I watched a commercial from the 1968 election cycle endorsed by Richard Nixon. this ad focused completely of the Vietnam War. By showing a series of still photos from the war with dramatic drums, that almost sound like explosions and gunshots in the background, the ad attempts to portray the horrors of war. Pictures of American soldiers, Vietnamese citizens, and destroyed towns all play into the theme of security, war, desperation, peace, and the need for change.

While all of these pictures of war are being shown, a voice (not sure if it is Nixon’s or not) is describing the ongoing turmoil and devastation that have yielded little progress. Pairing the images of war with a vocal message of desperation creates a tone of the need for change. I thought this was a very effective campaign strategy since at this point, many Americans were fed up with the way politicians were handling the Vietnam War. Nixon promises change and to bring an end to all the mayhem.

The ad finishes with a picture of Nixon and his campaign slogan, “This time, vote like your whole world depended on it.” This takes a very literal meaning by insinuating that if you (the voter) votes for the wrong candidate (not Nixon) it could have major repercussions on your safety. This also plays into the fear tactic.