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13.01 Political Ad Analysis

Assessment #1

The 1968 Presidential Election occurred during one of the most turbulent years in American history. It followed the assassinations of two well-known American figures, occurred in the shadow of Vietnam, and came in the wake of a particularly violent Democratic Convention. The political ads for the various presidential candidates captured this volatility as each candidate attempted to appeal to the emotions of the American voter.

For this task, review some of the ads from the 1968 election and determine what causes, issues, and political strategies were the most effective during the campaign.

1) Go toLiving Room Candidate: 1968 Nixon vs. Humphrey vs. Wallace. See link: http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1968

2) Review the information about each candidate provided on the right side of the screen.

3) View the ads and then select two ads for each of the candidates to analyze in detail.

Directions: Review two political ads released by each of the three major candidates during the 1968 presidential election campaign. As you watch the ads, complete the chart below. Once finished, provide a general assessment of the ads underneath the chart. Once you complete the chart, write an analysis paragraph below.

Issue Promoted in Ad / Ad Type* / Target Audience / Key Images, Sounds, or People Used to Make the Ad Effective / Theme or Slogan Promoted in Ad
Nixon Ads
Ad 1
Ad 2
Humphrey Ads
Ad 1
Ad 2
Wallace Ads
Ad 1
Ad 2

*Types of Political Ads (http://www.frankwbaker.com/adanalysisworksheet.htm):

·  Negative - One candidate portrays the other in an unfavorable light

·  Warm and Fuzzy - Candidates make the viewer feel good about the country or his/her campaign.

·  Biography & Vision: emphasize the candidate's life or "vision" for America

·  Humorous - Candidates elicit a laugh or smile from the viewer.

·  Scary - Candidates evoke images of fear (usually combined with a Negative ad)

·  Advocacy- advocates for/against a certain position(s) on an issue/person

·  Trust: seek to convince voters that the candidate is someone they can trust to lead them during challenging times

Ad Analysis Paragraph: After reviewing the ads from the respective candidates, what is your sense about the campaign itself, the issues of importance in the campaign, and the effectiveness of the various types of ads? Provide a thoughtful explanation of your analysis with a 3-4 sentence summary below.