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Presidential campaigns always seem to bring about the most interesting lies, and most creative ways to persuade people to favor a certain party, as well as the not so well though out words of a candidate. The nature of the advertisements that deliver the messages to the public is very interesting, and has in the last 30 years changed dramatically. The change is partially due to the change of media, and technology, but also the social acceptability of certain ideas or images. No longer are we informed of an issue by reading statements in articles that are full length, and give much detail about the topic. Modern campaigns often advertise by giving sound-bytes of what people want to hear.
Early Presidential elections included a campaign that was, effective, but very appealing and not what we would consider a campaign. The previous campaigns were more of just speeches, not so much a full on campaign, the candidates did their job and delivered the message. The goal was not to show everything about the candidate, but rather to reveal the policy, and nothing more. The candidates would not deliver any information about themselves as to why they themselves are better than the other guy for any other reason than a better policy. Each party would have their ideas and policy represented through multiple speeches, and then in November, everybody would vote on the policy they thought was the best, not as much which person is more liked by the media (usually).
1939 Would be the year that Franklin Roosevelt would set a new standard for this 20th century of campaigns; this was the Presidents should appear on TV. Though not for a campaign, this would later prepare America for the newly formated TV ad that was to be created in 1950 by Senator William Benton. "In 1950 few households had yet purchased a TV set, so Benton came up with a unique innovation. Small kiosks with rear-projection screens were set up in shopping centers and street corners to continuously play the same campaign commercials being broadcast on television. Benton won in a very close race." This was not only creative, but a great use of his resources as head of the Benton Foundation, which specializes in advertisement through various media. (PBS) By 1965 most of the nation would have caught on to this simple idea so well that just about all of the advertisements are shown in color. Suddenly, everybody seemed to realize what an effect the visual ads would have on electoral races of all kinds. The first large observation was made in 1966 when Rockefeller ran for governor of New York.
As much as a positive impact these ads have on a race, they can also be very harmful to the other party. Electoral campaigns quickly moved from make a statement, to visualizing a policy. Nixon was one of the first Presidents to take full advantage of televised ads while he ran during the election.
Nixon created ads that were no longer just informative and persuading, but also managed to personally effect the emotions of people, and would ultimately end up gaining votes. The ads were competitive, but usually did not attack the other candidates directly as far as who they were. However, this respect did not last very long. In la matter of 8 years, the goal of many political ads changed shifted toward the idea of "I'm Qualified To Be President and You're Not" (Jamieson) The shift was made from explaining a policy as best as possible to let the people make a good choice, to explaining the policy a little quicker with the use of visuals that could be displayed on a TV commercial, to proving why one candidate is better than the other, and finally to disproving the other person. Somebody had the idea that the easiest way to win, may not have to be creating a good policy as much as it would creating a better policy than that of the other running candidates. This meant that the ads had to be good, but more important they had to make the statement that "Everybody else is way more flawed than I am." Eventually, to do a good job at this, personal attacks will be made, as this strategy is not to prove that a particular policy is better, but to prove that a particular person behind the policy is better or more qualified and ready to lead, so they should therefore then be elected.
This method is fast and effective. Because the whole policy does not have to be explained, and personal attacks of few words, ads can be short, and can still relay the message to voters, and still manage to produce a sound byte. Most modern ads are very short, and can keep the attention of the average person, many classic ads were considerably long, and something that would not be shown during the middle of a talk show. These ads would not be very effect to the average person today don't want to hear anything about the policy and are more concerned that whoever is elected is socially accepted for who they are, not for what they stand for.
Jamieson, Kathleen Hall. Packing the Presidency. A History and Criticism of Presidential Campaign Advertising. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996
Kaid, Lynda Lee and Christina Holtz-Bacha. The SAGE Handbook of Political Advertising. Sage Publishing. 2006
PBS. The 30 Second Canidate. 2001
http://www.pbs.org/30secondcandidate/timeline/
"Political advertising is now the major means by which candidates for the presidency communicate their messages to voters. As a conduit of this advertising, television attracts both more candidate dollars and more audience attention than radio or print. Unsurprisingly, the spot ad is the most used and the most viewed of all available forms of advertising. By 1980 the half-hour broadcast speech -- the norm in 1952 -- had been replaced by the 60-second spot."
