MILWAUKEE — With less than two weeks until the 2024 presidential election, along with a U.S. Senate race and numerous local elections, Wisconsin is in full swing mode.
That means it’s hard to watch local TV or use the Internet without seeing political ads.
What you need to know It’s becoming increasingly difficult to watch local TV or use the Internet without seeing political ads
Michael Miller, an associate professor of communications at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said Wisconsin’s status as a battleground state is a major reason why there are so many political ads during the election season.
Ads later in the campaign season often shift focus as the number of undecided voters declines.
Some Wisconsinites say they’re tired of seeing political ads
With money pouring in from campaigns and political action committees to broadcast messages across the state, it may seem like most of the ads airing on Wisconsin’s airwaves are election-related.
Several people walking through Milwaukee’s 3rd Ward told Spectrum News they are growing tired of the district.
Colin Miller, who was visiting Milwaukee from North Carolina, said, “When I’m feeling down, I watch TV and it feels like political ads are coming on, so it’s the worst thing.” He said the ads will be back. house.
Luke Perry of Wisconsin described the constant stream of ads as “noisy.”
Michael Miller is an associate professor of communication at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he studies political advertising strategy.
Miller said Wisconsin’s swing state status is a key reason why political ads are seen more frequently during elections than in other areas where election results are more predictable.
“I have relatives visiting from New York right now, and they’ve never seen so many political ads. New York City isn’t a battleground state, so they don’t get political ads,” Miller said. he said.
While political ads may seem repetitive, Miller said they give candidates and political action committees (PACs) that support specific candidates or policies an opportunity to share their messages directly. He said he was there.
“Political ads are an opportunity for campaigns to distill a specific message. They can distill what they want to say into a 30- or 60-second format, and that’s different from how they communicate in other forms. When they hold a press conference, they’re probably going to run into questions that they don’t want to talk about,” Miller said.
Many advertisements repeat frequently. It may be broadcast several times an hour on the same TV channel or social media platform. Miller said that was to be expected.
“The reason you see so many of these messages is because they don’t last very long. They’re hoping that this repetition will create a situation where the message actually gets delivered,” Miller said.
As the clock ticks closer to Election Day, the number of undecided voters is likely to decline. That’s one reason why ads often change focus later in the campaign season, Miller said.
“I think a lot of these messages are about mobilization. Getting your own voters to vote and maybe demotivating voters in other camps to the extent possible,” Miller said.
