The 2024 presidential race is coming to an end in just a few weeks and personally, I could not be more excited. I find myself counting down the days because no matter who wins, the campaign advertisements will finally come to an end. I feel that the 2024 presidential advertisements are invasive, ineffective and negatively polarizing. Their existence opens up a broader conversation about advertising in the media– one that I feel brings out to the worst in people and their behavior during the weeks leading up to the presidential election.
These ads have taken over online media during the last couple of months. You can’t go a few hours, or do much online without seeing Harris’ or Trump’s face. How many times have you been greeted by Kamala Harris or a 40-second Donald Trump ad before you go to stream your favorite shows or watch a video on YouTube? In classes, it’s even difficult for professors to use video demonstrations without a political ad popping up, which adds a slight sense of discomfort to the classroom.
The advertisements are loud, obnoxious, typically 30-50 seconds and oftentimes, unskippable. On apps like TikTok, Instagram or Facebook, they pop up every few scrolls. In my opinion, the media is already flooded with discussion about the election, so being constantly reminded of the candidates on what feels like every online platform seems a bit over the top.
Perhaps the worst part is that these advertisements are ineffective. The majority of them are based on attacking the other candidate rather than discussing their own campaign. Harris tends to gear her ads to the working class, describing Trump as an asset to the wealthy. Trump on the other hand, usually focuses on Harris’ immigration policies and depicts her time as vice president as a “failure.” Hardly any of the ads ever discuss policy or solutions to issues the country is facing. The ads often lack real facts or context to the facts they do include
At the very least, if the parties are going to use attacks on each other as their tactics in these ads, I wish it wasn’t based on the most outlandish accusations. How can I trust either side when they both seem lowly and desperate to make others look bad instead of making themselves look good? I can’t imagine how these political commercials are actually convincing anyone of anything other than how flawed our political system is.
I think these advertisements open a bigger discussion about the media itself. Why are the ads so polarizing and negative? Why is it that the candidates play on your dislike or anger towards another candidate to make you vote for their side? Personally, as a consumer of these ads, I feel belittled and disrespected that these officials would try to sway my political views based on anger that lacks context. Why do they want the act of choosing who to vote for to come from a place of so much negativity?
These advertisements are not showcasing a better America– they are representing the already corrupted and polarizing media tactics that many companies use to distract, manipulate and dehumanize consumers. Next time you see a political ad, ask yourself how this is intended to make you feel, and what is the candidate’s motivation for wanting me to feel that way?
