Exposing negative campaigning or enhancing advertising effects: An experimental study of adwatch effects on voters' evaluations of candidates and their ads

Abstract

Conventional campaign wisdom holds that political news coverage may define the content of political advertisements. Recently, however, political advertisements have been shaping the content of the news. More and more, stations are conducting political adwatches in hopes of deterring against dishonest campaigning. In response, this study conducts an experimental examination of political adwatch effects on voters’ perceptions of political candidates and their ads. Results reveal that the way some adwatches are framed may further enhance the target ad's effects. Subjects had similar reactions to both the ad itself and the candidates regardless of exposure format (ad, adwatch, combination) according to cell, gender, or political affiliation. Moreover, the sponsoring candidate received significantly more favorable evaluations when compared to those of his opponent (target candidate). Thus, the attack ad worked to the sponsor's advantage as adwatch coverage failed to offset advertising effects. This study concludes that as political adwatches are presented today, they may be doing more to enhance advertising effects than to expose negative campaigning.