Hist 301 Ads Viewing Document

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Today, you are going to watch a documentary about campaign advertising in class called “Classics of Political Advertising” – but rather than simply watching, please take notes – filling out the chart below. For our purposes, we are most interested in the presidential ads – and in remembering them in chronological order, to be sensitive to developments in techniques, rather than in the mishmash jumble of 80 ads offered in this documentary. There are 37 ads that deal with the presidential campaigns, both primary and general election, from 1952 through 1984. So this will also be an exercise in what historians do – taking information, facts, from other sources, then imposing their own structure on the information – with differing results. It will be helpful for your papers to note some of the other ads too that particularly impress you in case you ever wish to reference them. And the video should be in the library if anyone wants to take a second look (if not, please inform us and we will place our copy on reserve).

Also, please note that on the second page, I have provided some explanatory notes that help explain some of the ads. Enjoy.

So, for each of the presidential ads, including the generic ones, note I jotted down the YEAR and the CANDIDATE being promoted and a quick description – you add:

– the central TECHNIQUE  or nature of the ad- a short phrase that captures the essence of the approach – categories could include – but are not limited too – attack, defense, h humor, celebration, celebrity, etc

–          KEY WORDS that appear – things like strength, experience, trust, etc – note any slogans as well

–          KEY IMAGES – the defining image(s) from the ad

–          KEY IDEAS – this could either be issues addressed or the substantive message

–          INNOVATION – note either the stage of development or if this seems to be a leap forward in campaigning/advertising technique

YEAR/ CANDIDATE   TECHNIQUE  WORDS  IMAGES IDEAS   INNOVATION

1952

New Deal lives

Stevenson jingle

Ike n’ Bob

Ike Bio

Ike Answers

America

1956

Pro Ike

1960

Eleanor Roosevelt

endorses JFK

Ike “Mocks”

Nixon

1964

LBJ social security

LBJ never aired

KKK

LBJ cutting eastern

Sea board

LBJ nukes

LBJ: Republican

Convention

LBJ: Poverty

LBJ: Daisy

LBJ:  Voting Booth

Khruschev:

We will bury you

Reagan: The Speech

1968

McCarthy

Humphrey: Nixon

as Weathervane

Humphrey: Laughing

at Agnew

1976

Pro Carter

Gerald Ford

Speech

1980

George H W Bush

Howard Baker

v. Iranians

John Connally

RNC  “Tip O’Neill”

out of gas

1984

Gary Hart

Hart Again

Humphrey

McGovern Comeback

Glenn attacks

Mondale

Mondale:

answer that phone

Reagan: Morning

Again in America

Reagan: Proud to be American

Bear in Woods

NOTES FOR EASY VIEWING:

The narrator is Eugene McCarthy, who ran for president in 1968.

In 1980 George H W Bush lost to Reagan, became his Vice President and won the presidency in 1988.

In 1970, Al Gore Senior, a veteran Senator, ran for re-election and lost; his son, pictured on horseback in the ad, eventually regained his father’s seat.

In 1980, Howard Baker asked the Iranian student, what about the 50 American hostages.

In 1960, the older patrician woman endorsing Kennedy is Eleanor Roosevelt – who hated JFK’s father Joe. Her endorsement – given how liberals loved her – was a coup for JFK.

In 1964, Ronald Reagan’s national political debut was this televised fundraising speech for Barry Goldwater. It was so successful RR’s supporters always called it “The Speech.”

The Bradley interviewed here is the man “the Bradley effect” is named after – when he ran to be Governor of California some pollsters claimed that his drop in the polls on Election Day was because in the privacy of the voting booth, whites hesitated to vote for a black man.

John Connally raised nearly $12 million and didn’t earn a single vote!

Senator Leahy is attacking James Watt’s Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of the Interior.

Mitch McConnell won and is now perhaps the most powerful Republican senator.

In 1968, Nixon picked an obscure governor from Maryland, Spiro Agnew. Dems considered him a joke.

The Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev threatened the West: “we will bury you”

1984: The bear in the woods, was supposed to be the Soviets. Some consider this a brilliant commercial – I’ve always thought it is way too abstract for me.

1964: the Romney mentioned is Mitt Romney’s dad, George, the governor of Michigan.

The beefy, white-haired guy running out of gas is supposed to look like the Democratic Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill.

Despite his lovely song, Shapiro lost in 1985.

Gerald Ford was not a great speaker. But when he returned to his alma mater, Univeristy of Michigan, he gave a great speech – so his campaign wanted to salvage it, despite the cherry bomb that caused him to flinch; eventually, wiser heads prevailed.