90 likes | 222 Views
Emotion in Political Advertising. David Tokarz FYS100 Negative Campagning. Emergence and Role of Emotion. Pre 1960’s: focus on issue ads Tony Schwartz: 1960’s Ads should surface ideas voters already have Give direction by associating candidates with images, symbols and values
E N D
Emotion in Political Advertising David Tokarz FYS100 Negative Campagning
Emergence and Role of Emotion • Pre 1960’s: focus on issue ads • Tony Schwartz: 1960’s • Ads should surface ideas voters already have • Give direction by associating candidates with images, symbols and values • Use music to influence. • (Play “Ashamed”, Upton-Washington, Chicago Mayoral, 1983)
What do we know about Emotion? • Not much. • Consultants have intuitions about emotion, but not much else • Fear works • Scares people, offers them safer alternative • (play “Collision”, NY Road Bond Issue, 1966, Helms Ad 14, Helms vs. Gantt, 1990 NC Senate) • Enthusiasm works • People become invigorated • More enthusiastic about candidate X, more likely to vote for candidate X. • (play “Morning Again”, Reagan-Mondale, president, 1984)
Moods and Emotion • Feelings of enthusiasm • When candidate is doing well • Generally related to positive mood- status quo good • Feelings of fear/anxiety • When world is going to hell • Generally related to negative mood- change good • Called Affective Intelligence • Key to emotional ads
Affective Intelligence • Relates to what we already know • If feelings positive, why change? • If feelings negative, why remain the same? • Also relates directly to enthusiasm/fear spots • These spots create this emotion.
Effects of Enthusiasm -Brader • Enthusiasm stokes interest, but not inquisitive behavior. • Subjects who prefer the candidate increase by sixteen percentage points when positive frames are shown with enthusiasm cues • Does not persuade undecideds or people committed to another candidate. • Conclusion: wrap positive ads with enthusiasm triggers.
Effects of Fear -Brader • Does not increase interest in campaign, but dramatically affect people who seek out news regarding the issue portrayed in the ad • Dramatically more effective at persuasion: 1 in 4 indifferent/opposition voters willing to support person who runs fear ad. • Packaging a negative message with fear is very beneficial.
Conclusion • Images and music do influence voters. • Ads being run depend on the emotion a candidate wishes to evoke and his/her position in the polls