The 2016 election campaigns for both presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have had a wide range of coverage in the media. The NextGen California Action Committee has sponsored many ad’s specifically focusing on the candidate Donald Trump and his approach on issues like immigration, abortions, and climate change. Three of these ads were notable in their use of sensory and visual devices. The ads were all individually played in a 30 second time span. One, an immigration ad, consists of his comments about Mexicans and his plan to deport all immigrants, and the implement restrictive future immigration policies. The second, looks into Trump’s derogatory comments on women and his plans/beliefs on abortion. The third ad focuses on the issue of climate change and how Donald Trump believes it is a hoax by the Chinese. All of which use sensory and visual devices to better convey their message.
The first ad on immigration, starts off with a diverse group of people (men and women, young and old and racially diverse) gathered together in front of three large screens in a white room. On these screens you see short clips of Donald Trump making harsh comments about immigrants and Mexicans. The second ad consists of presenting different women one at a time to the viewer in order to demonstrate how Trump’s comments (through a voice over) are far from what women are or want from abortion policies. (An example of his comments throughout the video: “That fat ugly face of hers…”) The third video, which differs much from the rest, presents the issue of climate change and global warming, by displaying images of forest fires, and other effects of climate change they portray the serious impact it is having on the environment. Donald J. Trump’s thoughts on climate change seriously contradict the images being shown. (Example: “Climate change is a hoax…”, “It’ll get cooler, it’ll get warmer. It’s the weather…”) All three commercials have notable differences: sound and music, and similarities: Tom Steyer.
The first commercial on immigration uses a slow paced song and epilogue as a closing statement (the second video uses the same song & epilogue as well). Throughout the immigration 30 second video the music is being played underneath Trump’s harsh voice. The song consists mostly of a slow piano melody with a slight percussion towards the end. In the third commercial however, the sponsors use an upbeat song with drastic drops in base and a more demanding epilogue. The surround sound quality and rise in tempo are also used to emphasize how Trump’s comments are escalating over the time span. As opposed to the upbeat dramatic song used in the third ad, the slow pace piano used in the first two ads created a more emotional and melancholic state of mind on the viewers. The tempo is pessimistic and slow and only rises towards the end of the commercial when the solution, to vote, is addressed.
A great similarity between all three commercials is the use of Tom Steyer. Tom Steyer is a hedge fund manager in America, environmentalist, and philanthropist. Steyer founded and was co-senior managing partner at Farallon Capital, and founder of Beneficial State Bank (community development bank). Tom Steyers, a billionaire, endorsed Hillary Clinton in this 2016 election and in 2014 he spent $50 million on backing up democrats. The significance of using Tom Steyer is great because he has funded many clean energy programs and appeals to other environmentalist/earth-friendly citizens. Tom Steyer formally endorsed Hillary Clinton, making people who liked him, consider Hillary Clinton more over Donald Trump.
The strategies used by the NextGen California Action Committee (use of sound and Tom Steyer) was indeed a successful one, because it gave the viewers a heightened sense of the many contradictions that Donald Trump has said throughout his election campaign and who to vote for. The music and use of Tom Steyer in the commercials, all help the main idea to show the degree to which Donald Trump’s statements are true and the person who you should be voting for Hillary Clinton.
Possible Thesis: Option #2
The strategies used throughout the Immigration Ad, highlight and detail many of the contradictions in Donald Trump’s campaign. By using a slower placed song and Tom Steyer, they reinforce that Donald Trump’s approach on immigration is wrong, and goes against the ideals that America is free, a nation of immigrants and values of birthright citizenship.
Campaign Ads used:
Primary: Immigration:
http://politicaladarchive.org/ad/PolAd_DonaldTrump_6mxh6/
Other: Women and Abortions:
http://politicaladarchive.org/ad/PolAd_DonaldTrump_3h7o6/
Other: Climate change, energy, environment:
http://politicaladarchive.org/ad/PolAd_DonaldTrump_rrv8v
Extra Sources:
The three ads you have chosen have very similar ways of conveying their messages with visuals and sounds. These ads do use these elements to focus on a similar point of how Trump’s ideas are not what Californians, and Americans, believe in and want. Your analysis of the sounds and visuals are explained very well, you explain how each ad has similarities and differences in demonstrating their individual messages. I do believe that the sounds and visuals have the biggest impact in these ads, along with the appearance of Tom Steyer to add a personable element. I do see that you are on the right path to create an argument around freedom, or even democracy. Each ad does add an element of urgency that the public should register and vote and you may want to add that in your argument with the other elements.