Final exam for history who built america - Research Paper Example

History and Political Science   The first collection of primary sources is an online exhibit called Living Room Candi s. These are political advertisements for presidential candidates. These primary sources are interesting to compare and contrast with one another. They are especially fascinating to watch because they provide a window into history. We see what life was like during the Eisenhower administration, for example, and what kinds of issues preoccupied people. It was clear that they had a lot on their mind.

We see the nascent American advertising machine revving up, playing on peoples' hope, dreams and fears. Each ad is an effort to influence and persuade voters that a certain candidate would be best for them and offer them the best chance not only for world peace but for personal success and fulfillment. The ads try to humanize the candidates and show them as authoritative and sincere. As the years pass, we see the ads and techniques becoming more sophisticated. We see how the candidates become smoother and more polished in their delivery.

The public has become more knowledgeable about advertising and advertisers must be ahead of the game. The ads begin with President Eisenhower explaining that he will bring peace to the U.S. These ads are very simple and lacking in many modern techniques. Eisenhower appears to be reading obviously from a script. A decade later, Johnson's presidential ads are much better. They tell a story beginning in November 1963 in Dallas and continuing to 1964. The narrative describes how Johnson has risen to the occasion.

It emphasizes continuity. Carter's ads are still more evolved. They feature music and lots of separate shots. They use keyword such as competence and change in order to underscore his appeal against the incumbent Ford. They explain a little bit about him and show him communicating with ordinary people. In the 1990s, political advertising really came into its own. It played a big role in Clinton defeating Bush in 1992. By this time in American history, television was very important as a tool of communication, and Clinton made full use of it.

He and his running mate played up their youth and positive message. Generally, these ads are repositories of historical context. They show life as it was back then, as the candidates wished to see it. They are a great window into the way people thought in decades past. The second primary source examined is a discussion of Coca Cola ads. These are similar in some ways to the American presidential ads. Again, we see the techniques developing over the years and becoming cleverer. Coke slowly becomes a world brand, popular in different cultures.

It becomes a product that is connected to human aspirations. People want it in the Third World. They want to live in a nice house and drink a nice Coke. The ads sometimes seem a bit over the top, but they nevertheless are convincing. Much of the Coke advertising seeks ways to develop a kind of emotional resonance. Coke is much more than a simple soft drink. It is something that people dream of having and that stands for America as a whole. Playing the patriotic angle was very successful for Coke.

It tried to make itself a part of the American soul and heartland. Advertising has come a long way over the last sixty years. These two exhibits show it has developed new strategies to convince voters and consumers. These advancements will surely continue in the years to come. Work consulted "Living Room Candidates" (webliography) < http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/ the living room candidates> "50 Years of Coca-Cola Advertising" (webliogaphy) < http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ccmphtml/colahome.html >