It’s Morning in America Again

The best campaign slogans often come from the reelection campaigns of popular presidents. Perhaps the best example of this is Ronald Reagan’s 1984 reelection slogan: “It’s Morning in America Again.”

Reagan’s first term was prosperous. He established new legislation to fix the economy. In the low tax system that became known as “Reagonomics,” America saw economic growth, decrease in unemployment, and a reduced rate on inflation. This new found era of prosperity made Reagan an extremely likeable character.

“Morning in America” reflects the positive environment of the nation as morning is often the symbol of a new beginning. The slogan suggests that Reagan pulled America out of the night and into the sunlight. The full advertisement video concluded with a question: “Why would we ever want to return to where we were less than four short years ago?” When a campaign focuses on the positive accomplishments of the candidate, it is much easier to support the candidate. It provides an idea of what can be looked forward to with the next term.

During the current bid for party nomination, two of the leading Republican candidates (Rubio and Cruz) are referencing “Morning in America” in their campaigns. Marco Rubio currently has a video ad “Morning Again” that mimics Reagan’s video, however, it talks about a different time for the nation. Reagan’s video followed prosperity. This election follows an economic decline and the message of the ad is less about the virtues of the candidate and more about the flaws of the predecessor.

A key point to consider is the message when it comes to analyzing campaign slogans. The most effective are those that speak of the tangible achievements of the candidate. On the other hand, the most used are those that speak poorly of the opposing party. It is quite easy to mud-sling at an opponent; anything can be made fun of from their history to their appearance. But this can be done by anyone, rendering it ineffective at garnering votes. The most challenging part about winning an election is creating a name for yourself and a good one too.

In the history of campaigns, candidates, especially incumbents, win by the largest margins when they have something to show. The shear popularity of certain candidates can even bring about an attitude of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Once a candidate’s name is in the minds of the public, they automatically have an advantage over the opposing party. A prime example of this is the popularity of Donald Trump. His “unique” viewpoints have captured the attention of the media and of the people.

And in a way, that accomplishes the ultimate goal of campaigns: to bring awareness to what each candidate has done and promises to do.