Lexa Burroughes Mr.

Campbell
IB 1 10/11/2016
2016 Election Ad Analysis

Hilary Clinton Ads

1. War Hero (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaxNEzA3jRs)
2. Roar (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKDHioNLb4I)
3. Role Models (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrX3Ql31URA)

Donald Trump Ads

1. Final $4 Million 2-Minute Ad (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shqblcQW2RI)
2. Donald Trumps America (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwf1cAvRSN4)
3. Jas Shaw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcUYsc6gLIU)

HILARY CLINTON
“War Hero”

This Hilary Clinton ad was timed to coincide with National Prisoners of War
Remembrance Day, which took place on September 16, and features Joel Sollender, a
prisoner of war who was captured by the Nazis during WWII. This directly attacks
Trump’s controversial statement that questioned a veteran and John McCain’s status
as a war hero.

The ad starts of with Joel Sollender, watching something on TV – not looking very
happy. We then hear Trumps voice in the background saying, “He’s a war hero
because he was captured – I like people who weren’t captured, okay?”. Joel
Sollender then speaks about his time during WWII where he was captured but also
made it clear that he did make a sacrifice and fought for America. The music played
in the background is downcast and sets the mood. The ad wants to gain peoples
sympathy, especially when Joel Sollender chokes back his tears as he notes his war
was both “70 years ago, and yesterday.”

Even though this ad is for everyone, the specific target audience is veterans. Hilary
Clinton makes it clear that the veterans deserve better and if Trump wins, it will not
happen as he ridicules them.

“Roar”
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This ad is a very positive and uplifting one with no sense of negativity whatsoever.
It features scenes of Clinton throughout her career and on the campaign trail, as well
as a series of voters who appear on screen with descriptions ranging from “I’m voting
for respect” and “I’m voting against hate,” all the way to the end of the ad where
Clinton appears on the screen with the words “I’m voting for a President.”

The main feature of this ad is the music played in the background, which is “Roar” by
Katy Perry. It is an extremely empowering and motivational song making it a good
song choice for this particular ad and its message. The chorus of the song starts with
“I’ve got the eye of the tiger” and tiger usually represents willpower, personal
strength and courage – Clinton wants the people of America to know that she’s strong
and determined.

I think it is a good ad as it actually generated a sense of inspiration.

“Role Models”
Hilary Clinton’s campaign ad starts out by showing a very simple house with a sunset
in the background with mellow music playing. We then hear Trump’s voice out of
nowhere, followed by a scene of a child watching TV. Each scene shows young kids
watching TV by themselves or with other kids.

In the background, you can just hear Trump talking nonsense. There’s a scene where
he uses foul language and swears as the kids are watching attentively. Each scene is
matched with a child whose ethnicity Trump is passionately disrespecting. For
instance, a Hispanic-looking girl is watching Trump on the TV while he says, “When
Mexico sends its people, they’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re
rapists...”
Clinton is trying to show America that Trump is threatening their culture and
individualism. The ad later shows a scene that states, “Our Children are watching,
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what examples will we set for them” with a black background and depressing slow
music. The overall tone is very melancholic and tragic.

The ad then ends with Clinton talking as kids watch on the TV with smiles on their
faces. The video is now brighter and uplifting while the background music is now
more euphonic. The transition from depressing (Trump) to uplifting (Clinton) shows
what, in essence, will happen if people vote for Trump or Hilary. Clinton explains,
“their children and grandchildren will look back at the choices they make that will
either help or hurt their future.” She explains that kids are watching and that it is up
to them to make sure that their kids in the future will be proud of this America.

DONALD TRUMP
“Final Ad”
In his final appeal to the American voters, Donald Trump promises for a better future.
The theme of Trump’s ad is taking back America from the political establishment that
has taken hold of the nation, branding himself as the outsider champion of everyday
Americans struggling against mighty forces out to exploit the country.

“Donald Trumps America”

Narrator states “behind all the glitter lies this dark truth,” starts off the ad. While that
is being said, Clinton is shown with a Hitler-like hand raise and a dark American flag
in the background. This could then be implied that Hilary could be the next Hitler.

Clinton is then showed with her face pursed and lips drawn tight. An expression like
such could be associated with lying, deceit, and uncertainty. The Oval Office is
showed in the background too, implying that she is lying her way to become President
or that she would lie as President.

The ad then claims that in Hilary Clinton’s America, taxes would keep rising with a
background of a family standing outside a house looking sad and homeless with heads
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drooping. This would make the American people want a strong leader to pull the
nation together and give that family hope.

A recurring theme of terrorism is evident in most of Trumps ad. In this ad, it shows
men in the back of a truck with guns and head wraps. This claims that terrorism
would worsen if Hilary were to be in office.

The ad then shows the White House with dark menacing clouds behind it and another
shot of Hilary in a dictator-like pose with the description “Losing our hope, home and
jobs.” This manipulates the audience to feel scared if Clinton won, as America will
enter dark times. The next scenes then contrast this scene, as they are very positive
and uplifting. It shows Trump looking happy and valiant. It shows a military family
getting reunited and the mood is much brighter and full of life with the description “In
Donald Trump’s America” – not dull and ominous as previously shown with Clinton.
This implies that Trump will keep you safe and pull the nation out of the “dark times”

“Jas Shaw”
The ad starts off by stating that a 17-year old female football star was gunned down
outside of his home by an illegal immigrant gang member. The ad shows the teen in
his football uniform holding a football next to his killer in his prison uniform. This ad
starts off by instilling fear into the audience using terror, implying that their homes
and neighborhoods are not safe because illegal immigrants come to America and join
gangs to kill their children.

The ad dehumanizes the killer by not stating his name and only referring to him as a
in illegal immigrant emphasizing Trumps hatred towards immigrants.

The ad ends with the dead teen’s father saying the he supports Trump because Trump
is the only one who deal with it. He then says, “Donald Trump wants to make us great
again.” This is a derivation of his very famous quote, “I want to make America great
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again.” However what the father said, “Donald Trump wants to make us great again”
impacts the audience as there is an emphasis on the word “us” which solely implies
that only Trump can make the American people great again by preserving the centre
of (white) American culture.