Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Obama: One Voice
After watching Our Brand is Crisis I am much more aware of the spin doctors and marketing that goes into these productions, but I have to say Obama nailed it here. His team of marketers must be a good one because this video really nails: the desire for change, patriotism, hope, etc.
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4 comments:
Reilly,
Obama is an impressive and moving speaker. I got "unity" and "hope in the power of the individual"... probably that people will elect him :). Generality is a significant basis for mass appeal.
I haven't seen "Our Brand is Crisis", but I certainly agree with the premise that there is power in propaganda (whether morally good or bad), and I'm interested in a summary and examples of their techniques which are presumably presented in the film.
In fact, the utility of convincing people is so common that the art seems to be ubiquitous. In that regard, the trailer you link is a bit funny in how it itself gives a distinct impression and message beyond the facts it presented.
From your impression after having seen the film, does it use the techniques it describes to convey its message?
Kevin
I've seen the movie as well. I felt that the film is quite different from a campaign in that a campaign is a form of communication that relies heavily upon narrative, and oral communication (speeches and debates). The film is not narrated, concepts are not "explained" or "framed" for the viewer in the way that they would be in a campaign. So it's like comparing apples and oranges.
The film relies on video documentation of strategy meetings primarily, and coverage of focus group work by the consultants, and some media footage of the socio-political events of that time. It's a visual documentation of campaign-craft. So there is no narrative (no narrator, no framing of the issues, no outside explanation of what you are viewing). Of course, the editors pick and choose which segments of the meetings are most pertinent (in their opinion), so it's going to be framed by what they deem is important or most interesting. No audience has the time to sit through hours and hours of tape. :)
The trailer for the film shows the most extreme visuals within the film - this is just a typical advertising/sales ploy to get people to watch it. It doesn't really reflect the tone of the movie itself.
Thanks for sharing your impression of the film, Dave.
There are, of course, documentaries and perhaps most commonly "reality TV" that do "frame" facts with a distinct message and intent, merely through selection, juxtaposition, subtle effects, etc., even lacking (much?) narration.
Gladly, it sounds like "Our Brand is Crisis" presents a more balanced view.
An excellent resource is the book "Propaganda and Persuasion" by Garth Jowett and Victoria O'Donnell. The book discusses different levels of propaganda and the elements necessary to deem something 'propagandist'.
I read a review by a viewer in Sweden who said "the film was way to easy on the Americans". So, perceptions will vary, depending on where one is standing.
Another interesting thing I noticed in the film: whenever the consultants were interviewed in their own offices, their office walls were plastered with posters from various recent democratic presidential campaigns. So, if anything, the film reflects poorly on the manipulations of the American left.
At the same time, I'm not naive enough to believe the candidates on the right don't employ these kinds of consultants and don't manipulate information to appeal to their own demographic. This is just the nature of the current political landscape.
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