Negative Ad Campaigns Affect the Voters - Research Paper Example

Negative ad campaigns are perhaps the most widely practiced phenomenon in the domain of politics. Negative ad campaigns are held necessary for turning the mood of voters onto one’s own side. Negative ad campaigns can have a concentrated methodology to win the favor of voters. The paper addresses whether negative ad campaigns prove to be beneficial or harmful in one’s purpose? One specific ad was selected for the research. On the basis of research data, it was proved that negative ad campaigns affected the normal ongoing of the process. It cast an influence on the voters which was sufficient to bring the intended result. Key words: Negative ad campaigns, Politics, election, affect on voters, beneficial, harmful. Introduction The minds always active in the towers of politics have gained the knowledge of the powers of the media and its overwhelming effects over the minds of the populace. They have realized that media can be utilized as the biggest medium of propagation. The exploitation of media in one’s purpose has become a norm of today’s political sociality. The rule is practiced in the political campaigns of the entire world but in the United States of America, the ratio is relatively the bigger. In fact media is one of the only tools the candidates for presidency in the United States of America use to attract the masses towards their will. In the course, no hesitation is felt to highlight the negative aspects of the opponent’s life. Such ads in which the opponent’s image is presented as unfavorable are called negative ads and hence the negative ad campaigns (Kamber, 1997). Negative ads work to exploit the sentiments and emotions of the society. Negative ads work because humans are emotional and psychologically they are impressed by appeals. Though the overall turnout is not necessarily affected by the negative ad campaigns, it however helps in turning one’s already developed point of view. “Advertising matters at the margins. We never see ads that take a candidate from 20 to 70 percent of the vote. But when you have a country that is divided 50/50, every percent point counts. That’s where advertising makes a difference” (Sohn, 2012). Negative ad campaigns, therefore, always work. Negativity of ads is as old as are the presidential elections of the United States of America. One unconsciously processes the ads though he claims to have his mind not affected by the ads. About the undecided voters, “Drew Western” found them completely overwhelmed by the negative political ads. The reason behind is just simple: humans are curious for harms. We always stop to the wreck of a car but never to the flowers all around the roads (Sohn, 2012). Statement of Problem 47% Video is an ad in which Romney spoke at a fundraiser in the words: “there are 47% who are with Obama, who are dependent on government, who believe they are victims, and who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them” (Newport, 2012). The video entangled Mitt Romney as he had talked abusingly of the American people. Obama and company exploited the video against Romney. They told the people that Romney did not deserve to be their President as he had talked about them scornfully. The ad affected the overall political scenario of the United States of America. The strength of negativity lies in its pulling of the people to search for more information about the candidates. For instance, the 47% video of Romney leaked in the recent elections. He was talking to some confidante in a closed room and at a suitable time, the conversation recorded was made open to the whole nation. The video compelled a large number of people to rethink of their favor for Romney. Many were heard to say that after watching the said advertisement, they were of the view that Romney was narrow-minded and such a person could not lead the nation among huge crisis. This is now to evaluate the statement that negative ads definitely work. The results of the 2012 Presidential Elections reveal that both the candidates fought with each other with the swords of negative ads against each other in their hands. They presented to the people of America, the ugliest pictures of the opponent. Presidential Election proved to be but a competition of negative ad campaigns and at the last; the candidate who had more negative ads on his list came out to be successful in the election i.e. 85.5% of Obama ads were negative, Romney’s were 79.2%. Like a slight difference in the percent negativity of ads, the results were no more different. Observations Wesleyan Media Project Study says that as far as the negativity ratio in the ads is concerned, eighty six percent of Obama’s ads while seventy nine percent of Romney’s ads were negative in nature. In 2008, Obama and John McCain shared sixty nine percent of their ad budgets on negative ads while in 2004, Bush and Kerry spent fifty eight percent of the same (Schram, 2012). According to CBS News, the Gallop released the results of a new pool after the remarks of the Romney. The voters’ reaction is generally negative against the Romney’s comments in which he termed the 47% of Americans dependent on government. The poll recorded that thirty six percent of voters told that Romney comments made them less likely to favor him in elections. Twenty percent told that the remarks were a bitter showing fact to the people of America and they would therefore vote Romney for bringing a change. Forty three percent of voters were however of the view that Romney’s comments were to make no difference for them. Meanwhile, Gallup noted 29 percent of independent voters who were less partisans by specific definition, told that after they had learnt of the comments which Mitt Romney declared at a May fundraiser, they were less likely to vote for him. Fifteen percent of them told that they were more likely to vote Romney after the video. The poll indicates that independents viewed Mitt Romney’s comments as more negative than positive. Fifty three percent still believed the comments were to make no difference in their choice for vote (Caldwell, 2012). The poll survey was conducted on September 18 and covered 885 registered voters. It had a +/-4 percent margin of error which reflected the future perspective of the American politics. It told Romney how hard could his comments be in the elections. It told Romney that his comments had been viewed by the electorate angrily as he had looked down upon them. The survey included a special episode for the voters based