How TV ads trigger emotions and set the agenda for other forms of media

For my blog post, I chose to write about emotional political ads. I chose this topic because I think it plays a huge part in democracy and it is very effective. Emotion is what sparks heated debates, which often turn in to arguments. Emotion is what makes many people lose their temper and do things they might regret. So, this is the perfect way to motivate a person to vote and make their voice heard. Another tactic is by using fear but this post focuses on the power of political ads that trigger emotion in people.

The example i used was this advertisement President Obama used on healthcare. He used this advertisement, which was very emotional, to gain the publics' attention and trigger emotions. This advertisement made me feel a sense of sadness and I felt sorry for Obama. After watching this, I also began thinking how important healthcare is but I was triggered emotionally. I thought of my own family and how I would feel if a family member passed away because they didn't have healthcare. And these type of ads are what honestly motivated my decision in the presidential election, congressional and local elections.

Though the ad was presented on TV I think it would have had the same impact if it were in print media. In print, a writer would have crafted a feature story about a person was died or was dying because they didn't have healthcare. And, if it was a local story, I would realize how close to home the issue really is. So, in a way, these political ads also set the agenda for the print media because they write stories similar to the ads, which can have an effect in the community and on democracy.

- PETER PANEPINTO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aR3Gpsn4v4