Presidential ad: I like Ike from Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) vs. Adlai Stevenson II (D) 1952HOPE

“I Like Ike,” 1952 Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) vs. Adlai Stevenson (D) The year 1952 ushered in the TV election ad wars, fighting to win the hearts and minds of Americans. With music by Irving Berlin, the highly likeable “I Like Ike“ was produced by Walt Disney’s brother Roy at the Disney Studios. Studies show that when it comes to political advertising, we feel first and think later. So the most impactful campaign ads aim for our hearts—fear, anger, hope and pride—and they run the gamut from stirring to downright dirty. I Approve This Message, an exhibition about the emotional impact of political advertising in a landscape altered by the internet, was scheduled to open at the New-York Historical Society in September 2020. The COVID-19 lockdown halted those plans, but we want to share a few of the exhibition’s ads, particularly as we head towards election day on Nov. 3, 2020. The Birth of Election Ads and 9 Classic TV Spots, read more: