Power of Context:

• In 1950, only 11 percent of American homes had television; by 1960, the number was up to 88 percent.
• This was the first time television became the main source of information for voters.
• Nearly 40 percent of the nation's 180 million citizens tuned in to view the debates.
• On the radio, most pundits and polls scored the debate as a draw, with some giving Nixon the advantage.

Stickiness Factor:

• All debates from 1960 on have been televised
• Television's wide-reach; candidate controls the message.

Law of the Few:

• Connectors: Television Stations/News, Television Producers/Directors, Newscasters/Journalists, Campaign Team(s), Cameramen
• Mavens: Richard Nixon, JFK
• Salesmen: Richard Nixon, JFK, Makeup Artists

Attack ads used by Lyndon B. Johnson during Presidential election, 1964

The message was clear: "Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater was a genocidal maniac who threatened the world’s future."

Power of Context:

• Extensive use of the television began during the 1952 election between Dwight D. Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson.
• Eisenhower's use of short spot commercials enhanced his image and helped him win the election.
• Johnson's commercial was the most controversial political advertisement for its time.

Stickiness Factor:

• TV ads allow candidates to reach a wide audience with the message under their control.
• The commercials were widely criticized, but surveys showed that it helped him win.
• During the first 50 years of political advertising on television, one-third of the commercials were negative.
• DDB "didn’t set out to revolutionize political advertising; what they wanted to do was to break the established rules of political ads—then dominated by stodgy 30-minute speeches mixed with shorter policy-focused spots—by injecting creativity and emotion."
• Made emotions a staple of political spots (fear, anger, etc.).

Law of the Few:

• Connectors: Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) advertising agency, Tony Schwartz (sound designer and media consultant)
• Mavens: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon
• Salesmen: DDB, Tony Schwartz, Sid Myers (Art Director), Aaron Ehrlich (Producer), Stan Lee (Senior Copywriter), Gene Case (Junior Copywriter)

Media's coverage of the Vietnam War, 1965

The horrors of war entered the living rooms of Americans for the first time during the Vietnam War. For almost a decade the American people watched from their couches and diner tables as villages were destroyed, Vietnamese children burned and soldiers on both sides lost their lives.

Stickiness Factor:

• Images of the war stick in your mind; not easily forgotten.

Power of Context:

• 1964 - 58% of US respondents said that they “got most of their news” from television.
• As the war progressed, the numbers of press who were sent to South Vietnam increased from 40 in 1964 to 419 in August 1965.

Election of Ronald Reagan, 1981

• 1930’s radio’s golden age; he became a radio celebrity
• 1940’s top of his t.v. career
• 1950’s polished his public speaking skills for 9 years around the country (40 states)
• 1964, Reagan’s speech on national television; people saw him presidential
• 1967, his popularity and connection with Hollywood helped him become a politician
• He was the first actor to become a politician, governor and president of the U.S.
• Type 1 Political Celebrity

Power of Context?

Stickiness Factor?

Law of the Few?

80's Television Explosion

• T.V expands to cable
• CNN (1980), Fox News (1986), MSNBC (1996)
• T.V. shows, a step up for politicians
• SNL, 1975; Late Night with David Letterman, 1982; MTV-1984; Arsenio Hall Show, 1989; The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, 1992.
• By this time, 9 out of 10 people watched the main networks.

Clinton takes advantage of 80's media innovations

• 1946 Bill Clinton was Born in Arkansas.
• 1963 Clinton met President JFK.
• 1978 Became the youngest governor in the country. He was 32.
• 1992 Clinton became the 42nd President.

Clinton is highlighted on television as charming and intelligent:

• Plays his saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show
• Appears on MTV

“We know that moments of passion, personal reflection, and humor do more for us than any six-second sound bite on the network news or for that matter any thirty-second television spot.” - Mandy Grunwald, who served as Clinton’s media adviser and devised his ‘pop culture strategy’, which was written in an April 1992 memo to staff.

Power of Context?

Stickiness Factor?

Law of the Few?

:

1990's and President Obama

Power of Context: How the Internet Changed Politics and Pop Culture Forever

New Medium = New Political Playground X New Pop Culture Playground

The internet as a unique mass medium and turning point in politics:

• Acts as medium of other mass medium
• Enhances performance of other media (ex: video, audio, photo, integrated, live-streaming)
• Flexibility of usage (anytime, anywhere)
• Empowers audience as active users (users create and respond to content)
• Acts as medium for two-way communication (comments, petitions)
• Has worldwide audience (World wide web= exponential impact)
• Challenges conventional mass communication: everyone can use it (vs: TV, broadcast)”

Law of the Few: The Obama Effect

Maven:

• Occidental College
• Columbia University (Graduated 1983)
• Director of Developing Communities Project (1985-1988)
• Harvard Law Graduate (1991)
• Civil Rights Attorney for Miner, Barnhill & Galland (1992)
• Taught Constitutional Law at University of Chicago Law School (1992-1994)

Connector:

• Ellen Degeneres
• Beyonce, Jay-z
• Taylor Swift
• Oprah Winfrey
• Stephen Curry
• And it goes on...

Salesman:

“Reporters and politicians continually use the word authenticity to describe Mr. Obama, pointing to his ability to come across to voters as a regular person, not a prepackaged pol.”- Michiko Kakutani , The New York Times

“Obama also uses his voice effectively. He slows it down, lowers his volume, and pauses for impact...An effective speech or presentation can raise the hopes of your audience and give them something to believe in.”- Carmine Gallo, Forbes

Stickiness Factor: Obama’s Use of Media Platforms

The “celebrity” politician utilized the the media tactics of celebrities by sending his message through less conventional media platforms. He relayed his message of hope, change, and unity by connecting with a younger demographic in innovative ways that have never been accomplished before his time as president:

• Large Social Media Presence
• Unconventional Media Exposure
• Endless Pop-Culture References

First President to:

• Have @POTUS on Twitter
• Use Facebook Live from Oval Office
• Answer Questions from Youtube Platform
• Use Snapchat Filter

Unconventional Media Exposure