Group+1d

= = = Group 1d Media Literacy Project =

Andrew Colleen Aileen Leighton Isabelle **Glittering Generalities: ** An attention grabbing vague word or statement that is used when a politician wants to avoid giving specific details.  Example Ad: http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/original-mavericks

We think that this ad represents the propaganda term glittering generalities. The ad is paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and is approved by John McCain. We think that this represents glittering generalities because the ad doesn't really go into the specifics of how Sarah Palin and John McCain accomplished different things and what the outcome of it was. For example the ad tells us that Sarah Palin took on Big Oil Companies. While that may be true it could be leaving out that she took on Big Oil Companies and lost. The ad also makes promises that "...they will change Washington". The question is will it be a good change or a bad one? I think that the presentation of the ad is very good because it comes off as bold and courageous, but it really is just full of glittering generalities. We think this ad-intended for all voters-is a very good example of glittering generalities.

**Transfer: ** When a Politician takes good or bad qualities of one politician, and applies them to another in order to make people like or dislike them. Example Ad: http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/maverick-no-more-web

We think this ad represents the propaganda term, transfer. The ad is paid for by the Democratic National Committee. The base of the ad is that different Senators, a former Senator, and a Democratic National Chair member are saying how they think John McCain is the exact same as George Bush. They often say things like "there is no daylight between George Bush and John McCain; they are joined at the hip." They are transferring because all of the political people in the ad are taking traits from George Bush and applying them to John McCain. They are transferring the traits onto John McCain. The ending is very clever because John McCain has been trying to separate himself from George Bush. The clip really helps Barack Obama, because it is showing them together, with George Bush calling John McCain his friend. It supports the transfer that the Democratic Party are making from Bush to McCain The music is catchy, I think it just helps people remember the ad because the music gets stuck in your head easily. We think this ad-intended for all voters dissatisfied with George Bush-is a very good example of transfer.

**Plain Folk :** A politician relating themselves to average people, trying to get the average people to support them. Example Ad: http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/flash/player.swf?id=4420http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/flash/player.swf?id=4420

We think this ad represents the propaganda term, plain folk. The ad is paid for by Obama for America. In the ad, Barack Obama tells a story about the beginning of his life. He talks about how he was poor, raised by a single mom and his grandparents, who taught him values, "straight from the Kansas heart land where they grew up." The ad makes you somehow relate to him, and feel like you almost know him. Barack Obama tells about learning good traits and using them to do big and little things while growing up that helped the community. He shows pictures of himself helping people, and some parts are in black and white. We think that the people who made the ad did that on purpose. It makes you think back to long ago. The music, slow, and heartwarming adds a lot to the ad. We think this ad-intended for average voters-is a very good example of Plain Folk.

Repetition:  The same thing being done or said over and over, in order to influence people or let them know something important.  Euphemisms  Substitute names or words used for other names or words that could be offending.  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: #ed1db4; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif">Name Calling: The use of mean or cruel names to humiliate other candidates during a campaign. Example Ad: http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/strong

We think this ad represents the propaganda term, name calling. This ad is paid for by McCain-Palin 2008 and is approved by John McCain. The ad is a good example of name calling because McCain is calling Barack Obama a hypocrite. A hypocrite is someone who states something and then states something entirely different about it. The ad calls Obama a hypocrite because he attacks McCain about saying that the economic fundamentals are strong, and then Obama goes and says it himself. The music is very sudden and fearful which enhances the harshness of the ad to Barack Obama. We think this ad-intended for all voters-is a great example of name calling.

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Band Wagon: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> Attempting to tell a consumer or voter that everyone else is doing/has something so that you should get the same thing or do the same thing. Example Ad: http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/sweat-equity

We think this ad represents the propaganda term, band wagon. This ad is paid for by McCain-Palin 2008. In the ad, there are many different people saying "I am Joe the plumber." Joe the plumber is the average person in the US that John McCain is saying is going to be affected in a bad way, if Barack Obama becomes President. It is band wagon because there are a lot of people in the ad saying they are Joe the plumber. The big group of people that are saying this represent "everyone in America." When all the people say 'I am Joe the plumber", they are implying that EVERYONE will be affected in a bad way if Barack Obama gets elected President. We also think that a big part of this ad is that all the people in the ad talking are different genders, races, age, etc. We think that this is done on purpose because the ad-maker really wanted to get across the idea that EVERYONE in America will be affected by Barack Obama. In America there are people of different races, genders, age, etc, so the people in the ad must be different. I think the same goes for the location of the ad, where the people talking are standing. There is different pretty scenery behind each person; each scene is different, all scenes together representing all of America. We think this ad-intended for all average working class voters-is a good example of Band Wagon.

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: #15bc5c; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif">Fear: The use of terror in media attempting to change a voters mind about a candidate.

Example Ad: http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/100-years-web

We think this ad represents the propaganda term, fear. This ad is paid for by the Democratic National Committee. In the ad, a reporter is talking to John McCain saying that George Bush is thinking about keeping the soldiers in Iraq for 50 years. McCain replies that they might stay there for 100 years and that would be okay with him. Everyone knows how scary being in a war is especially if you are in the action. This ad shows fires and people shouting and it makes you feel afraid. It also gives you scary numbers for what has happened in only 5 years. The ad-makers are trying to scare the voters into voting for Barack Obama. This ad-intended for all voters unhappy that we are still in the war-is a great example of fear. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: #2093bc; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif"> Testimonial: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> When someone says they support or sponsor someone else to get someone to support/sponsor someone to. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: #98139a; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif">Faulty Cause and Effect: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">   <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; COLOR: #b5410d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif"> Wrongly associating a cause with an effect. Example Ad: http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/pump

We think this ad represents the propaganda term, faulty cause and effect. This ad is paid for by John McCain. In the ad, they are saying that high gas prices are caused by Barack Obama. This is faulty because Barack Obama doesn't have any direct influence over the price of gas. The background noise of the crowd yelling, "Obama! Obama! Obama!" starting soft and getting loud makes the ad very intense. This ad-intended for all voters who think gas prices are too high-is a great example of faulty cause and effect. Reward: <span style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">When media advertises an item for money, when they are really advertising getting something different from the item.