Overview
Pulp Politics argues that the stories of American politics have found their most vivid expression in campaign advertising. It is the central argument of this book that adopting the readily identifiable audiovisual conventions of popular culture is particularly attractive to candidates and communicators, and that analysts can benefit from a closer study of the audiovisual narratives of campaign advertising than scholars have engaged in. From the audiovisual evocation of horror in 1988 ads that read as 30-second trailers for the nightmare on Elm Street that would be the Dukakis presidency to the Bush-Cheney spots in 2004 that drew upon the look and feel of the popular anti-terrorism thriller O24,O evocation of popular culture has proven an extremely effective tool of mass communication in a televisual age.
Synopsis
The 30-second political advertising spots considered by some to be despoilers of democracy can also be seen as evocative and powerful means through which the stories of American politics are told and understood. Often it is the fabric of popular culture, not the imperatives of informed consent, that drives viewer response to campaign commericals.
Editorials
Choice
A valuable contribution to the study of political campaign advertising. Highly recommended.Journalism Studies
In an age when college students often are more familiar with the comedians who satirize polticians than they are with the elected leaders themselves, Pulp Politics would be a useful supplement in a media-and-society or political communication course. The text raises important discussion points about the impact of audiovisual elements in advertising, the effectiveness of negative campaigning and the Ad Watch groups that purportedly monitor such campaigns.Political Science Quarterly
Here is a fresh look at political advertising and what has been written about it. Richardson's research-grounded book is a fine example of how such re-evaluations may proceed and the intriguing findings that may ensue.— Doris Graber