policies the candidate
plans to support? If so, this is designed to get us as
voters to vote prospectively.
• Who sponsored the ad? (Candidate’s campaign/Political
Party/Interest Group?)
• By law, ads must state who is sponsoring the ad—this
is why candidates will say, “I am so and so and I
approve this message”—this way the voters know
which candidate is supporting the ad. If the ad is by
a political party or interest group, the ad will show
this in the final clip—you will see a text on the
bottom of the screen stating something like “Paid for
by the Republican National Committee”
How Do We Evaluate Ads as Citizens?
• What kinds of images are used in the ad? For
example, many ads are used with American
flags and patriotic themes in them to stir
images of national pride and unity (a popular
theme now after the 9-11 attacks). These do
not tell us much of anything substantive about
their ideas or policies. They are more designed
to stir our emotions.
• Are loaded words and phrases used? Examples:
• “He never met a tax increase he didn’t like”
• “Tax & Spend” party
• “They want to privatize your retirement
savings!”
• “raise your taxes”
How Do We Evaluate Ads as Citizens?
• How is the ad done? Does it
look like it was manipulated
with any of the “tricks of the
trade”?
• What type of ad is this?
Different types of ads are
designed to create different
voter reactions.
Exercise 4: 2014 Iowa Election
Campaign Ads (Exercise 4)
1
Iowa Democratic Party ad against GOP Senate candidate David
Young (CLICK ON PICTURE)
MORE TO COME FROM BOTH PARTIES AS 2014
CAMPAIGNS HEAT UP IN IOWA!
What about Issue Ads??
• Issue ads tend to be more negative, one-sided
and misleading than any campaign ads
• Why? Because these ads are run by
independent interest groups who are
interested in blocking or promoting policy
changes and voters do not get to vote for or
against them at the polls
• Over $200m spent in 2009 alone on health
care reform issue ads
• These ads are unrestricted due to Supreme
Court rulings in Buckley v. Valeo (1976) and
Citizens United vs. FEC (2010)
Exercise 5: Issue Ads
Identify the tricks used in these issue ads (Exercise 5)
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3
2
4
Finally…
• Submit your Exercise on the
Assignments tab!
• Discuss campaign ads on the
Discussion Board—what do you
think of issue ads and negative
campaign ads?