The history of political TV ads

Once introduced to the site's various methods of presentation, visitors can proceed to the Index - which occupies the left side of every page and offers four routes into the collection. Election Year sorts the contents chronologically and accompanies each year with an overview, candidate-specific details, and the election's final results. On the right are thumbnail stills from the ads, which will launch the spots in the embedded window.

Type of Commercial gathers selected ads under such style headings as Biographical, Fear, Real People, and Backfire (which features one party's use of the opposing candidate's words and actions to provide real or "spun" self-incrimination). Issue gives the same treatment to such favorite and recurring topics as Corruption, Taxes and War. Finally, but first in the index, a keyword search allows visitors to gather their own collections while using their own criteria.

There's actually a fifth method of navigation as well, separate from the index. Beneath each embedded ad, you'll find a pull-down menu listing spots related to the one currently being viewed. These pull down selections can span many elections, as is the case with a 1964 Reagan endorsing Goldwater ad, which includes a link to a year 2000 Bush campaign spot. While not part of the main index, this method of tangential movement could easily occupy hours of aimless but entertaining exploration.

In keeping with these changing times, The Living Room Candidate also has a section on The Desktop Candidate. This collection includes Candidate Websites (with archived sites back to Clinton and Dole 1996 home pages), a Shadow Campaign collection (with ads by "non-affiliated" partisan groups), recommended links, and online video ads, created by the Democratic and Republican parties. Taking advantage of lower budgets, and the lack of regulation and time constraints, these ads include interactive versions of already existing TV spots, a movie trailer spoof, and even a parody of Monopoly. And if you thought the TV ads were getting too negative...

As annoying as they may be when they're interrupting something you want to watch, and as devoid of useful information as they may be if you're actually looking for guidance, these ads have shaped, and occasionally, even changed campaigns. They are interesting to view on one's own schedule as a component of political culture. In historical context, the collection provides a clear demonstration of how much the technology of campaign advertising has improved - even if the content hasn't.

The Living Room Candidate can be found at http://livingroomcandidate.movingimage.us/.

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(Although the homepage of the year 2000 version of Living Room Candidate site redirects to the 2004 site, the older edition does offer educational materials not available on the current website. For educators or other interested parties, this link will take you to related materials from the 2000 site, and the 2000 PBS site The :30 Second Candidate, while not current, can still add a bit of insight about the process of actually creating the campaign ad.)

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