Newswise — A number of political TV ads in Maryland this fall are distinct from those used in other races around the country, using unconventional styles and, so far, less negative content, according to researchers at the University of Maryland.
"We've been closely analyzing political ads in the state, and so far, we haven't seen the level of nastiness you might expect," says Trevor Parry-Giles, Maryland professor of political communication. Along with his wife, he is the co-creator of a unique, non-partisan Web site devoted to analysis of TV ads used by the candidates in the U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races in Maryland.
"In this environment, some candidates risk a costly backlash if they go too negative," adds Parry-Giles. Also, he calls the Steele ads "innovative and compelling."
"The Steele ads are long on atmospherics and symbols apparently designed to sell his brand and to inoculate him from Democratic attacks linking him to President Bush," says Shawn Parry-Giles, co-creator of the Web site, a political communications professor and director of the university's Center for Political Communication and Civic Leadership. "Some of Cardin's ads have been very simple " the very opposite of slick " using devices such as a shaky hand-held camera. This could well be a deliberate attempt to draw a distinction between Cardin and Steele."
The Web site, "Political Advertising Resource Center" analyzes the full content of the ads, including the use of sound and images. It is available online: http://www.umdparc.org/.
"No one in Maryland is doing anything comparable," says Trevor Parry-Giles. "We're not a watchdog group or truth squad. The idea is to critically examine the meaning and effects of these political ads, and we hope this will be useful to a wide-ranging audience, including public school and college students."
"There's a certain numbness that sets in as an election approaches, and the ads start to blend in to the wallpaper," says Shawn Parry-Giles. "Yet, political ads are one of the most important tools in a campaign arsenal. Citizens need to pay close, critical attention."
The Parry-Giles are also developing focus groups to assess the impact of the ads, and plan to post the results on the Web site.
PARC reflects the mission of the Center for Political Communication and Civic Leadership, which unites research, education, and public engagement in order to foster democratic communication by a diverse people.
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