Packaging The Presidency: A History and Criticism of Presidential Campaign Advertising (Paperback)

~ (Author) "In 1888, Scottish scholar and statesman James Bryce observed that during election campaigns in the U.S. "For three months, processions, usually with brass bands, flags,..." (more)
Key Phrases: election eve telecast, montage ads, election eve telethon, New York, White House, Social Security (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

*Praise for the first edition:
"A thoughtful history of campaign advertising."--Adam Clayton, The New York Times Book Review
"There is nowhere else where one can learn as much, and trust as well, to a balanced judgement of the past generation of political advertising."--Michael Schudson, Philadelphia Inquirer

Product Description

"If political advertising did not exist, we would have to invent it," writes Katherine Hall Jamieson in her widely praised study, Packaging the Presidency. Now in a new Third Edition, Jamieson expands her authoritative analysis of political advertising, looking at the media campaigns of American presidents from the early days of the republic to the successful 1992 Clinton campaign. Chronicling the evolution of the campaign ad from political songs and slogans through the handbill and newspaper cartoon to radio and television coverage, an argument emerges that is subtle but persuasive: though often equivocal, and even downright sleazy, political advertising is vital in reminding voters of the choices at the heart of democracy.

Much of the book, appropriately, focuses on the powerful media campaigns of the post-war period. In individual chapters devoted to presidential campaigns since 1952, the claims of media strategists, campaign memos, and journalists frame discussions on the impact of candidates from Adlai Stevenson, Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan to the country's more recent high-profile and media savvy canditates such as Ross Perot and Bill Clinton. This new edition covers such issues as the new forms of exposition created by cable television that so powerfully impacted the 1992 campaign. The wide variety of venues, including MTV and the Nashville Network, coupled with almost daily appearances on morning talk shows, afforded candidates the ability to reach audiences by the millions in "news-ads" that served as free extended commercials. Jamieson points out the success of Ross Perot's unconventional revival of the thirty-minute program spot--an important innovation that reflected both the power of the modern-day "infomercial" and marked a radical change in previously held notions about the viewing electorate's response to longer forms of candidate sponsored communication. Jamieson also addresses the increasing prevalence of "adwatchs," in which the press polices the fairness and accuracy of campaign accusations, offering the public a greater opportunity to assess the claims made in political ads, and giving opponents the enhanced ablitity to use news corrections in counter ads. And we see how campaign intrigue reached a new high with satellite tracking that allowed candidates to capture copies of ads as they went on the air. "We would put ads on the satellite that we weren't going to run," recalls Clinton campaign manager James Carville, "just to freak them out. Fake spots, so they would have to put some time and money together and respond to it."

Just as political advertising is neither as innocent or invidious as it is frequently described, voters are more independent than cynics (and perhaps political advertisers) would like to believe. And as we approach the twenty-first century, with the cloak of television shadowing the country, voters are becoming increasingly more informed. As this fine study convincingly demonstrates, the successful "packaging" of presidents is a complex, and far from automatic, process.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 3 edition (June 20, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195089421
• ISBN-13: 978-0195089424
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #462,260 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jamieson opens the door of, May 14, 1999

By A Customer

Packaging the presidency is the most complete and accurate book about presidential advertising and communication of the period ending with the 1992 presidential election. Sometimes humorous, sometimes cynical, Kathleen Jamieson takes us in a travel back in time within the intricacies of political communication strategies. This is the best book that I have ever read on this subject. This book was recommended to me by another Presidency specialist, Stephen J. Wayne, when I was studying at Georgetown: this book is really a must read! Thanks Kathleen and thanks Professor Wayne.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant as Always...., November 15, 2000

By	groundless (USA) - See all my reviews

I was required to read this book for a course and was my first experience with Kathleen Hall Jamieson and I am now one of her biggest fans.

She provides thoughtful, non-partisan analysis (rare in this age of personal commentary) of political advertisements. She discusses what worked, what didn't and why in a clear, thought-provoking yet easy to read manner.

Some of her best work. If you are interested in advertising or politics this book is a must have.

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book is good, November 2, 1999

By A Customer

Jamison has successfully covered the intricasies of presidential campaign advertising from the beginning of the Republic up to the 1992 campaign. A well organized and thoughtful book that is easy to read.