Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Campaigning
Let's explore the role of advertising in political campaigns. Do you think political ads matter? Do you think they have an impact on how people vote? How do you view political ads? Read this article posted in the Journalist’s Resource (Harvard’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy's blog), and share your thoughts below.
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Liz DeGroot:
ReplyDeleteAlthough a large percentage of the public is aware that political ads are very staged and don't give much information, I feel that they still play a key role in getting votes. People want to put their trust in an authoritative figure that they can look up to and shares similar morals and ideals. By seeing a politician look approachable yet powerful, it appeases the public and makes the candidate more desirable. Advertisements that showcase the candidate can create a more positive appeal whereas ads that attack the competition look poorly upon the candidate making them as being a low blow move, but they do scare the public away from voting for the person who has negative things listed about them.
I believe that political ads matter to some, but not as much to others. I too am very quick to change the channel when I see a political ad, and that mainly has to do with how negative the ads have become. Personally, I don't feel that negative ads that attack other opponents is beneficial, and frankly they tend to have the opposite effect on me as a voter. I find those ads to be petty, and why would I want someone so childish leading my country? Additionally, much of the information in those ads is exaggerated or inaccurate. I prefer to get my information from credible sources, rather than relying on hearsay.
ReplyDeleteI think political advertisements are only good to those who do not keep up with politics and the election. It is a quick and easy way to get the gist of each person running. I doubt they have much of an influence on how people vote. Hopefully, the people that are voting actually know what is going on and what each politician stands for. The advertisements are just a way to get the persons name and "ideas" into the media and voters minds.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think political advertisements sometimes matter and are necessary. I can't say I pay attention when TV ads come on, but I do notice the ads that diss another candidate. The example makes a valid point about negative ads are often remembered the most, such as the 2012 election between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. The feud and negativity shown in the ads against each other were almost immature. However, also necessary as long as the information is true, it educates particular target audiences for the upcoming elections. If I am a Republican, and an Obama commercial tells me hypothetically that abortion is banned if Romney is elected. Maybe I did not know that and I would be angry and want to research the matter. Advertising politically leaves room for suspicion and speculation.
ReplyDeletePolitical ads do matter, and I think they have as much impact on people as any other ad does (which varies from a lot of impact to little to no impact, depending on the ad or the person). I personally don't like the negative political ads. Appealing to anger in people isn't going to make our country better; we need to appeal to acceptance & growth rather than this witch-hunting type of antiquated anger directed towards the other candidates. I would much rather see a succinct, well-crafted ad about what the candidate is representing rather than a hateful one about the bad things of another candidate. The hateful ads don't promote knowledge & thinking for yourself about what is best for the country. It just promotes hive-minded hateful crowds. That won't do any of us any good.
ReplyDeleteI think we all know that the purpose of a political ad is to either 1. promote a candidate or 2. attack the competition. Political ads can have an impact on ones vote and even sway a persons perspective about a presidential candidate. I've personally seen ads that attack candidates by showing live footage or quotes of an opponent that negatively impact them. I feel that political ads can be effective to an extent since we all know what to expect and that they're intended for. At the end of the day, we know that the purposes is to promote or bash a running candidate, so of course they are going to design the ad to serve as a potential threat.
ReplyDeleteI believe political ads play an important part in that they may not be 100% influential, but they still play a significant part in determining how and why people vote. People who may have been indecisive because of one small issue might be persuaded to go in the opposite direction, or vice versa, after seeing a political ad regarding said issue (whether the ad is truthful or not).
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, political ads are only as effective when targeted towards the right audience. Politics is one of those conversations people tend to refrain from because they are usually set in their opinions and rather not discuss it with others. With that being said, I find it very challenging for political ads to sway one party in another direction completely when it comes to voting. However, the generations that are not very educated about the political parties or have yet to declare their standing may be more inclined to be impressionable. As I've gotten older I have started focusing more of my attention on politics and the governing of our nation, yet I still don't feel like these ads have had a significant impact on me. In my opinion, the quality candidates will rise to the top regardless of what ads they're paying for on television.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think political ads have an impact on voters. I personally view the ads as annoying and usually distasteful. Most recently, I have been bombarded with a lot of negative ads regarding Donald Trump on television. I think that negative ads may be effective to certain voters, but in my opinion they are just sleazy. Based on the article, it seems that negative ads are making an impact on voters so from an advertising perspective it is important to put together campaigns that are successful. I just think there has to be a better way to advertise a presidential candidate than to tear down the other candidates in the process.
ReplyDeletePolitical ads matter because just like any new products out there this is the best way to get awareness. Politicians need all the votes they can get to succeed in whatever position they fighting for so the more ads there are the more votes they will get. I think some political ads are cheesy and portray ones life to be ideal. Some ads I like a lot and these are the ads that stray away from the norm.
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe political ads do enforce a candidates chances at office. I believe these particular ads have a large impact on voters today. I personally understand that when you're watching a political ad it is going to be biased towards the candidate being used in the commercial. I only know this due to my major and the extensive research I have went through while at UT. I found it very interesting to see that 2012 will go into the records as the most negative ad placements in history, when referring to political campaigns.
ReplyDeleteDo you think political ads matter? Do you think they have an impact on how people vote? How do you view political ads? Read this article posted in the Journalist’s Resource (Harvard’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy's blog), and share your thoughts below.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe political advertisements matter. Overall they are not necessarily helpful for the candidates campaign in the end. Viewers will always have opposing views or comments to make about what message was conveyed in the advertisement. Personally, the way I view these advertisements is that they're just candidates with a smile on their face will promise you something they most likely won't fulfill, make a bold statement that is most likely a lie, and finish by saying something demeaning about the opposing candidate. These advertisements in a way make it a game for the voters. Their advertisements will sway opinions and make voters feel stronger about who they want to vote for. Even after the campaign has ended and a candidate was chosen, people will always remember the negativity both candidates once displayed. The article in the Journalist's Resource emphasizes the decline of positive advertisements and the increase of negative ones over the past 12 years. Those numbers just show how caddy political candidates get year after year. There's no reason for politicians to continue to use television as a space for their negativity.
I feel that political ads don't have the power to change a voter's decision, but they do have the power to solidify someone's choice. A Trump supporter will most likely not switch to Cruz based on a Cruz ad, however they will most likely feel more confident in their choice after viewing a Trump ad.
ReplyDeleteI feel that political ads are making less of a difference as time goes on. People are beginning to get indifferent to them. They are so tired of the negative campaigning and lack of focus on the real issues. It seems like people vote based more on emotion as a result of what has been said about these ads or the kinds of remarks made by candidates when issues should be their real concern. I view this are quite concerning. It is a prime example of why a candidate like Donald Trumph is currently doing so well in the primaries. People are voting out of anger and frustration rather than anything of real substance. How else could someone with such fascist and elitist ideals be leading the polls? I think it is more a symptom of where our economy is headed. Hitler and Mossolini were view much the same way prior to coming to power and for much the same reasons.
ReplyDelete