The first Presidential campaign to utilize television as a campaign ad medium was for Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952. General Eisenhower was not the most telegenic candidate, but his campaign team made it clear that they would do whatever it could to reach as many people as possible through television. Most of Eisenhower’s ads were positive in content. Here is one of them:
What present day campaign ad techniques are also found in the Eisenhower ad from 1952?
Politics Matters 
The ad shows that all kinds of people want to vote for Ike. It has a catchy tune to it that would stick out in people’s mind. He also stuck to a positive campaign wich most politicians do not do nowadays.
I believe the technique that is found in present ads that was also used back in the 1950’s for Eisenhower and his ad was the diversity of people with different occupations. it gave the audience a belief that a candidate would be able to understand and relate to a different and wide variety of people.
It was good it showed kind of how all the people want to vote. I think the cartoon thing was nice. It kind of seemed like brainwashing a lot. It also seemed that all the people that were going to vote were white working class people. And with the guy on the donkey kind and the donkey faces with their eyes was kind of racist
This ad showed that everybody likes Ike, and they even had a delightful song to go along with it. The ad showed a variety of people. It featured his opposing candidates as donkeys, which was kind of amusing. Making the candidates look like donkeys, is similar to the ads run now about how the opposing candidates are unfit to run.
One of the main things that I noticed in this ad, that I notice in current ads today is that they mention that voting “IKE” is the American thing to do. Another aspect that you still see today is that they show that he has a following and that people support him. That happens all the time in political ads today. Another things that I noticed is that they had a catchy jingle to get people to remember the name.
This add was repetitive and seemed and used a catchy little tune which show case Ike. without a doubt made it seem like everyone wanted Ike. it also never based anyone or even through anyone else’s name in the add which I liked. I would vote for IKe just because of that add.
The ad was really positive and you can see people marching saying vote for ike. There is even a tractor behind supporting the march and it is basically showing the voting should be for everyone.
The ad was really positive and you can see people marching saying vote for ike. There is even a tractor behind supporting the march and it is basically showing the voting should be for everyone. They have the elephant cheering and the donkeys just sitting there.
Eisenhower’s campaign team wanted to show that many different people were voting for Ike. From adults in many different occupations, children, and even animals were supporting Ike. This is the one advertising technique that was used in this ad and is still used today; Making sure everyone is included in the ad so voters know that you want the best for EVERYONE!
This ad shows that everyone is supposed to like Ike and you shouldn’t like the Donkey’s aka the Democrats. It is trying to appeal to conformity by saying everyone likes Ike and you should vote Ike for president. These sorts of ads are still prevalent today but not as much.
This ad shows that everyone should support Ike. The ad is very interesting that it catches peoples attention. This ad is basically saying that everyone likes Ike and you should vote Ike for president.
it shows everyone that supporxd ike. it also has a song that anyone can catch on to. it also shows that you should vote for ike and not the democrats. By saying everyone is voting for ike, its saying you should to and not be like the “weird” ones out. his ad still supports one person and bashes the other side and present day ads do the same.
The ad doesn’t really address any issues, but it tells you to vote for Eisenhower. It seems like the only purpose of the ad is to encourage people to hop on the bandwagon. It’s telling the people to vote for a certain candidate simply because the majority of people support that candidate.
This ad is similar to modern day ads for multiple reasons. This ad talks down to the other candidates in a political way. This ad also talks about what Ike is good for and what he will do once he is in office.
Cartoon representations of American citizens, ranging from bourgeois to blue-collar, are shown deliver the message that Eisenhower is a good candidate for everyone. Companies advertise everything from common home appliances to medication in the same fashion. The jingle in the background is simplistic, and catchy — the sort of melody that overstays its welcome in your mind and is recalled at random points in the day. If you come up with something catchy enough, it will stay with people forever. Example: 588-2300…. Empire!
It sure was a catchy advertisement. It showed the range of people who are voting for Eisenhower to show that you should too. It also showed a lone person riding a donkey(democrat) going counter to everyone else in the background at one point. It’s a nice little jab at the competition and showed that voting democrat was a bad idea. I’d like to see an ad like that these days to break the monotony of all the smear campaigns.
Similar techniques found in Eisenhower’s ad and modern day ad’s is that they target all of our society. This ad shows that everyone wants to vote for IKE; men, women and even young adults. I will admit that the song from this ad is currently stuck in my head, it is extremely catchy.
There were a couple techniques that were similar to today’s ads like the use of common blue collar people. These people are a representation of “Ike’s” association with the American worker and along with the song with its repetitive lyrics the content of the ad aims to get support from these workers.
The ad repeats the candidates name a lot much like today’s ads. There are also everyday people shown supporting Eisenhower.The ad also makes sure that the audience knows it is against other candidates and shows them in a lesser form.
The campaign ad started with “paid for by citizens of Eisenhower. The ad tried to target a wide array of professions and therfore class such as laborers, white-collar, and families. The ad also uses the elephant/republic symbolism.
I noticed two major things in the ad that is still used by politicians today. The first is the “paid for” “approved by” message that is included in all federal campaign ads still today. It was interesting to see it at the start of the ad instead of at the end like most ads today. The second thing I noticed is that Governor Eisenhower’s ad depicted support from the everyday working class citizens such as the family with a baby and a firefighter to make him the more relatable candidate. The same practice is still done today in order to reach the votes that a candidate feels they need in order to win.
I think this commercial was very annoying. I felt like it had no meaning at all and the song to it sounded just like mumble. The cartoons were beyond horrible it showed him to be kiddish.
Eisenhower’s ad was a clever way of reaching out to all types of viewers. The catchy melody had a uplifting and positive vibe which I don’t notice much in today’s campaign ads. However there are few techniques in this ad that we still use nowadays. One is that candidates focus on making ads where they identify key issues and make very simple statements. Ads today are short but to the point just like Eisenhower’s. I have also noticed that Eisenhower used a tactic that’s often used in present techniques where he is portraying his opponents as donkeys which raises doubts about his opponents and questions whether they are suitable for the position.
The commercial to me felt like it was just a waste of time and it really didn’t prove anything and it seemed very childish for adults to look at.
The point of this advertisement in it’s time was to create a catchy song that would stick in people’s minds. Cartoons were popular for advertisements back then, so it’s not a surprise that one was used. The line of voters chanting for “Ike” was a way to show a wide interest in him to the people.
it was good it showed kind of how all the people want to vote. I think the cartoon thing was nice. It kind of seemed like brainwashing a lot. It also seemed that all the people that were going to vote were white working class people. And with the guy on the donkey kind and the donkey faces with their eyes was kind of racist.