Primary ad: http://politicaladarchive.org/ad/PolAd_BernieSanders_4lv4e/
Secondary ad: http://politicaladarchive.org/ad/PolAd_BernieSanders_u6i2f/
Both advertisements were sponsored by the Bernies Sanders committee as he runs for the position of the Democratic presidential candidate in the early part of 2016.
The central message within both advertisements is clear and very similar. They both focus primarily on the same topics and issues. A difference is however noticed in the way this message is conveyed, in both it’s visual and it’s aural contexts. The advertisement I selected as my primary advertisement uses a first person approach to convey its central idea i.e Bernie Sander addresses the viewer directly as opposed to the secondary advertisement where a voice over speaks instead of Bernie Sanders, speaking directly to the viewer. One major part I felt stood out in these two advertisements was that by listening to both advertisements simultaneously and meticulously, I noticed that the secondary advertisement consistently sticks to the voice over approach till the very end, where Bernie Sanders “presumably” endorses the advertisement. I chose to use the word presumably because as I listened to both advertisements simultaneously, I noticed that the voice of Bernie Sanders in the primary advertisement was obviously not the same voice that was used at the ending of the secondary advertisement. Which was presumably being endorsed by Bernie Sanders himself?
The visual contexts of both advertisements are completely different. In that, the Primary advertisement stayed in color throughout, showing vibrant and at times very beautiful colors. In contrast, the secondary advertisement I chose uses a total of three different color schemes from beginning to end. This helped create a perception of a timeline of some sort. It starts out as black and white depicting old fashioned cars, buildings and clothes and then changes briefly to a kind of light reddish color, which I believe is meant to depict growth and then finally to clear and vibrant colors like those depicted in the primary advertisement. The color scheme in the primary advertisement served to create a certain sense of belonging of some sort, persuading people that they belonged to the United States (a warm welcoming feeling). The secondary advertisement, on the other hand, focuses on change, growth and a sense of what would happen if the people watching advertisement chose Bernie Sanders.
Both advertisements contain a form of texts or words which are displayed on the screen as the advertisements ran. But both use these text differently to convey their messages. The primary advertisement uses the textual element to summarize and introduce the main points of what Bernie Sanders talks about throughout the advertisement. The textual element in the primary advertisement is used frequently as compared to the textual element used in the secondary advertisement. The secondary advertisement uses the textual element only at the end of the advertisement when Bernie Sanders endorses the advertisement.
The formal elements identified in these two campaign ads are the approaches to the audience, the use of color and different color schemes and the use and placement of text on the screen. Nice catch on the “real voice” verses the sound bite for the endorsements at the end of the ads.
The first person approach as a conversation between Bernie and the viewer side by side with the narrator telling a story is interesting. In the first ad, Bernie is walking you through his ideas and plans while in the second ad, the ad is playing on a “David Versus Goliath” theme. It states that “Even when the deck is stacked, a New Yorker will find a way.” That puts you in with the “little guy” against the insurmountable odds. The use of color changes from black and white to color certainly works to the story telling nature of the ad.
When you look at the amount of text used in the first ad and compare it to the second ad, there is something to note. The first ad’s use of text “spells” out the plan and main points for the viewer. The lack of text in the second ad allows the viewer to inject their own feelings. This may possibly allow them to internalize and personalize the story for themselves and allow them to relate to Bernie that the ad could not attempt.
The possible arguments that I see developing are that the ad sees freedom as equality of opportunity. In the first as, Bernie wants “universal college education, health care for all, good jobs, equal pay and a living wage paid to all”. One could argue that Bernie’s ad represents the ideals of what America is supposed to represent.
My answer to question four builds on the hypothesis that standing behind Bernie will lead us a rebuilding of America and the middle class. Someone who is fighting for the all of the people and not in the interests of corporations. Bernie is a “native New Yorker” which means that he is a fighter and is “one of us”.