FiveThirtyEight Politics The Battle For The Airwaves
Oct 10, 2024
In this insightful discussion, Erika Franklin Fowler, director of the Wesleyan Media Project and a government professor, dives into the intense world of political advertising. She breaks down the strategies and themes dominating this election season, comparing ad volumes and spending between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Economic narratives, voter trust, and the shifting priorities of both candidates are explored. Fowler also shares how political ads are evolving to resonate with younger audiences in this competitive landscape.
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Ad Spending Impact
- Mutually assured destruction in presidential ad spending is challenged.
- Earned media and paid media advantages can combine for marginal gains.
Campaign Ad Costs
- Presidential campaigns spend hundreds of millions on TV ads.
- 2020's high spending was influenced by at-home audiences and billionaire primary candidates.
Economic Focus in Ads
- Both Harris and Trump focus heavily on economic issues in their ads.
- Harris uses contrast ads, while Trump uses negative ads to target economic anxieties.