Propaganda Techniques in 2008 Presidential Campaign Ads
This paper examines propaganda techniques used in the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign advertisements of Barack Obama and John McCain, using Ann McClintock's six-technique framework as an analytical lens. The paper identifies examples of name calling, glittering generalities, transfer, testimonials, plain folks, and bandwagon techniques in specific campaign commercials. It argues that while the McCain campaign typically deployed one technique per advertisement, the Obama campaign blended multiple techniques within single ads, and that this strategic blending contributed to Obama's electoral success.
- Introduction: Advertising as Propaganda: Introduces McClintock's six propaganda techniques in political ads
- Name Calling in Campaign Ads: Examples of name calling from Obama and McCain ads
- Glittering Generalities and Vague Promises: Vague slogans in both campaigns' advertisements
- Blending Propaganda Techniques: Obama's strategy of combining multiple techniques per ad
- Conclusion: Effectiveness of Combined Techniques: Obama's blended approach linked to electoral victory
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What makes this paper effective
- It applies a clear analytical framework — McClintock's six propaganda techniques — consistently across multiple real campaign advertisements, giving the analysis structure and focus.
- It draws on specific, named advertisements from both campaigns, grounding abstract claims in concrete textual evidence.
- It identifies a meaningful comparative distinction between the two campaigns' strategies (one technique per ad vs. blended techniques), leading to a focused evaluative conclusion.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates comparative textual analysis: it applies a single theoretical framework to multiple primary sources from opposing sides, then draws a comparative conclusion about strategic differences. This mirrors the approach used in media criticism and rhetorical analysis essays at the undergraduate level.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens by defining propaganda and introducing McClintock's framework. It then proceeds technique by technique — name calling, then glittering generalities — with examples from both campaigns. The fourth section introduces the paper's central analytical claim: that the Obama campaign blended techniques while McCain's did not. The conclusion ties this observation to the election outcome. The structure is thematic rather than candidate-by-candidate, which suits a technique-focused argument.
Introduction: Advertising as Propaganda
In the modern world, Americans often forget that advertising and marketing have become forms of propaganda. As Ann McClintock stated in her essay "Propaganda Techniques in Today's Advertising": "Propaganda is a systematic effort to influence people's opinions, to win them over to a certain view or side" (McClintock). This can be effectively demonstrated by examining advertising from the 2008 presidential campaign between then-Senators Barack Obama and John McCain.
McClintock outlined six specific techniques by which advertisers use propaganda: Name Calling, Glittering Generalities (invoking concepts like freedom and happiness), Transfer (association with something else), Testimonials (celebrity endorsements), Plain Folks (presenting oneself as ordinary), and Bandwagon (appealing to what everyone else is doing). In the advertisements generated by both campaigns, there were examples of each technique, but by far the most widely used were Name Calling and Glittering Generalities.
There is also a distinct difference in how these techniques were deployed: Senator McCain appears to have used one technique per commercial, while Senator Obama blended different techniques within the same commercial. The results of the election suggest that combining several techniques into a single advertisement proved to be an effective strategy.
Name Calling in Campaign Ads
The most widely used of McClintock's techniques is name calling — the use of negative labels to discredit an opponent. One example was the Obama campaign's advertisement entitled "Honor," which depicted a photo of a dejected John McCain alongside phrases such as "truly vile," "truth be damned," and "disgraceful and dishonorable campaign" in the background (Honor). It was accompanied by a narration stating, "What's happened to John McCain? He's running the sleaziest ads ever…" (Honor).
Another example is the ad entitled "Embrace," in which John McCain appeared in the background while phrases such as "Low Road Campaign" and "Nothing for You" filled the screen (Embrace). Name calling was not limited to the Obama side, however. The McCain campaign ran a memorable ad entitled "Dangerous," which posed the question, "Who is Barack Obama?" After a short narration claiming that Barack Obama wanted to cut off funds to troops in Afghanistan, the ad answered its own question with the words "dishonorable," "dangerous," and "too risky" (Dangerous). This ad attempted to make Barack Obama appear un-American, unsupportive of the military, and dangerous to national security if elected.
Conclusion: Effectiveness of Combined Techniques
The Obama campaign did more than simply apply the six techniques McClintock outlined — they improvised and adapted these techniques in new and unusual ways to create effective advertisements. The results of the election, a decisive win for Obama, demonstrated that this blended approach was indeed effective. The 2008 campaign illustrates how political advertising functions as a form of propaganda, and how the strategic combination of multiple persuasion techniques can be more compelling than relying on a single approach.
Works Cited
"2013." Foxhole Productions, John McCain 2008. From Museum of the Moving Image, The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952–2008. Original air date: 05/18/08. Web. 26 Feb. 2011. www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/2013
"Ayers." Foxhole Productions, McCain-Palin 2008. From Museum of the Moving Image, The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952–2008. Original air date: 10/09/08. Web. 26 Feb. 2011. www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/ayers-web
"Dangerous." Foxhole Productions, McCain-Palin 2008. From Museum of the Moving Image, The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952–2008. Original air date: 10/06/08. Web. 26 Feb. 2011. www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/dangerous
"Embrace." Obama Media Team, Obama for America. From Museum of the Moving Image, The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952–2008. Original air date: 08/11/08. Web. 26 Feb. 2011. www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/embrace
"Honor." Obama Media Team, Obama for America. From Museum of the Moving Image, The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952–2008. Original air date: 09/15/08. Web. 26 Feb. 2011. www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/honor
McClintock, Ann. "Propaganda Techniques in Today's Advertising." Web. 26 Feb. 2011.
"Maverick No More." Video courtesy of the Democratic National Committee. From Museum of the Moving Image, The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952–2008. Original air date: 08/07/08. Web. 26 Feb. 2011. www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/maverick-no-more-web
"What Kind." Obama Media Team, Obama for America. From Museum of the Moving Image, The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952–2008. Original air date: 09/10/08. Web. 26 Feb. 2011. www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/what-kind
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