Campaign by Commercial: a Study of Advertising Strategy As Reflected In
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CAMPAIGN BY COMMERCIAL: A STUDY OF ADVERTISING STRATEGY AS REFLECTED IN POLITICAL ADVERTISING BROADCAST DURING THE 1988 CANADIAN GENERAL ELECTION Arlene Shwetz B.A. (Special), University of Alberta, 1983 Diploma (Radio & Television Arts), Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, 1977 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in the Department 0 f Communication @ Arlene Shwotz 1990 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY June 1990 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. B~bliothequenatlonale du Canada Acqursit~onsand Drection des acqulslt~onset Bibliograph~cSerwces Branch des servlces brbl~ographqucs 395 Welhnglon Street 395, rue Welhngton Ottawa. 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ISBN 0-315-78199-8 APPROVAL NAME: Arlene Mae Shwetz DEGREE: Master of Arts (Communication) TITLE OF THESIS: Campaign by Commercial: A Study of Advertising Strategy as Reflected in Political Advertising Broadcast During the 1988 Canadian General Election EXAMINING COMMITTEE: CHAIR: Dr. Alison C. M. Beale Dr. William Leiss Professor Senior Supervisor Prof. Liora Salter Professor Dr. bary iwase't Associate Professor Faculty of Business Administration Examiner DATE APPROVED: May 22, 1991 PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENCE I hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right to lend my thesis or dissertation (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its us.>rs. I further agree that permission for multiple copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of Thesis/Dissertation: Campaign by Commercial: A Study of Advertising Stratcqy as Reflected in Political Advertising Broadcast during - the 1988 Canadian General Election Author: signature Arlene Shwetz name June 4, 1991 date ABSTRACT Televised election advertising provide politicians and political parties with the best opportunity to disseminate their message to a vast number of people during the short period of time of an election campaign. Ads not only provide politicians with the best opportunity for associating images with emotional appeals, but also supply the voter with information as to leadership and issues. However, these communicated packages of information are not based, concretely, on what issues may be of national importance for debate during a campaign. Rather, voters' projections of the meaning of leadership, and information identified by marketing specialists as important in a campaign are processed and packaged to voters. The marketing and allvertising professions have fused with election campaigns and politics, in general. This thesis is a study of the interwoven relationship between politics and marketing which results in image politics. More specifical!~, this thesis is an attempt to show the extent to which the 1988 Canadian general election campaign ads embody the advice of professional strategists. The initial chapters provide the theoretical background to marketing concepts which are then applied to image politics: The image/ marketing/ advertising/ strategist concepts are studied within a Canadian context. This thesis will attempt to show the relationship between the strategy and the aired ads through interview material, an analytical discussion of the ads tying the strategy to the produced ads and, finally, survey results based on a sample's impressions of the ads. Through the final chapters, the thesis will discuss three basic marketing concepts as applied to political strategy (market plan), the design of ads (implementation), and response (sales). The thesis will reflect tile argument that the ads from the 1988 federal election campaign einbody the strategy of professionals as derived from marketing techniques. QUOTATION Image and content of televisiorl political ads becomes increasingly important when it is realized that the viewer is constantly in a political election. Politicians and their strategist are concerned with image as the electorate watches, i?ot listens and sees Stanfield stumble, Diefenbaker shake, Clark quake -- politics has become a spectator sport. (Camp.1981:xii) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This thesis has been an exercise by which to sat~sfyan immerise cilrious~ty about the interwoven relationship between politicians, the electoral process. and marketing techniques within the context of a national election campaign. This curiosity dates back at least ten years: There are many individuals -- journalists. political friends and challengers, campaign co-workers, professors, and colleagi~es -- who have whetted my interest in this topic. This thesis has satisfied this curiosity to a degree but, like political advertising, it just "didn't happen." This work could not have been accornplishu:-i without the support of individuals within the Department of Communication. In particular, I would like to ttlank Professor 'Nilliam Leiss who allowed me the liberty to explore the topic, and provided support for opportunities that seemed unreachable. As well, I wish to thank fellow graduate students and friends who shared frustrations and triumphs during our time here. As well, I am appreciative of the students who participated in my sample study. Their comments became "my window" through which to view the political ads during the final stages of this thesis. Last, but never least, I am grateful to my parents. Rae and Mary Shwetz, whose encouragement is endless and through whose eyes politics became an institution not only to respect but also one to discuss and, ultimately, question. TABLE GF CONTENTS Approval ......................................................................................................................................... I1 ... Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 111 Quotation ....................................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgement ..................................................................................................................vi The Election Campaign: A Race Amongst Leaders ............................................... 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Thesis Format: Dissecting the Image ......................................................................... 8 Marketing Techniques: An lntroduction .................................................................... The Role and Purpose of Televised Political Advertising ................................ The Influence of Political Ads on Voter Behaviour ..........................................