Fiction and the political ad

‘Tis the political season in these here United States. This past Tuesday was the closest thing this country has had to a national primary. Depending where you live you may have had more phone calls, junk mail, and the like than you care for. Living in California as I do, I was subject to quite a few phone calls. In one day, I hung up on John McCain twice and Hillary once. I’m a registered Republican so I have no idea why Hillary called. Of course it was a machine that dialed my phone and sent their recorded voices along the line and into my ear.

The other thing we overdose on every election season is the political ad. They’re not new. Recently I was reminded about an ad that ran in 1964 for Lyndon Johnson. Considered to intense, it ran only once—on September 7^th.

I like to consider myself well versed on how humans communicate, motivate, and persuade one another. The “Daisy” ad took persuasion to the next level. Below is the ad as it ran 44 years ago. From a communication point of view, it was brilliant. Still, it’s hard to feel good about it.

Why talk about political ads? Because many of them are short stories told in 30 or 60 seconds. They often use the same principles used by storytellers. Watch the ad then think about the questions that follow.

 

1. What is being “sold” here?
2. If this were a work of fiction (and many thought it      was) what genre would it be?
3. Who is the hero?
4. Who is the antagonist?
5. What does the hero stand to lose?
6. How does the piece pull the viewer in?
7. What does the little girl do to make the audience      think the ad is going to be cute?
8. How do the viewer’s emotions change from beginning to      end?
9. For the writer’s out there, what one thing could you      do to make the ad even more effective?

 

Al “I see story everywhere” Gansky

Comments

[Kay]

That still packs a punch, doesn't it? And when you consider the climate of fear that pervaded our nation in those days, it must have had quite an impact. Hard to imagine.
The juxtoposition is very powerful.

I don't know what I would change. Maybe tell what he was going to do to make a difference. Why would voting for him prevent "going into the dark?"

[Pam Halter]

My first thought was of Frankenstein. HA!

What's being sold? Fear.
Who is the bad guy? Nonvoters
Who is the hero? Voters

What do we stand to lose? I suppose if Johnson wasn't President, we would all be blown to smithereens.

The little gir's innocence makes her cute. Her inability to count to 10, but her enjoyment of it anyway.

I think our emotions are meant to be engaged. First, we love the little girl. Then, she's blown up, which outrages us. We want to do something about it. And then we're given a recourse. Vote for Johnson and it won't happen.

As a writer, the only thing I would add is the camera zooming on the flower, without petals, lying on the ground. No words necessary.

Yeah, there's story everywhere.