PARC Analysis "RX Drugs"

On the day of the third and final presidential debate between George W. Bush and John Kerry, the Kerry campaign released this ad to highlight the stark differences between George Bush and John Kerry's prescription drug initiatives. Riding the coattails of America's flu-vaccine shortage and the Bush administration's refusal to import prescription drugs from Canada, this ad capitalizes on George W. Bush's overall failure of seizing lower healthcare costs.

The two primary assumptions made in this advertisement are that George W. Bush has intentionally prevented Americans from getting lower health-care costs and that John Kerry, as president, will bring lower cost prescription drugs to the citizens of America. This advertisement skillfully blends an accusation against Bush into text that, otherwise, is upbeat about the promise of John Kerry's prescription drug plan. Overall, the assumptions of this ad place blame for the high prescription drug costs of America on President Bush's past executive decisions, or lack thereof.

John Kerry: The Talking Head

This ad is interesting for one, because it uses the imagery of a “talking head” advertisement. West (2001) cites talking head ads are those in which the subject looks directly into the camera and speaks anywhere from thirty to ninety seconds without the help of editing any film. Talking head ads were most prominent in political commercials during the 1950s, which draws attention to such uncommon ads in contemporary politics. Most ads during the 2004 presidential election feature visually appealing graphics, text, and sounds to draw the viewer into the screen. The beauty of this ad lies in its visual simplicity, paired with delicate and calming music.

The Scene's Aesthetics

In this ad, John Kerry speaks to the camera, or his viewers, while dressed in a black suit coat with an American flag lapel, white shirt and red tie. The background is an out-of-focus scene, similar to the oval office. The walls are a calming beige and there is a table holding a few books and picture frames placed under a window, the items of a scholar and family man. The window, framed with a dark valance, is sheathed in a delicate, white curtain that allows enough soft, natural light in to create the sensation of morning in the viewers' subconscious “White House.” An American flag hangs behind John Kerry, on top fall its blue, and white stars and the red and white stripes hang behind John Kerry's right shoulder. All of these elements are meticulously chosen and arranged to create the perfect backdrop for John Kerry.

It's The Little Things that Make the Difference

The scene fades in from black. John Kerry is seen smiling for a short moment and the words “John Kerry,” in white lettering with a glowing blue outline is shown in the lower left hand corner of the screen. Just before he begins to speak, soft, simple, and synthesized piano music is heard. The melody is slow; the notes are high and subtly pleasing, which creates an uplifting and hopeful feeling to match the soothing backdrop of beiges. John Kerry, himself, looks healthy and tan. An unseen light is placed in such a way to illuminate the blue in his eyes. His features are soft and a touch of natural-looking blush is seen on his cheekbones. The overall lighting in the room is warm, which adds to the cozy and comforting feeling this commercial conveys. All of this is very much in contrast to Kerry's April and July commercials, “Commitment,” “War on Terror,” “Freedom and Independence,” and “Lifeline,” in which the colors are cooler and the lighting harsher—the shadows showing Kerry's age. In these older commercials, the music is usually patriotic and booming, and Kerry's voice is more commanding and determined sounding. These differences can arguably be attributed to Kerry's shift in target audience. During the summer, Kerry was trying to appeal to both men and women in battleground states. In this commercial, Kerry's reach for the woman vote can be inferred from the overall effeminate tone.

What's Said Aloud and What's Said Otherwise

The first line out of John Kerry's mouth is, “ For the last four years, one man has stood between America and lower cost prescription drugs. George Bush.” In this line, Kerry emphasizes the words “one man” by slightly raising his hand, lowering his tone, and pausing a bit longer between the words. The connotation of these emphases is one of incredulity—how can one man prevent Americans from lower drug costs? Kerry answers this implied question with a big pause, and the answer: “George Bush.” His tone drops with the word “Bush,” to convey disappointment in the President, and his head nods, as if to affirm the viewers' expected answer.

Before speaking again, Kerry takes a breath and, while beginning to speak, rocks back. This small movement seems unstaged (and very well may be), but pairs confidently with the next words uttered, “As President….” The full sentence, “As President, I'll fight to allow Americans to import lower cost prescription drugs from Canada,” is accompanied with text that appears over a sheer purple banner across the bottom of the screen, “Allow Americans to Import Lower Cost Prescription Drugs from Canada.” The color purple compliments the red of Kerry's tie, and the blue stars and red stripes of the flag. As this sentence is uttered, the camera begins to slowly zoom into Kerry, allowing the viewers to get an up-close and personal look at the man suggesting that he will be the next president.

