Although increasingly dominated by digital, the marketing and advertising world still puts television at the top of the food chain, especially when it comes to presidential political advertising. Experts estimate television expenditures for the 2024 race will top $8 billion. There’s no doubt that political ads on screens have the power to shape elections, define candidates, and significantly change the course of history. Ads that have stood out for their creativity, impact and effectiveness generally fall into one of two categories: positive and negative. Positive ads are inspirational, while negative attempt to create fear. The truth is, in this particular arena, they both work. We’re featuring two. One that many consider to be the best of the breed, the other effective but so frightening, it only ran once.
DAISY
It may look innocent at first, but this is not the inspirational ad. It was created in 1964 through a partnership of the Doyle Dane Bernbach agency (today’s DDB Global) and sound wizard, Tony Schwartz. Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, the Republican nominee was against the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and had suggested the use of nuclear weapons in Vietnam. This ad was in support of the incumbent president, Lyndon Johnson. The little girl counts petals on a daisy, there’s a countdown, then a nuclear blast. It underscored the perception that Goldwater would be an extremely dangerous choice. Although it only aired a single time, it’s credited with helping Johnson win in a landslide.
MORNING IN AMERICA
In contrast to LBJ’s darkness, we have Reagan’s sunrise. The actual title of the commercial is “Prouder, Stronger, Better,” but the opening line, “It’s morning in America,” inspired the ad’s better known name. The phrase is used literally and figuratively. People are shown going to work in the morning, but it’s also a metaphor for renewal. The ad, considered by some to be the best ever, was written by famed Ogilvy & Mather ad man Hal Riney. He also did the voiceover. The “Morning” ad ran in 1984, and in the election that year, Reagan won 49 states.
These ads, both successful, highlight different strategies in political advertising — fear versus hope — and their enduring impact on campaign tactics. We’re HyattWard Advertising and we approved this blog. 😊