Comparing Johnson And Goldwater's Advertisements

Comparing both Johnson and Goldwater ads you find that they are both similar in different ways. Neither one of them appeared in their ad which I take as they are trying to communicate to what people find dear such as a little girl in a meadow and Ronald Reagan the great communicator. Both their messages were about going to war. They both had a message, maybe not the same message but it was very clear and précis. Their messages had different meanings in Johnson was ready for war, and Goldwater was wanting to peace to continue. Johnson’s ad was more graphical and Goldwater as Johnson tried to send a clear message. Johnson’s ad related to the critical approach in that he was trying to focus everyone’s attention to the war. He knew that people
wanted to live and by playing the either live or die card he had many people worried. Same goes for Goldwater, he knew that the nation didn’t want to go to war and thought that would appease people. Goldwater knew people still remembered WW2 and tried to fix in on those people emotions by saying his wife didn’t want to be a war mother. Johnson’s ad really played into the critical approach more so than Goldwater, because the nation was on the brink of war and people knew it was coming, they just opted for the person ready to take it head on and that’s what Johnson displayed.

Cited: Historic Campaign Ads: "I 'm Mad" Goldwater, 1964. (n.d.). <i>Hulu</i>. Retrieved July 2, 2014, from http://www.hulu.com/watch/40609
Historic Campaign Ads: "Daisy Ad" Johnson, 1964. (n.d.). <i>Hulu</i>. Retrieved July 2, 2014, from http://www.hulu.com/watch/40606