Author Archives: Abby Spinelli

Campaign Ad Analysis

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For my campaign analysis, I chose to look at an ad from Richard Nixon in the 1968 election. This ad is centered around the rising rate of American crime and there are many elements within this it that reflect its intended effect for viewers. Because the idea of rising crime rates is considered by most to be quite frightening, and in some cases can even be overwhelming, the creator combined a multitude of different components to replicate this feeling of fear within this ad. A balanced variety of audios and visuals come together in this add to make a compelling argument to begin a pushback against the growing crime levels of the time.
First, in order to break down the visual organization of the ad, we must look at the separate images and how they make up the greater whole of the ad itself. When analyzing each individual image, we can see that the creator put a lot of thought into choosing them according to the effect that he was trying to have on the audience. Some of the images that were chosen were that of the scared face of a child, an array of guns splayed out on a table all pointing to the center and a switch blade. All of these images that are being presented are ones that are considered by most people to be ones associated with fear. But it’s not only the content of the visuals that is being manipulated by the maker of this ad, but also the way in which they’re being presented. All of the images flash violently across the screen in different ways, for example some of them spin around maniacally while some of them become blurry and make it appear as though the viewer is seeing double. This presentation is overwhelming and scary, just as the campaign wants the audience to feel about rising crime rates.
After looking at the images presented by the ad, we must then analyze its audio. This is where a historical reference comes into play. The theme music that was chosen by the Nixon campaign to play in the ad’s background is very significant. The music is sort of Twilight Zone-esque, mimicking the style of theme music used in popular horror films of that time. First it features a creepy-sounding build up to accompany the opening flashes of fear-inspiring imagery. Then, when the speaker (presumably Nixon) begins his message, a military-like snare plays in the background to put emphasis on the severity of the issue in which he is speaking to.
When looked at collectively, this ad’s intense visuals and its dramatic audio serve to create a feeling of fear, horror, and dread. Both of these elements work together with the intent of making an appeal to the audience pertaining to the rising crime rates of America.

Here is the link to my ad: http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1968/crime#4023

Group D Post

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A Comparison of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Give us the Ballot” Speech and Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Launch Speech

In his renowned speech, “Give us the Ballot” given in Washington, D.C. on May 17th, 1957, Martin Luther King Jr. advocates for African American voting rights, calling on his community to bring about the necessary change to create a society in which “all men will live together as brothers and respect the dignity and worth of human personality”. Although on the surface, this speech is explicitly motivated by the goal of achieving African American suffrage, it also has an overall theme of shaping the country in a way that promotes general equality for all. As in all of his great speeches, King’s rhetoric is powerful and moving, encouraging his audience to feel his message. Speeches such as this were created by King as ways to non- violently protest the injustices that he felt plagued American Society. Rhetorical strategies like the employment of repetition are to be noted as a key example of King using his words as weapons. “Give us the Ballot”, is repeated again and again, every time being followed by a reason that King believes that African Americans are worthy of receiving this chance at equality. In this speech, King utilizes this issue as a microcosm of the country’s overall desperate need for change.

In her 2016 campaign launch speech, Hillary Clinton addresses the same issues as King in a more contemporary setting. Like King, she advocates for the reformation of the unbalance of the American mindset. Because she is the first female presidential nominee in American history, this puts her in a similar position as King. They are both powerful members of groups, which are faced with the inability to access equal rights. They are leaders of communities, promoters of change. In her speech, Clinton refers specifically to the inequalities faced by women in the working world. She claims that “it is way past time to end the outrage of so many women still earning less than men on the job — and women of color often making even less.” She believes, like King, that the current system which currently presides over the American people, is completely misrepresentative and excluding towards many groups of people. Naturally, she also is driven by the idea of change.

These two texts raise similar questions. What is the significance of inequality as it relates to the representation of certain groups in American society? How can we evolve society to reflect a progressive change toward the better? Are people like Hillary Clinton the right people to lead us to this progress?

Bibliography

Frizell, Sam. “Read the Full Text of Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Launch Speech.” Time. Time, 13 June 2015. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.