Political+Advertising

The world of Political Advertising has changed over the years but not as much as you might expect it to. Through this unit, we will explore how different elections have used advertising to get the votes out.


 * TASK 1--Introduction:**

The first Presidential campaign that made use of television advertising was the Eisenhower-Stevenson race in 1956. These first attempts were clumsy.

In 1964 the Johnson campaign pioneered the modern and more sophisticared use of television during this Presidental election.

The following ad was a commerical that aired ONE time on September 7, 1964 as a paid ad by the Democrats. The voice at the end is that of President Johnson.

media type="youtube" key="JqILSBrhLJk" height="385" width="480"


 * Answer these questions in your Blog:**
 * 1) Us this a positive, message based commercial or a negative, attack-based commercial?
 * 2) What was it about this commerical that made it so controversial?
 * 3) What was it about this commerical that made this ad so effective?

Information on the Daisy Ad:
 * This ad was so controversial that the Republicans filed a complaint with the Fair Campaign Practices Committee and demanded for the immediate removal of the ad.
 * Though this commercial only aired ONCE it was aired over and over again on news programs.
 * This gave the ad more publicity than was orginally paid for.
 * Over 40 million people saw this ad during the campaign.
 * To this day, the "Daisy Girl" ad remains one of the most controversial political commercials ever shown.


 * TASK 2--Modern Ads:**

In the 1988 Bush vs Dukasis presidential race, another controversial ad ran. This ad was orginally played on cable channels and was then replayed on nightly newscasts, often without the audio voice over.

Video without Audio

Video with Audio:

media type="youtube" key="PmwhdDv8VrM" height="385" width="480"

Answer these questions in your Blog (you can add a new post or make it part of the Daisy Ad post--Make sure the title of your post is clear):
 * 1) What feelings and impressions did you get while watching these images without sound?
 * 2) Did the voiceover of the ad make this commercial more powerful?
 * 3) What impressions and emotions did you feel while watching this ad with sound?

Information on the Revolving Door Ad:
 * The news media made the negativity the top story during this election.
 * This ad was paid for by "Americans for Bush", part of the the "National Security Action Committee" and was not paid for by the Bush campaign.


 * "It's 3am...." Ad (2008)**

This commercial aired for Hillary Clinton during the Democratic Primary in 2008 again Barack Obama.

media type="youtube" key="7yr7odFUARg" height="307" width="512" Answer these questions in your blog. Make sure to be specific and give examples to support your opinions.
 * What is similar in all these add?
 * What stood out to you?
 * Why were they considered effective?

Task 3:

media type="youtube" key="EU-IBF8nwSY" height="344" width="425"
 * It's Morning Again in America**

ADD QUESTIONS HERE for RESPONSE

ADD OBAMA ADs (not sure which ones to add)


 * ASSIGNMENT 1--Note taking:**

Complete guided note taking document provided in class using the information found in this link to the "The :30 Second Candidate". Email your completed guide to ferrer01@southredford.net when completed.


 * ASSIGNMENT 2--Research:**

Using reliable internet sources, review the differences in Political Party Platforms. Also, find who is running for governor in Michigan and which political party they are part of. Create a 10-15 slide PowerPoint presentation highlighting the information your found. Email to ferrer01@southredford.net when completed.


 * ASSIGNMENT 3--**
 * Choose one of the candidates
 * Research this person and their political position and views
 * Create a campaign video for this candidate using Windows Movie Maker and Audacity (you may use a different program with teacher approval). Follow all directions and requirements in the information provided to you.
 * Turn in by saving to the class flash drive. The file must be saved as lastname-candidate.wmv (example: ferris-granholm.wmv)