Ad Watch - Barack Obama, "Caroline"

Barack Obama’s 30-second ad “Caroline” first aired on TV in late January 2008, coinciding with the public announcement by Ted and Caroline Kennedy that they would endorse Obama’s campaign. The ad is narrated with a voice-over by Caroline Kennedy in which she draws a comparison between her father, John F. Kennedy, and Obama. To make it’s point, the ad interweaves historic images of JFK with contemporary images of Obama on the campaign trail. The way that the narration and the images work together are important to this ad’s message, which suggests that Obama can inspire the American people, much in the same way that J.F.K. did during his presidency.

“Caroline” begins with color film footage showing John F. Kennedy walking with military guards at an airport, as if he has just disembarked from an airplane. The shot is energetic, and as he enters from the right side of the frame and moves toward the left, Caroline’s voice says “Once we had a great president.” As Caroline continues her narrative “…who made people feel hopeful about America and brought us together to do great things” three more photographs appear– two of Kennedy, and one of an astronaut planting the American flag on the moon. Both images of Kennedy are in black and white and invoke a nostalgia for the past. In the first, Kennedy is smiling as he is surrounded by a crowd of what look to be adoring fans and reporters. The second shows him on a stage giving a speech. His back is turned, and although we cannot see his face, two spotlights shining on him dramatically draw attention to his figure. The crowd is a blur, but it is obviously filled with thousands of people who, one might think, are anxiously awaiting the president’s words.

Caroline’s narration shifts as we see the first image of Barack Obama following the Kennedy sequence. A photograph shows Obama from behind, walking toward the American flag as the words – “Today Barack Obama gives us that same chance.” Another image appears that shows Obama walking on a stage, entering from the right and moving toward the left. The mirror effect of energetic movement in this photograph acts to tie the viewer unconsciously back toward the first image we saw of Kennedy. The low angle perspective of the Obama photograph makes him seem disproportionately large– the stage and crowd fill the lower one-quarter of the frame’s horizontal plane, while Obama’s figure extends the entire length of the image’s vertical plane. His body gesture and arm raised in a wave suggest a confident leader that is in the presence of admirers.

Subsequent images show Obama interacting with supporters, reinforcing the image that, like Kennedy, he has the popular support of “the people.” The narration continues with Caroline saying of Obama, “ He makes us believe in ourselves again. That when we act as one, we can overcome any challenge.” The visuals shift to a head-and-shoulders shot of Caroline speaking directly to the camera, as if making an appeal. She ends, saying “People always tell me how my father inspired them. I feel the same excitement now. Barack Obama can lift America and make us one nation again.” The ad ends with an image of Obama on a stage with Caroline and Ted Kennedy at a political rally with a voice-over that says, “I’m Barack Obama and I approved this message.”

The power of this ad lies in its effective film editing techniques. The way in which the initial footage of President Kennedy transitions to Barack Obama walking into the ad at about the 8-second mark is simply breathtaking in it’s ability to convey a strong association between J.F.K and Obama. Much of Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s campaign for the Democratic nomination for president has focused on appealing to American voters’ desire for change– and, in fact, the slogan on his official website reads “Barack Obama: Change you can believe in.” This advertisement suggests a comparison between Obama and John F. Kennedy that brings the viewer back to a moment in American politics that were less affected by cynicism, in which leaders were able to accomplish positive things for humankind, such as the moon landing. In fact, Caroline’s ending words suggest that Obama can bring together a “broken” nation, perhaps healing the chasm that has divided Americans since the Vietnam War.

What this ad leaves out is any mention of Obama’s political affiliation or his position on particular issues. His rival in the bid for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton, is not mentioned, nor is the fact that the Kennedy’s endorsement of Obama represented a big blow to her campaign. Caroline Kennedy’s endorsement focuses on what she calls Obama’s ability to inspire people, like her father did. In a New York Times opinion piece published on January 27, 2008 (a day or two before the “Caroline” ad was premiered on national T.V.) she explains, “We have [an] opportunity with Senator Obama. It isn’t that the other candidates are not experienced or knowledgeable. But this year, that may not be enough. We need a change in the leadership of this country — just as we did in 1960.”

Comparisons made between J.F.K. and Obama are not without reason– in their early campaign speeches both focused on several common themes: hope, a determination to succeed despite the odds, dissatisfaction with the status quo, and confidence in the judgment of the American people. In sprinkling their remarks with allusions to history and poetry, neither talked down to the American people. Obama, like Kennedy, appeals to voters with a charismatic facility to make people believe that change is possible.

Advertisements can be evaluated as to whether or not they are ethical using the TARES test. If the message is true, if the persuader is authentic, if the ad demonstrates respect for the audience, if the appeal is equitable, and if the ad is socially responsible, then we can consider it to be ethical. In the case of the “Caroline” ad, the message’s truth is difficult to determine because of the nature of a personal appeal– Caroline Kennedy’s words are meant to express her subjective opinion. As the daughter of J.F.K., her point of view has an added authority, which may be seen as authentic. The ad respects the audience in that it speaks to a sentiment that many Americans share in common– an expressed desire for change and a leader that will help us to believe in ourselves as a nation. The ad is equitable– it does not seek to slander the rival candidate or make exaggerated claims, and it also passes the test of social responsibility in that it hopes to inspire people to vote for a candidate that can overcome challenges and make change that will improve society.

One possible critique that should be considered when evaluating this ad is its reliance on emotional persuasion. The comparison that Caroline Kennedy draws between her father and Obama, combined with the images used, make effective propaganda. Kant would probably find fault with this ad’s attempts to manipulate the viewer’s emotions and use voters as means to political victory, while J.S. might claim that even the most manipulative of political ads is ethical as long as it produces desirable results.

The ad “Caroline” can be viewed on Obama’s official campaign site: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/caroline_ad

Or on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVlnL1_xXJM&NR=1

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