The next sentence, “And I'll make it legal for Medicare to make bulk purchases, guaranteeing a better price for Americans” is accompanied by the text, “Make it Legal for Medicare to Make Bulk Purchases of Prescription Drugs.” In this sentence, Kerry emphasizes the words “legal” and “bulk,” through volume, tone, and slight head nods, to emphasize where the current administration has failed: in assuring the legality of Medicare's purchasing of cheaper medicine through bulk . He ties up this sentence by emphasizing the word “guaranteeing” with tonal enunciation and a slight gesture to make lucid his overall point of “ guaranteeing a better price for Americans.” He also nods with the word “Americans,” to reinforce the viewers' agreement with the assurance of this plan. While speaking, John Kerry moves his head from side to side, one of his common delivery techniques. Throughout the ad he keeps steady eye-contact with the camera, thus, never averting his eyes from the viewers' eyes.

The following sentences, “We can have better lower-cost prescription drugs in America. All it takes is a president who will fight to make it happen,” tie up the ad's assumptions. The words, “We can have” rise in intonation and volume. This, once again, conveys the assurance that the commercial attempts to evoke in the viewers, paired cleverly with “all it takes is a president who will fight to make it happen.” This last sentence is packed with different meanings. The most obvious is that John Kerry will be a president who will fight for lower cost prescription drugs. The second is the implicit meaning that George Bush has not and will not fight for lower cost prescription drugs, consequentially not “fighting” for Americans. The emphasis on and use of the word “fight” in this context is fraught with innuendoes of feasibility and winning. The uses of fighter imagery and the words “fight,” “fighter,” and “winner” in political advertisements is historical, a necessary incorporation in the presidential “horse race” (Kendall, 2000). It is the fighter metaphor which places the candidates in a battle and which characterizes the candidate's motivation for the greater good: the good of the people. John Kerry makes an implicit blow to President Bush here, accusing him of lacking the masculine necessity of fighting, while implying that, of the two, Kerry is the real fighter.

After the emphasis on and pauses before and after the word “fight,” John Kerry ties up his ad with a visible and broad smile. The compulsory “I'm John Kerry, and I approve this message” follow the sentence “…president who will fight to make it happen,” linking these words with the name and face of John Kerry. At this point in the ad, the music come to an emotional culmination and the emblem “Kerry Edwards” flashes upon the screen.

This commercial allows the viewer to get a closer and more intimate look at the man many Americans have claimed to know little about. There is a great deal of emotion infused in the music and the appearance of the scene and the presidential hopeful. The smile Kerry holds at the end of these 30 seconds is one of confidence, but not pride, of interest, but not zealousness. Overall, this commercial is simple, but effective.

Washington, DC - With George Bush continuing to launch misleading attacks in order to hide his failed health care record, the Kerry-Edwards campaign Tuesday released the new ad “Prescription Drugs.” In the ad, John Kerry tells vieWith George Bush continuing to launch misleading attacks in order to hide his failed health care record, the Kerry-Edwards campaign Tuesday released the new ad “Prescription Drugs.” In the ad, John Kerry tells viewers what is standing between them and lower drug costs – George W. Bush.

Asked how he and Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry would pay for improved health care, Edwards said they would strengthen the existing system, provide coverage to children and families and help employers offer benefits to workers. He also promised to work toward reducing prices for prescription drugs by allowing imports from Canada and bargaining with drug companies for lower prices.

The Washington Post, 10/13/04, “Bush's Health Care Ads Not Entirely Accurate”

President Bush charged in a pair of television ads yesterday that John F. Kerry's health care plan would lead to "rationing," "less access," "fewer choices" and "long waits." But his campaign acknowledged that these were references to the existing Medicaid program, whose eligibility would be expanded under the Massachusetts senator's proposal.

The ads also charge, as Bush has on the campaign trail, that his challenger's plan is "a big government takeover." But there is no takeover -- the Kerry plan builds on the existing system of private health insurance, primarily through tax credits and incentives.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28123-2004Oct12.html

Works Cited

Kendall, Kathleen E. Communication in the Presidential Primaries: Candidates and the Media, 1912-2000. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2000.

West, Darrell M. Air Wars: Television Advertising in Election Campaigns, 1952-2000. 3 rd ed. Washington D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, 2001.

Ad Analysis

John Kerry: The Talking Head

The Scene's Aesthetics

It's The Little Things that Make the Difference

What's Said Aloud and What's Said Otherwise