Blog 7: Advertising Strategy

Advertisements really persuade the audience in ways that are unexpected. Political advertisements hit the public with what should be focused on in a campaign and how they should feel about issues. Donald trump used many forms of political advertising. He had ads on the web, the radio, and most popularly on television. Obviously television ads are most popular because of the wide reach so I will analyze 3 separate advertisements that have very different meanings and make you view the Trump campaign in a different way. 

The first television ad was an attack ad on Hilary Clinton. This ad of course had domineering music with a theatrical narrator’s voice behind it to add more drama. This ad really focused on the comment Clinton made about how those who supported Trump were deplorable. This ad would instill anger in the audience, it was a grave error made by Clinton and Trump used that to his advantage. The ad called into question Clinton’s lack of compassion towards others and if she was a person that would be able to be a president of all people. This ad sparked a fire in those who supported Trump by really catapulting their passion to campaign for him and only him.

The next ad I saw was a very strategic move played by the Trump campaign, it was an ad narrated by Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump. This ad was about Ivanka being the womanly face of his campaign in order to het more of that demographics’ vote. This ad was an inviting and softer tone than most ads the trump campaign had put out. Ivanka spoke about her fathers plans on certain women’s issues such as paid maternity leave, tax credits for childcare, and dependent care saving accounts. This ad made the Trump campaign much more relatable for many woman because they were able to find similarities in Ivanka Trump being a mother and a wife.

http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2016/united

The last ad I looked at was what I would describe as an issue and an image ad. This ad really tried to help his image by promoting that he was anti establishment, and he would change the status quo of the complacency currently in DC. The add also touched on certain issues such as tax cuts, a more balanced and fair justice system, and being a stronger and having a more respected dominance in foreign affairs. The smart thing I also noticed about the commercial was the use of issues that are bipartisan. The issue he spoke on I’m assuming most people want change in, people always want to pay less in taxes people should want a justice system that is fair and we always want to be a nation that is respected internationally. This was a smart move strategically because it would draw in those people who are maybe on the fence as to who to cast their vote for. This ad was simple up beat and to the point.

All of these ads have an underlying desire, but they all achieve the same goal, which is to support Donald Trump’s campaign. Advertisements take a facet of the individual candidates and blow them up to receive pinpointed focus and attention on what the campaign wants to show the voters. Trump had many other advertisements that I looked at that overall just tried to undercut Clinton’s capability as the president. This campaign was widely viewed as ‘voting for the less sucky candidate’ so trump strategically used that fact to provide perspective to the voters on how he was the better choice and with the results ending how they did it seemed to have worked.

http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2016