Title: TASK: The Candidates' Secret Playbook
Course: US Election 2020-Leuphana-Copy > Section: 2. The Candidates

[fa-info-circle]  In this task, you will...

- analyze the candidate’s ‘secret playbook’, that is, the techniques of storytelling they use to create a certain image of themselves and their opponent.

1. The candidates' secret playbook     [fa-eye]

In order for campaign commercials to be effective, they need to follow a carefully crafted narrative structure. In other words, storytelling, for example, the way arguments are presented or a candidate’s biography is told, makes campaigns effective.

a. What's in the candidates' secret playbook?

Watch the video “How to Win an Election” by the NYTimes. Marc McKinnon, a former campaign strategist for both election campaigns of George W. Bush, talks about the power of storytelling in running successful political campaigns. Take notes on the following questions:

[fa-question-circle]   Guiding questions

- What are the vital components of http://nyti.ms/1R9wlOE a political campaign, according to Mr. McKinnon?
- What does he mean by “narrative architecture”? More specifically, what does he mean by threat, fear, opportunity, hope, villain, resolution, hero, victim?
- “There is no question that people can be seduced by a story.” (7:22) – What does this mean for political campaigns? Do you agree with this statement? Discuss.

You can use the viewing guide [2] for this.

b. Identifying an ad's narrative architecture

Select two commercials from the previous activity (TASK: Campaign Ads) – one by Trump and one by Biden. Can you identify a 'narrative architecture' in these commercials? Can you identify the motives of threat, fear, opportunity, hope, villain, resolution, hero, and victim?

You can share your analysis in the database  Learner Texts.

Extra: Message, theme, slogan of a campaign

The goal of an election campaign is to convince citizens to vote for you. One way to do this is to start with the people you have in your family environment. Now you will become the candidate's campaign manager, your role will be to thoroughly analyze his campaign. Firstly, read the document [3] “Political campaigning 101" by Jason Johnson. Answer the questions from the worksheet [4].

Resources for this task

1 How to Win an Election
The New York Times | Feb 18, 2018
video

2 How to Win an Election - Viewing Guide
Teach About U.S.
handout

[extra] U.S. Analyst Jason Johnson on the role of social media
U.S. Embassy Berlin | Mar 14, 2016
video