on their income statuses. It recorded that comparatively poor were to vote against Romney. Forty two percent of those who earned $24,000 per annum informed the Gallup that they were less likely to vote Romney after they had heard his remarks. Fourteen percent of them were inclined to vote for him. On the other hand, 28 percent voters who earned more than $90,000 per year said that they were less likely to vote for Romney after his comments of the 47%. Twenty four percent of the category were clear of the view that they were to vote for Romney (Caldwell, 2012). The video appeared in May and in July, the ratio against him rose from forty two to forty eight percent. Among independents, adverse view of Romney in May was only 40% which rose to alarming 52% in July. Obama campaign highlighted the video and spent heavily over it. Romney’s favor dropped six percentage points i.e. from 52 to 46%. It means the impact of the 47% video was severe. Similarly, Romney’s adverse rating went five percentage points up. Though Romney’s favor is upheld by the party-supporters, it went down due to his disapproval among the masses from independence voters (Stein, 2012). The polls reflected snaps of the future. Obama and company spent heavily to disclose about Romney what was hidden from the American people. They told the people about the past financial life of Romney and having already irritated by his remarks of the 47% video, the people demanded more of Mitt Romney. For instance, the findings as reported by the CNN / ORC International Poll revealed that sixty three percent of the Americans suggest Romney must release more tax returns than the figures he had made public. The same suggestion the independents made in sixty seven percentage points (Stein, 2012). Recommendations Negative ads needs not be used in normal. The candidates should tell the people or the electorate about their plans and not about the flaws in other plans. Sometimes the candidates cross the limits by attacking at personal lives which is a thing that goes against the morality principles. They should put before the nation a program they have for them if they are elected. They must address more the solution of the problems and less the defaming of the opponent’s reputation. Poison politics is the term invented after such negative ad campaigns. Such campaigns have become the trademark of the American political system which needs deliberations. The media must endeavor to develop a sense of responsibility in the politicians. The politicians must feel responsibility that they are the guiding stars of the nation and every ugly step is to be followed by the nation. Negative ad campaigns reveal the selfishness of the candidate and the impression that he or she can go to the extent of the disgrace of the opponent. A minor act by the leader becomes the tradition of the nation. Traditions define the character of a nation and its status among other nations of the world. The leadership must therefore refrain from negative ad campaigns for it bears the everlasting effects. Similarly the people or the electorate needs to build a sense of responsibility as well. They must show that they are well-educated of the conditions, problems, solutions, demands and requirements of the country. Besides, they are also aware of the standards of the leadership. They know that they need a learned, skilled and artistic man in the realms of the government. They must assure the rulers that the nation will follow the morality only. Any action that is unlawful and wicked will not be entertained. This is called awareness and when a nation becomes aware, all the problems are solved. The nation shines among the communities of the entire world. Conclusion “Negative ad campaigns” are no doubt dangerous for the image they reflect of the leadership. Negative ads not always necessarily benefit; they sometimes prove to be harmful as well. American Presidential Elections have always been the examples of spending a lot over negative campaigns. The elections of 2012 have however broken all the previous records. About eighty percent of the ads were negative from both the candidates. A specific ad of Mitt Romney in which he termed the 47% of American people dependent on government was analyzed. The facts revealed that the ad worked to let him down from the very first day. The results ended in the failure of Mitt Romney and the success of Obama. The results though varied all the way, they proved to be snapshots of the future. The words slipped from Romney’s tongue were used by Obama to serve in his cause. They forced Romney to rely on others. His opponent got complete control of his personality. He was defamed whenever his opponent desired. In fact his past business life which was not absolutely transparent was revealed to the whole nation and this all became possible because the electorate decided to scrutinize him. The trend of negative ad campaigns needs to be eliminated now. It is the basic requirement of the morality, religion and ethics. Those who desire to become the president must come up with programs and plans aiming at the progress of the state. To criticize others for wrongs and do no good oneself is against the morality. It is very easy to preach others and morality orders to act oneself before directing others. Let’s there be awareness all around; among the leaders, of the problems and solutions, and among the electorate, of the qualities their leaders should have. References Kamber, V. (1997). Poison politics: Are negative campaigns destroying democracy?. New York: Insight Books, Plenum Press. Sohn, Emily (2012).Why do negative political ads work? Retrieved from http://news.discovery.com/human/negative-ads-romney-obama-120516.html Newport, Frank (2012). Voter’s reaction to Romney’s 47% comments tilts negative. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/157544/voters-reaction-romney-comments-tilts-negative.aspx. Caldwel, Leign (2012). Voter’s reaction to Romney’s 47% comments leans negative. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57516207-503544/poll-voter-reaction-to-romneys-47-percent-comment-leans-negative/. Martin, Schram (2012). Schram: Voters share blame for negative campaigns. Retrieved from http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/opinion/x1890074762/Schram-Voters-share-blame-for-negative-campaigns#ixzz2Bieki9Vp. Stein. Sam (2012). Obama leads Romney by 7 points as negative ads take toll. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/09/obama-romney-poll_n_1761713.html. Read More