Early Presidential elections included a campaign that was, effective, but very appealing and not what we would consider a campaign. The previous campaigns were more of just speeches, not so much a full on campaign, the candidates did their job and delivered the message. The goal was not to show everything about the candidate, but rather to reveal the policy, and nothing more. The candidates would not deliver any information about themselves as to why they themselves are better than the other guy for any other reason than a better policy. Each party would have their ideas and policy represented through multiple speeches, and then in November, everybody would vote on the policy they thought was the best, not as much which person is more liked by the media (usually).
1939 Would be the year that Franklin Roosevelt would set a new standard for this 20th century of campaigns; this was the Presidents should appear on TV. Though not for a campaign, this would later prepare America for the newly formated TV ad that was to be created in 1950 by Senator William Benton. "In 1950 few households had yet purchased a TV set, so Benton came up with a unique innovation. Small kiosks with rear-projection screens were set up in shopping centers and street corners to continuously play the same campaign commercials being broadcast on television. Benton won in a very close race." This was not only creative, but a great use of his resources as head of the Benton Foundation, which specializes in advertisement through various media. (PBS) By 1965 most of the nation would have caught on to this simple idea so well that just about all of the advertisements are shown in color. Suddenly, everybody seemed to realize what an effect the visual ads would have on electoral races of all kinds. The first large observation was made in 1966 when Rockefeller ran for governor of New York.
As much as a positive impact these ads have on a race, they can also be very harmful to the other party. Electoral campaigns quickly moved from make a statement, to visualizing a policy. Nixon was one of the first Presidents to take full advantage of televised ads while he ran during the election.
"Ads enable candidates to build name recognition, frame the questions they view as central to the election, expose their temperaments, talents, and agendas for the future in a favorable light, and attack what they perceive as their opponent's fatal flaws. " (Benton)
Nixon created ads that were no longer just informative and persuading, but also managed to personally effect the emotions of people, and would ultimately end up gaining votes. The ads were competitive, but usually did not attack the other candidates directly as far as who they were. However, this respect did not last very long. In la matter of 8 years, the goal of many political ads changed shifted toward the idea of "I'm Qualified To Be President and You're Not" (Jamieson) The shift was made from explaining a policy as best as possible to let the people make a good choice, to explaining the policy a little quicker with the use of visuals that could be displayed on a TV commercial, to proving why one candidate is better than the other, and finally to disproving the other person. Somebody had the idea that the easiest way to win, may not have to be creating a good policy as much as it would creating a better policy than that of the other running candidates. This meant that the ads had to be good, but more important they had to make the statement that "Everybody else is way more flawed than I am." Eventually, to do a good job at this, personal attacks will be made, as this strategy is not to prove that a particular policy is better, but to prove that a particular person behind the policy is better or more qualified and ready to lead, so they should therefore then be elected.
This method is fast and effective. Because the whole policy does not have to be explained, and personal attacks of few words, ads can be short, and can still relay the message to voters, and still manage to produce a sound byte. Most modern ads are very short, and can keep the attention of the average person, many classic ads were considerably long, and something that would not be shown during the middle of a talk show. These ads would not be very effect to the average person today don't want to hear anything about the policy and are more concerned that whoever is elected is socially accepted for who they are, not for what they stand for.
Jamieson, Kathleen Hall. Packing the Presidency. A History and Criticism of Presidential Campaign Advertising. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996
Kaid, Lynda Lee and Christina Holtz-Bacha. The SAGE Handbook of Political Advertising. Sage Publishing. 2006
PBS. The 30 Second Canidate. 2001
http://www.pbs.org/30secondcandidate/timeline/
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