Evolution of Television Ads in Presidential Campaigns

For over 60 years, presidential campaigns have used television ads to communicate ideas and campaign plans to the American people. With hopes of influencing people to vote, politicians have used various tactics and strategies to persuade. After observing television campaign ads throughout the years, a few themes are observed.

For the 1952 presidential election, Dwight D. Eisenhower ran against Adlai Stevenson. Dwight D. Eisenhower was a member of the Republican party, while Adlai Stevenson was a member of the Democratic party. At that point in time, America’s biggest issues revolved around social security, war, wages, and taxes. Both Eisenhower and Stevenson used television campaign ads to not only portray themselves in a certain light, but also portray their opponent in a certain negative light. These men were among the earliest to use television ads to do so, and they set a trend for years to come.

During the 1952 presidential election, Eisenhower ran against Adlai Stevenson with his vice president Richard Nixon. Together, Eisenhower and Nixon hoped to convince America that they were the best option for the job in the White House. At the time, the Korean War was going on, and World War II had

ended just a few years prior. People were concerned with who could lead the nation following Harry Truman’s presidency, and Eisenhower knew this. During World War II, Eisenhower had commanded the D-Day invasion, serving as Supreme Allied Commander, and he used this to his advantage when running for president. In addition to focusing on his wartime success, Eisenhower’s television campaign ads also featured other common themes and topics.
Dwight Eisenhower was one of the first to truly use TV ads as a way to advertise himself and his campaign. His ads, titled “Eisenhower Answers America”, were the first of their kind. His ads were simple, often featuring citizens speaking about their concerns and issues in regards to the election and the views of the Democrats; and Eisenhower would address these topics or questions that they had. For example, in Eisenhower’s “Never Had It So Good” advertisement, an ordinary voter appears on the screen explaining to Eisenhower that the Democrats told him that he “never had it so good.” Eisenhower then appears in the ad, in another camera shot, asking the man if this statement could be true when “America is billions in debt, prices have doubled, taxes break our backs, and [they] are still fighting the Korean War?” Throughout a few Eisenhower’s advertisements, this same format can be seen with voters asking a question and Eisenhower responding in a way that portrays the Democratic party and their ideas in a negative manner.
Eisenhower’s ads were created with the purpose of portraying the candidate in a certain light. In his “Ike for President” commercial, a cartoon is shown that includes citizens marching around with drums and elephants in a playful manner singing, “You like Ike! I like Ike! Everybody likes Ike!” This commercial attempted to make Eisenhower a likable man. In a few of his other commercials, he focused on discrediting the Democratic party as a whole, rather than his opponent Stevenson as an individual.
Running against Eisenhower in the 1952 election was Adlai Stevenson, a member of the Democratic party, along with his hopeful vice president, John Sparkman.

While Eisenhower appeared in his own TV ads, Adlai Stevenson did not; he was the only candidate to not appear in his own ads. His advertisements were a bit more animated than those of Eisenhower; they often featured cartoons or short, catchy jingles. Because of the fact that Eisenhower was the better known candidate, Stevenson also made sure to get his name out there by putting his name in his own advertisements. He portrayed himself as a good, honest man that represented all American people, while he simultaneously implied that Eisenhower was a man that could not be trusted and did not care about the American

people.

[Compare/Contrast, Conclusion]:

In the 1960 presidential election, John F. Kennedy ran against Dwight D. Eisenhower’s vice president, Richard Nixon. Kennedy was a member of the Democratic party, while Nixon was a member of the Republican party. The election issues at the time revolved around threats of war, keeping the peace, civil rights injustices, taxes, and the cost of living. Both candidates had certain qualities and strengths that they played to their advantages and advertised in their TV campaign ads.
At 43 years old, candidate John F. Kennedy hoped to be the youngest man elected as president. His youth was a topic of debate among the American people, but he used this, as well as his Catholic religion, to his advantage in his campaign. Kennedy was young and attractive, and this worked to his advantage in his televised campaign ads. His ads focused more on making himself appealing, rather than simply slandering his opponent. His advertisements portrayed him as a likable, courageous leader, who was just like the rest of the American people. He emphasized the fact that if elected, he would take charge and lead America to prosperity and peace. With regards to his opponent, Kennedy portrayed Nixon as a man who would not do anything in office because he had not been doing anything in office as Vice President. Kennedy frequently alluded to idea that Nixon was incapable of making decisions in the White House and could not be a strong leader.
Richard Nixon, Eisenhower’s former vice president, was no stranger to being in the White House, and he used this to his advantage in his campaign. At the time, Nixon had recently shown his foreign policy skills after an exchange with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. In his advertisements, Nixon attempted to display his leadership qualities and explain to the American people that he had what it took to keep America out of turmoil. His campaign advertisements frequently consisted of a question being asked by a person offscreen, and he would answer with poise and conviction. His ads refuted Kennedy’s claims in which he stated that Nixon was not a strong leader, nor did he take action in while in office. Nixon’s ads aimed to show that he was experienced, he was strong, and ultimately, he would be better in office than a young, inexperienced John F. Kennedy.

[Compare/Contrast, Conclusion]:

In 1964, the presidential election was between Lyndon B. Johnson and Barry Goldwater. Johnson was a member of the Democratic party, while Goldwater was a Republican. At the time, America had been facing a lot of internal struggles. President John F. Kennedy had recently been assassinated, and the nation hoped to move past this tragedy. People were concerned with the strength of America, and were looking for a leader who could be strong, but also cared about the issues of the time, including civil rights, poverty, and medicare.
Following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson took over office in 1963. While in office, he passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a landmark in the fight against discrimination, while simultaneously demonstrating his ability to lead and make decisions. His TV campaign ads sought to display his presidential abilities, while also informing America that Goldwater was certainly not the man for the job. Johnson’s ads portrayed Goldwater as an extremist, frequently speaking of his right-wing conservative views. With his slogan, “The stakes are too high for you to stay at home,” Johnson succeeded in getting voters to the poll to vote for him.
Barry Goldwater, Johnson’s opponent, took a different approach in his candidacy. His conservative beliefs rendered a campaign based on the ideas of morality and making America a strong nation. His slogan, “In your heart you know he’s right,” was often featured in his ads, and he frequently spoke of his respect for the country and his American pride. Goldwater’s campaign ads were simple and monotone, and his portrayal of himself was not as a man who represented the American people, but more as a man who wanted to take control of America. In regards to his opponent, he focused more on attacking Johnson’s ideas and policies instead of Johnson himself.

[Compare/Contrast, Conclusion]:

In the 1968 presidential election, Richard Nixon ran against Hubert Humphrey. Nixon represented the Republican party, while Humphrey was a Democrat. Domestic struggles in America were at an all-time high during this time, and the American people were looking for a leader who could calm the storm and deliver promises. The issues at the time included civil rights, social order, and the Vietnam War. The election came at a time when society was changing, and America needed a president that could successfully lead the nation.
Nixon’s run for president came after a hiatus of 8 years out of public office, and his campaign centered around his new-found perspective after being out of office for that time. His slogan, “Vote like your world depended on it,” was featured in his television ads which sought to convince America