In this week’s edition of the Observador Newsletter – ‘Special American Elections’, journalist João de Almeida Dias recalls the history of the famous television ads in American campaigns, from 1948 to the present. In such a special year, will they be decisive?

Since 1952, when Dwight D. Eisenhower was making his way to becoming the 34th President of the United States, campaign ads become part of political campaigns in the U.S.

“Eisenhower responds to America” marked a new way of doing politics, in which the candidate spoke directly to his electorate, without questions from journalists or contradictory.

Since then, this way of campaigning has changed significantly, using everything as a political weapon – and moving millions – every four years.

From Lyndon Johnson’s negative ads (simulating a nuclear catastrophe) to Barack Obama’s social media campaign, ads are increasingly a weapon for politicians, used depending on the target, be it Swing-states, more Democratic or Republican states, the pandemic, the economy or the right to carry arms.

Read here the analysis of João de Almeida Dias to know what is at stake and how candidates try to secure the necessary votes to ensure the election on November 3, or subscribe to the newsletter to receive it directly in your email every Monday.