Memorable Campaign Ads and Images

Veterans, Swift Boat Ads, POW's for Truth
Jib JAb Internet Ad- "This land is my Land"
"Mission Un-Accomplished"
Images of 911
President Bushes Facial Expressions
Kerry standing taller than Bush
Bush's Ohio influencial Ads
Swift Boat Ads with Flags
John Kerry on a Motorcycle
"I approve this message"
MTV - Choose or Loose- Take action and Vote ads
Internet ads mocking candidates
Bush Ads with Wolf
Weapons of Mass Destuction
John Kerry Flip/Flop Ads
The bashing of candidates daughters
Bumper Stickers
Howard Dean screaming
Kerry wondsurfing
"Bush Mudslinging"
Abortion speech
Kerry not following strict catholic practices
Big Machinery - planes, tanks, aircraft carriers
Political record of John Kerry
International Anti-bush ads
W 04' stickers
Bush Billboard- "Vote God's Consensus"
John Kerry Convention Speech
George W. Bush family ads
George W Bush military support Ads
"For the people"
Eminem's political music video "Mosh"
P. Diddy's Vote or Die campaign

The US Census

We learned today about non-responsive survey, and since the US census is a HUGE nationwide survey, I was wondering what its rate of return was. I also was curious about the US census and how we have a national survey that the government takes and then proceeds to make generalizations about our country with the results.

Here is what I have learned: To understand the census and how/why it came about, one must first know the history. The first census was in 1790. It was used to plan for growth in America. It started by collecting data on the manufacturing, quantity and value of products, taxation, churches, pauperism and crime. These primative surveys were taken by US marshalls on horseback. Then it evolved with the invention of the very first tabulating devices that were invented by the us census bureau which were punch card machines.

Now, every ten years the US census does the national census, but every year they also conduct more than 100 surveys. They study income, poverty levels, number of household members, geneology, immigrants, minorities, economy, and population density. It is also used to adjust the US House of Represenatives seats in congress based on population.

It was taken door-to-door until 1960, but now it is taken by mail. In 1990, the Census Bureau tried to take about 94 percent of the census by mail and one in three households failed to return the forms.

In 2000, the response rates were better due to an awareness campaign (yet another ad campaign to study in the future.) Here is the break down on the state by state response rate for 2000. I though the response rate was pretty high. I wonder how high it will get in the future years, or if the government will ever make it madatory to take the census to get your tax returns back or something along those lines.

So, bottom line, we should be glad we do not have to take surveys by horse back like they did in the old days - that would be hard.

The Asian Stereotype survey is interesting. According to the census, the asian-american population has increased over the past ten years. I wonder if the stereotypes have hightened also.

Smiling is my favorite is doing thier survey in a different manner. They are placing their surveys on the tables and hopefully people will take them. I wonder if this is going to be as effective as door-to-door, or by mail as the US census conducts their survey.

Posted by: Julie Motheral
Quality Blog #3

Taking the Survey Seriously?!

Today I ran into a guy I wanted to try to survey who was like "How serious do ya really want me to take this?" and I said " Well, as serious as you can, we are going to analyze it." and here were the results:

Name: Samantha Abrams
Year: Freshman
Sex: Female
Age:53
Where is your hometown?Cheese WI
If you choose to watch the news, which networks did you favor (top three, starting with your favorite)?
1.CNN
2.B.O.N
3.C.A.T.
During the campaigns for this past election, were there any specific political images and/or ads that stand out in your mind? The idiocity of Bush

Just sharing my experiences thus far.
haha.

Posted by: Julie Motheral

Memorable Campaign Ads

The Ads are in the form of clips, and since we can not bring a player around to the survey participants, I was just going to refresh your memories on what the main ads were... incase people can not think of any, and you could remind them.

1. "Mission Unaccomplished" - An ad from John Kerry saying that Bush failed in Iraq and declaired his mission accomplish too soon.

2. "Swift Boat POW's for Truth" - An ad criticisizing John Kerry's war record in Veitnam.

3. "Stronger at Home, More repected in the World" - A John Kerry ad portraying him as a better leader who will fix americans status in the world. as well as defend America from Terrorists.

