The Election Ad Formula: How To Be Informed, Not “Influenced”

This is the first in a series of short posts about how to handle the intensity and social dissonance of this election year in the U.S.

You’re watching your favorite TV show, when a loud and urgent voice launches the commercial break. It’s election season and here come the political ads! It doesn’t matter what part of the political spectrum they represent: They’re designed to jumpstart your nervous system and get your attention.

Many of us instinctually reach for the remote to mute the TV until our program returns. (It’s not a bad tactic!) However, I want to break down what’s happening with this type of advertising so you can be informed and discerning:

Surprise! 

This kind of advertising breaks in suddenly and louder than the program you were just enjoying to startle you into attention. The mini adrenaline rush can have you unconsciously primed to scan for danger.
Vocal tone: The voice in the ad is often a deep, authoritative, male voice issuing a warning of some kind about the other candidate or issue. Female narrators of these commercials sound gossipy and negative, as though they’re letting you in on a dirty secret. They speak quickly, amplifying the sense of urgency. The sound of the commercial alone is designed to rile you up to some danger or injustice.
 

Dehumanizing

Any mention of the other candidate is made in a disgusted or derisive tone, indicating, “How dare they!” Sometimes, negative labels or nicknames are used to paint the other side as a bad guy. This attaches an unsavory attribution (or at least doubt) with them in your mind.

All are one and the same

Entire parties and groups are painted as negative. These ads would have you believe that every member of a group – the “Dems” or “Trump Republicans,”for example – are exactly alike in everything they believe and do. The ad is going to tell you what terrible thing “those people” believe and will do if they win.

Cherry picking and sneaky editing

Often these ads will be edited to take a quote out of context to misrepresent the other candidate. They may also present polling or statistics in ways that don't tell the whole story in order to support their side or attack the other. The world is complicated and these ads may strategically simplify issues to mislead us.
Repetition: The more we hear something, the more it goes into our subconscious minds. Commercials for products and services do this all the time with repeated slogans and jingles. Political ads do the same thing! It’s why you see the ad at every commercial break and even run back-to-back. You may get sick of hearing it, but they’ll make sure you remember it.

I live in a “purple” state in a “purple” neighborhood, so the frequency of advertising can get pretty overwhelming. Even if you live in a more politically homogeneous area, this is going to be an intensely fought election cycle. So how can we handle the onslaught of political ads?

Understand how these ads work

I outlined the points above so you can see what and how these ads are trying to get you to do. It is not just the Left or Right that do this, so even if you agree with the ad, try to think critically about the tactics being used. (Once you see the formula, these ads can actually seem a little ridiculous!)

Shield your mind…

The best defense against this kind of advertising is not to hear it. There is nothing wrong with hitting the mute button. For those of us who are “sensitive,” I’m all for protecting your nervous system.

…but stay informed

However, I strongly encourage you to get your information about candidates and issues elsewhere. A mix of news sources, even ones you wouldn’t normally go to, can keep you plugged into events.

Notice if these sources “spin” the information in particular ways. The main sign of skewed information is the inclusion of opinion or judgment about the content. This is always a sign to take this source with a grain of salt – they have an agenda beyond giving you facts. There’s a reason news reporting has always emphasized the formula “who, what, why, where, when and how,” backed up by at least two sources. The exception is the “opinion” page, which is upfront about what it is.

Because many TV news programs use the same techniques as political ads (urgent tone of voice, suspenseful music, loud programming, repetition), I recommend perusing newspapers online, especially if you get easily overwhelmed. That way, you can stop reading if you’ve had enough.

I also recommend that you stop reading or watching the news for a while once you know the main news stories. Obsessive news consumption will actually increase anxiety and fear. 24/7 news programming cultivates the same sense of danger and urgency as political ads to keep you watching! That’s good for their ratings. In addition, some “news” programs actually function like political ads, using many of the same techniques and for the same purposes.

How does this ad want me to feel?

This is a good question to reveal how the ad sponsor is trying to influence you. This type of political ad typically uses emotion to shape your opinion. Fear, anxiety, urgency, and feeling unsure of the future are common effects.

(It makes me mad to realize someone is trying to manipulate my emotions – even if I agree with their basic perspective! I’ve actually told sales people using these tactics, “The more you push a hard sale, the less likely I am to buy from you.” This kind of political “sales” approach functions the same way.)

What does this ad want me to do?

What is the ad’s call to action? To vote “yes” or “no”? Support their candidate? Maybe they even want you to feel so confused or overwhelmed that you ignore the election.

Don’t let commercials be your source of information for these important and personal decisions. Always fact check, particularly if an ad has stirred up an emotional response in you.

It’s the same with online news and social media. It’s always helpful to ask yourself, “What does the creator of this content want me to do?” Usually the answer is to “click”.

If a headline is written in a way that elicits a negative emotional response, I always pause before clicking. Sometimes “clickbait” is obvious. Increasingly, certain news headlines are also written using “clickbait” techniques. So, I’ve learned to pause before clicking any news story. If a headline is gossipy – So-and-so’s ex-girlfriend “is so over it!” – I keep moving. I don’t click when clearly there is no story except a “negative for the sake of negative” perspective (e.g., He “looked miserable at his trial.”) I also pass on consumer ads disguised as news articles (e.g., “These 10 products helped me organize my bathroom!”) Do I really want to join the author in gossip or gloating? Do I really want to pretend that those products actually changed the author’s life? The answer is usually no, because it doesn’t make me feel good.

Remember, there is a big difference between being “influenced” and “informed.”

What makes a better political ad?

The truth is that all ads, political or otherwise, are trying to influence your opinion and get you to do something. Several factors, however, will keep me tuned in a bit longer.

First, I’m more open to ads that speak to what a candidate has done and what they intend to do. These ads can be edited in tricky ways, too, but at least I know what the candidate wants me to believe about them.

Second, ads that contain sources for their claims (such as newspaper articles, speeches, etc.) are more transparent because they allow viewers to fact-check for themselves. (One good fact-checking resource is Politifact.)

Third, when an ad is clear about its sponsorship, I’m more open to considering the message than ads that list their sponsors in fine print. (Always be aware of the “fine print!”)

Remember, your vote is powerful and valuable, but even more so is your mind. The best thing you can do for yourself and the world is to be intentional about who you allow to influence you.

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Amra Stafford, PsyD
Dr. Amra Stafford is a psychotherapist, writer and teacher living in Tucson, Arizona. You can find her at dramrastafford.com.