I was assigned to watch the 1992 Democratic, Republican, and Independent campaigns, and I noticed several key themes that spread across all three candidates. Every single one, for at least half of their advertisements, focused on taxes and prosperity and jobs. That seemed to be the big kicker back in 1992; taxes, jobs, wealth. While Clinton was more inclined to show how he would benefit these things personally, Bush was more likely to attack Clinton and say that he would ruin things more. Bush’s campaign took a very fear-mongering approach as it would use scary background songs, serious narrators, and devastating images to show what would happen if Clinton were to be elected. Whereas Clinton used happier imagery and lighter tones to show that he was for good, and his election into office would be good.
http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1992/maine
Personally, my favorite advertisement was one of Clinton’s attack ads on Bush, just because I think it was well-devised and planned out. It had a very set-up and punchline structure, and I think that’s why it stuck with me. It was an attack ad that depicts Bush boating in Maine and having fun in Maine, but then transitions to how Bush doesn’t pay taxes in Maine and does that in Texas instead, using buildings and property to get massive tax breaks (again, the focus was on taxes and the American people having to make up the difference and pay more). I thought it was kind of funny because the Clinton administration set up a very “paparazzi” like photoshoot of Bush doing all the fun things in Maine, and then it hit hard with the Texas taxes bit (which, off-topic, but I just realized that Texas and Taxes are anagrams. Haha).
I think that the consistent topics of taxes and jobs really show what was happening in 1992 and what the American focus was. It was also interesting to see what each candidate’s approach to campaigning was; Bush with the offensive, attacking Clinton style, and Clinton with the more cheerful and “hopeful” style that “proved” he was “working for Americans.”
I think it is really interesting to see what different methods the Republican party vs. the Democratic party take with their advertising. I really struggle with the attack ads as I find so many almost cringey as they take things out of context or just take a very unfair dig at the other candidate. I think it really does say something about a candidate with how they attack other candidates and, like you said with Bush and Clinton, can really turn people towards the candidate with the more cheerful and american-focused ads. in my opinion, I think attack ads need to be executed in the right way and there certainly is a thin-line between a productive campaign vs. a destructive one.