4. "Double Speak" - A President Bush ad on how kerry is a "flip-flopper" who can not decide on what he really means. This ad showed Kerry speaking on one subject, and then speaking on the same subject... and then saying the now famous quote...along the lines of....I voted for the funding in Iraq, before I voted against it.

5. "Medicare" - John Kerry has older Americans speak on how they can not afford or have help with paying for expensive medication.

6. "Family Man" - The Bush ad on how morals and family life is important for a leader.

7. Taxes" - the bush ad on how if Kerry becomes president taxes will sky rocket.

8. "Rassman" - the man to whom John Kerry saved in the Veitnam war speaks about how John Kerry pulled him out the the river in complete disregard for his own life.

9. "Military Spending" - The Kerry Campaign Ad that says that President George Bush has a huge deficit because of the enormous amount of military spending.

10. "Middle Class" - the Kerry Ad that regards the middle class and how life would be easier if he was president due to the huge tax cuts that the rich get, and do not need.

If any of you think of any that I did not mention... please post them.

Posted by:
Julie Motheral

Particular Ad Campaign Attack on John Kerry

During this past election, there was a specific Ad campaign that attacked the truthfullness of Senator John Kerry's military record in the Vietnam War. It was said to not be related to the Bush ad campaign in anyway. It was done by Swift Vets and POW's for Truth. The different television ads are a combination of a few different techniques of presidential TV comercials. While using real people, commander and chief discredibilty, fear, and backfire on what the Senator has said or done, the swift boat ads contained multiple attacks in a single commercial, and that is why I feel that they were memorable and had an impact.

So why do ads have an effect on how people think? How are they set up to do so? How do they make people feel? Herbert brought up that we should look into how people felt about negative campaigning, such as the ad above, which I think is a wonderful idea. How effective is it? and isn't it convinient that the Bush campaign clearly denys being a part of this merciless campaign against John Kerry? It seems almost too convinient, because normally "mudslinging" is looked down upon... but the blame has been passed to these swift boat POW's who are eager to tell thier stories.

I think that study on the different ads in pop culture is a very closely related study to our own of political ads. To focus on a specific type of ad, one must first look at thie bigger picture. I am anxious to see how thier survey and research progresses.


Quality Blog #2
By: Julie Motheral

Different Types of Presidential TV ads

Here are the most common types of presidential television ads.
When we are asking in our survey about the most memorable TV ads of the 2004 presidential campaign, we need to keep in mind what types of ads they are.

"1. Backfire - The words, or image, of a candidate can be used against him to show that the candidate cannot be believed, has broken a promise, or has “flip-flopped” on an important issue. Based on the premise that the camera, or the microphone, doesn’t lie, these ads are effective because they let the candidate incriminate himself.

2. Biographical - Candidates whose backgrounds and qualifications for office are not well known tend to use biographical ads to present the most favorable versions of their life stories.

3. Children - Images of children play on a number of powerful emotions, including fear, anxiety, and hope for the future. These images command the viewers' attention and tug at their heartstrings.

4. Commander in Chief - Is the candidate fit to be the Commander in Chief, to be entrusted with the power to go to war and the responsibility of defending the country?

5. Documentary - The use of news footage and documentary techniques can give an ad an air of authenticity and spontaneity.

6. Fear - Fear is a powerful emotion, and instilling fear of the opponent can be a way of gaining support for a candidate. This is easy to do in an election in which the opposing candidate is relatively unknown and untested in the national arena.

7. Real People - If the candidate is usually the star of a commercial, then “real people” can serve as valuable extras. Sometimes they even find themselves in starring roles. These citizens represent the electorate, and they are used in commercials to show that the candidate is in touch with their concerns and feelings—or that the opponent is not."

This information is from Living Room Canadate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952-2004

Posted By Julie Motheral

The Republican Campaign

To understand an ad campaign, including a presidential campaign, one must first understand demographics. This concept is the focus of how research is conducted for presidential campaigns. The most widely used research method for polling people's opinion's about candidates and the main issues of the american people is through survey. In exploring survey, one must take into account the different types.
So the question that arises is how did the republican campaign pick thier focus points for the election of 2004 while using survey to get their information? Also, how is and was Bush portrayed as a person, leader, and moral enforcer? What effect does the media have on the american people and how can it manipulate our way of thinking?

Quality Blog #1
by Julie Motheral